Bad Soccer Dad
40 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 4 years ago - ★★★★★ - 47 ratingsWe’re committed to developing better parents, better athletes and better conversations through episodes focused on what it means to live out our faith in the complex world of youth sports.
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Episodes
New Year, New Goals
January 07, 2020 10:00 - 6 minutes - 11.9 MBWelcome back to Bad Soccer Dad! Hope you had a great 2019 and are kicking off your 2020 with a lot of fun, energy, and excitement. I'm joined here by some of the youth athletes in my family, talking about 2019 and going forward into 2020.
Throwback: The Art of Realistic Dreaming with Brittany Reinbolt
December 31, 2019 10:00 - 29 minutes - 54.8 MBI don’t know about you, but the holidays have been really nutty around our house, especially with the new year right around the corner, so this week we’re throwing it back to one of our favorite episodes from this past spring, I hope you enjoy listening to it as I enjoyed listening to it the first time. Have a great new year! Today’s interview is with Brittany Reinbolt of the US National Bobsled Team. Brittany is a native of Southern California, but grew up in Searcy, Arkansas. While in ...
Throwback: Perspective for Anxious Athletes and Parents with Brad Griffin
December 24, 2019 10:00 - 35 minutes - 64.4 MBI don't know about you, but the holidays are crazy in our house especially with Christmas coming right around the corner, so this week we are throwing it back to one of our favorite episodes that aired this past spring, have a listen! In this episode I speak with Brad Griffin. Brad is the Director of the Fuller Youth Institute, where he develops research-based training for youth workers and parents. A speaker, blogger, and volunteer youth pastor, Brad is the coauthor of Growing Young, seve...
Throwback: How Not to Cheer for Your Kids with Michael Spehn
December 17, 2019 10:00 - 30 minutes - 56 MBI don't know about you, but the holidays are crazy in our house especially with Christmas coming right around the corner, so this week we are throwing it back to one of our favorite episodes that aired this past spring, have a listen! Michael is a New York Times bestselling author, co-founder of The New Day Foundation, a non-profit serving families fighting cancer, and former co-host of the radio show, Your Family Matters, on Salem Broadcasting in Detroit. He has also been a basketball c...
Bethany Balcer on Humility
December 10, 2019 10:21 - 28 minutes - 52.3 MBBethany Balcer is a forward for Reign FC and was awarded 2019 Rookie of the Year for the National Women's Soccer League. Reflection: Bethany said her sister and her parents are the people who keep her grounded in the midst of the pressure she’s faced and the achievements she’s accomplished. Do you have people who love you enough to pick you up when you’re down? And people who can help you stay humble when you’re at the top of your game? As a parent, what could it look like to remin...
Thanksgiving Leftovers
December 03, 2019 09:18 - 12 minutes - 23.3 MBIt is a couple days after Thanksgiving, and my hope is that you had a great time hanging out with friends and family and that you spent time cataloging the many things that you are, or could, or should be thankful for. Here's a few things I am thankful for in this youth sports season.
Sports and Trauma with Tracy Hanson
November 26, 2019 11:24 - 32 minutes - 58.6 MBMy guest today is Tracy Hanson, who had a successful All-American Collegiate golf career at San Jose State University that included: eleven individual tournament wins, an NCAA Team Championship, a USGA Public Links Championship, and Low Amateur honors at the USGA Women’s Open. She played her first year professionally in thirteen different countries and was named an Order of Merit Winner in Asia & Rookie of the Year on the Ladies European Tour. Tracy enjoyed fifteen successful seasons...
Rest and Play
November 19, 2019 10:05 - 11 minutes - 21.1 MBIn this mini-episode, Steve reflects on some of the principles on the importance of rest and play in three books he's recently read. If you want to add to your BSD reading list, check these out: Elite? A Christian Manifesto for Youth Sports in the United States by Adam Metz The Emotionally Healthy Leader: How transforming your inner life will deeply transform your church, team and the world by Peter Scazzero The Mamba Mentality: How I Play by Kobe Bryant
Giving God Glory in Competition with Brian Smith
November 12, 2019 09:26 - 34 minutes - 62.5 MBBrian is on staff with Athletes in Action and the author of The Assist: A Gospel-Centered Guide to Glorifying God Through Sports. Brain is married to his high school sweetheart, Linsey, has three kids and is a Detroit Lions fan. He ran track and cross country at Wake Forest University, where he graduated with a degree in communications. Brian said one of the great gifts his parents gave him was reminding him that, when he got cut from a high school team, that God had a plan. That God sees s...
My Playbook for Growth
November 05, 2019 10:00 - 13 minutes - 24.1 MBOver the last year I’ve been learning to write a new playbook to remind me who I want to be before, after and in the midst of my four children’s athletic journeys. I am learning to speak the language of lament, pursue the practice of patience, and enter into the exercise of delight. The mission of Bad Soccer Dad is to explore the intersection of parenting, youth sports and spirituality. Every conversation is designed to help parents, coaches, and athletes ask critical questions, questions l...
Playing as a Global Citizen with Dr. Chris Seiple
October 29, 2019 09:44 - 25 minutes - 45.8 MBDr. Seiple is the Senior Fellow for Comparative Religion at the Jackson School of International Studies. He is widely known and sought after for his decades of experience and expertise regarding issues at the intersection of geopolitics, US foreign policy, Asia, conflict resolution, human rights and religion. He has pioneered innovative solutions in the U.S. Marine Corps, at the U.S. State Department, the Templeton Religion Trust, and as the president of the Institute for Global Engagement (...
Setting and Scoring Goals with Jess McDonald
October 22, 2019 09:44 - 26 minutes - 48.3 MBJess McDonald plays for the North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League and is a member of the United States Women's National Soccer Team. She won an NCAA title with the North Carolina Tar Heels, 2 NWSL titles with the North Carolina Courage, and the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Jess was gracious enough to host my daughter Naomi and I for this interview at the North Carolina Courage training facility. A few days before we recorded this, my wife Kelly and Naomi saw the Jes...
Blended Families and Youth Sports with Ron Deal
October 15, 2019 10:02 - 32 minutes - 59.1 MBMy today is with Ron Deal who is the Director of Family Life Blended. You can learn more about them at http://familylifeblended.com/ Reflection: Ron quotes a proverb that says, “When two elephants fight, the grass suffers.” Is there unresolved conflict in your family dynamic that is causing stress for your child? If so, what’s one step you can take this week toward owning your part in that conflict and addressing it? Do you struggle to communicate on logistics when it comes to gear, p...
Competition and Character with Mark Labberton
October 08, 2019 10:00 - 30 minutes - 55.7 MBMy conversation this week is with Mark Labberton, the president of Fuller Seminary. Mark and I met about six years ago when he was the Associate Professor of Preaching and director of the Ogilvie Institute of Preaching. He’s been an incredible mentor and a great source of encouragement to me over the years and am grateful for the wisdom he brings to this conversation. You can learn more about Fuller at www.fuller.edu Reflection: Mark said, “Competition is a valid and good thing. I...
Playing the Game for Good with Chip Huber
October 01, 2019 10:55 - 36 minutes - 66.7 MBMy conversation this week is with Chip Huber, the Associate Vice President for Student Development and Athletics at Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, MI. Chip and I met over 20 years ago and he’s been an inspiration to me as a leader and a parent. I want to encourage to check out Chip’s site: www.nightofnets.org And consider starting something like it with your tennis, basketball, volleyball or soccer team. Reflection: Chip says, “The Center for Ethics argues the better athlete ...
The Power of Empathy in Sports with Belinda Bauman
September 24, 2019 10:00 - 47 minutes - 87.9 MBMy conversation this week is with Belinda Bauman. She’s the Executive Director of One Million Thumbprints and the author of Brave Souls: Experiencing the Audacious Power of Empathy. Reflection: Belinda says, “embracing our weakness leads to greatness.” Where have you found this to be true in your own life? How might it be true for your child/athlete this season and this year? She also says sports are a great place to practice empathy, to learn other people have perspective other tha...
Learning to Grow With Our Kids with Kara Powell
September 17, 2019 10:30 - 30 minutes - 56.6 MBMy conversation this week is with Kara Powell. She’s the is the executive director of the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI) and assistant professor of youth and family ministry at Fuller Seminary. She is also author of many books, including, "Growing With: Every Parent's Guide to Helping Teenagers and Young Adults Thrive in Their Faith, Family, and Future" Reflection: Kara says: “I want to be the goalie that keeps tough experiences out of my kids net, but often the best growth happens throug...
Watching Sports Religiously with Kutter Callaway
September 10, 2019 10:02 - 34 minutes - 63.1 MBMy conversation this week is with Kutter Callaway. He’s a professor of theology and culture at Fuller Seminary, the co-director of Reel Spirituality, a husband, father of daughters and Denver Broncos fan. If you liked what you heard today, Subscribe to Bad Soccer Dad on Apple Podcasts, Google Play or Spotify and leave us a review. Thanks so much for listening and we’ll catch you next week! Reflection: Kutter says, Regardless of what your family rules end up being… you as the parent...
Why Resiliency Matters with Craig Custance
September 03, 2019 10:18 - 42 minutes - 77 MBMy conversation this week is with Craig Custance. Craig is The Athletic's editor-in-chief for the NHL-US and group managing editor for Detroit, Chicago, Pittsburgh and Florida. He's also host of The Full 60 podcast. He joined The Athletic after nearly a decade covering the NHL as a national hockey writer, the last six as a senior writer for ESPN.com. Before covering the NHL, he was an award-winning journalist with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He's the author of “Behind the Bench: Insid...
Letting Go of Poor Performances with Jack Wilson
August 27, 2019 19:32 - 38 minutes - 69.8 MBMy conversation this week is with Jack Wilson. He’s a former administrator at Oakland University in Rochester Hills, MI. He’s a therapist, corporate coach and sports performance expert. Jack is also a friend and mentor. 19 years ago, Jack helped Kelly and I with our premarital counseling. So, if there’s anything dysfunctional in our marriage, it’s only because I didn’t follow his directions well. Reflection: Jack says “A person who can master release is someone who can keep their own e...
More Than a Game: When Sports Collide with Cancer
August 21, 2019 10:05 - 36 minutes - 67.1 MBMy conversation this week is with Gina Spehn and Sam Kell. Gina is a best-selling author, speaker and Co-Founder of the New Day Foundation. Her son Sam Played varsity basketball and is starting his first year of college at Oakland University in Rochester, MI. Questions to Consider: Gina says that ultimately, in our quest to trust God, the outcomes don’t really matter. That God has a plan for us, even if we don’t see it or understand it. Where the one area in your life where you’re ...
Doing Rivalry Right with Brian Bolt and Chad Carlson
August 13, 2019 10:20 - 34 minutes - 62.5 MBThis week I get to speak with Brian Bolt and Chad Carlson. Brian is a professor of Kinesiology and the men’s golf coach at Calvin University. Chad is an Associate Professor of Kinesiology/Director of General Education at Hope College. They are the co-hosts of the 2nd Global Congress on Sport and Christianity, which will be held this October at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, MI. They also host a podcast on sport, faith, and life called Dig Deep. Reflection: Chad said, “Anythin...
Thoughts From My 8 Year Old Athlete
August 07, 2019 09:40 - 5 minutes - 10.9 MBYou've heard from Naomi and Jo, now hear from my youngest athlete, Mariam! Stay tuned for our regular interviews that are coming back this month. You can find us on Facebook by searching for Bad Soccer Dad Podcast and be sure to subscribe wherever you listen.
Behind The Scenes, Again!
July 23, 2019 09:22 - 7 minutes - 14.4 MBThis summer is flying by! This week we're doing a mid-summer special edition checkin with two very special athletes, Naomi and Jo Norman. Join in on this behind the scenes conversation while we are prepping for the upcoming fall interview season. Have any feedback or suggestions? Find us on Facebook at Bad Soccer Dad Podcast and send us a message!
A Tribute for Dad
July 09, 2019 10:00 - 14 minutes - 26.9 MBWe’re doing some shorter episodes for the summer, but will return to our interview format in August, just in time for the fall sports season. If you caught the last episode, you heard a portion of the Father’s Day message I gave at Central. In it, I referenced some advice from Brad Griffin of the Fuller Youth Institute, my guest in Episode 4. He says when we pray for our kids we should pray they would know: 1) They are loved and 2)That they’re never alone. After I gave that Father’s Day...
Prayers To Pray Over Your Children
June 25, 2019 10:15 - 9 minutes - 8.71 MBTake a listen to this excerpt from Father’s Day at Central Wesleyan Church in Holland, MI. Sometimes we as dads (and moms, and grandparents, etc.) struggle with needing to be in control. In today’s episode you can hear about how not being in control is actually liberating and how to pray for your children with that in mind. For more like this, visit centralwesleyan.org. Stay tuned for more episodes this summer where we’ll be diving into different books and topics every other week and get ...
13 Behind the Scenes: The Bad Soccer Dad's Daughter: Naomi Norman
June 11, 2019 10:15 - 24 minutes - 45.6 MBMy conversation this week is with Naomi Norman. Naomi is my daughter and has been playing soccer for 10 years. Listen in while we talk about dealing with stress, dealing with parents, dealing with aggressive opponents, and other lessons she's learned along the way and what it's like to be the daughter of a bad soccer dad.
12 The Quest for the Best with Don Cousins
May 28, 2019 10:39 - 19 minutes - 36.6 MBMy conversation this week is with Don Cousins. I first met Don over 20 years ago when he was a frequent guest speaker and consultant for the church I was serving in the Detroit area. Don is currently on the senior leadership team at Discovery Church, a church with 3 locations in the Orlando area. Don and his wife MaryAnn have 3 adult children who played high school sports right across the street from our studio here in Holland, MI. Don’s also an NFL dad; His son Kirk is the Quarterback fo...
11 Taking the Long View: It’s a Marathon with Lisa Payne
May 21, 2019 09:00 - 31 minutes - 57 MBThis week I had a conversation with Lisa Payne. She is the retired CFO and Vice chairman of Taubman Centers - a Public retail real estate company. Lisa is currently a full-time board member and sits on the boards for the Masco Corporation, Rockwell Automation in Milwaukee and JCPenney. She is the mother to two daughters who played high school, club and college volleyball. If you liked what you heard today, Subscribe to Bad Soccer Dad on iTunes, Google Play or Spotify. If you get a chance, l...
10 Preventing Burnout and Dealing with Disappointment with Jake Zammit
May 14, 2019 10:00 - 33 minutes - 60.5 MBFor this episode I have a great conversation with Jake Zammit, the Director of Coaching for Legends FC in Brighton, MI. As a youth soccer player, Jake was a member of several Michigan State Championship Teams. In high school, Jake was a 4-time Varsity player at the University of Detroit Jesuit; winning a State Championship in 2001 and receiving All State honors. After High School, he accepted a full ride athletic scholarship to attend Quincy University in Illinois. US Soccer honored Jake ...
09 Playing For Beautiful Moments (not to win) with Kristen and Trygve Johnson
May 08, 2019 09:58 - 46 minutes - 85.3 MBFor this episode I had a great conversation with Trygve and Kristen Deede Johnson. Kristen is the professor of Theology and Formation at Western Theological Seminary. Trgyve is the Hinga-Boersma Dean of the Chapel at Hope College. They are parents of two children. Questions to Consider: Trygve talks of having to unlearn some of the lessons he learned in sports. One of those lessons is: “Your identity is defined by your performance.” In what area of your life are you tempted to equate ...
08 The Goal of Gratitude with Rabbi Josh Bennett
April 30, 2019 10:00 - 29 minutes - 54.3 MBIn today’s episode we get to hear from my friend, Rabbi Josh Bennett. Rabbi Bennett serves as one of the spiritual leaders of Temple Israel, Michigan. He’s been there since his ordination from the Hebrew Union College of Cincinnati, Ohio in 1994. Until 2 years ago, his son and my daughter played for the same Detroit-area soccer club. Rabbi Josh and his wife, Meg, are parents of three athletes and have spent many years in the worlds of youth soccer and gymnastics. Questions to Consider: ...
07 The Art of Realistic Dreaming with Brittany Reinbolt
April 23, 2019 10:00 - 29 minutes - 54.3 MBToday’s interview is with Brittany Reinbolt of the US National Bobsled Team. Brittany is a native of Southern California, but grew up in Searcy, Arkansas. While in Arkansas she spent most of my time playing soccer and running track. She attended Winona State University (in Minnesota) where she competed on the track and field team and studied Aviation and Physical Education. After college, she spent worked in the Aviation industry while playing women's full tackle football. Brittany spent t...
06 Thoughts from a Division 1 College Athlete with Molly Asmus
April 16, 2019 11:51 - 23 minutes - 42.8 MBThis episode features Molly Asmus. If you listened to Episode 5, you heard me interview her dad, Chip Asmus. Molly plays volleyball at the University of Dayton. She played volleyball and basketball for her middle school and high school teams. She started volleyball around the age of 12 on her first travel team. Molly is one of three kids in her family and has been involved in a youth group with her church since fourth grade. Questions to Consider: Molly said there was value in havi...
05 The Costs and Benefits of Travel Sports with Chip Asmus
April 09, 2019 17:02 - 26 minutes - 48.7 MBFor this episode I had an engaging conversation with Chip Asmus. Chip and his wife, Stephanie, have been married for 24 years and have 3 kids. Chip owns a staffing firm in Metro Detroit and Stephanie is the Manager of Accounting at Maserati. His oldest daughter, Molly has been playing competitive volleyball since 7th Grade. Currently she is finishing up her first year at University of Dayton where she is a Middle Blocker on the volleyball team. His middle daughter Katy, is a huge fan of Moll...
04 Perspective for Anxious Athletes and Parents with Brad Griffin
April 02, 2019 11:00 - 34 minutes - 64 MBIn this episode I speak with Brad Griffin. Brad is the Director of the Fuller Youth Institute, where he develops research-based training for youth workers and parents. A speaker, blogger, and volunteer youth pastor, Brad is the coauthor of Growing Young, several Sticky Faith books, Right Click: Parenting Your Teenager in a Digital Media World, and the series Can I Ask That?: 8 Hard Questions about God and Faith. He and his family live in Southern California. The only six words parents n...
03 Kids Are Not A Status Symbol with Dani Gordon
March 26, 2019 13:49 - 38 minutes - 70 MBFor this episode I had a great conversation with Dani Gordon. Dani played travel and high school soccer, youth and high school basketball, summer softball and was a competitive figure skater until she was 12. She played Division 1 college soccer at the University of Detroit, where she received a degree in mechanical engineering. Dani also coached travel soccer for over 20 years in Michigan before moving to Cincinnati. She has a 13 year old daughter who plays soccer and basketb...
02 Pressure, Perseverance and the Big Picture with Malcom and Marcy Blacken
March 18, 2019 14:00 - 36 minutes - 67.3 MBFor this episode I had a great conversation with Malcolm and Marcy Blacken. Malcolm Blacken is the Director of Player Development for the Washington Redskins. He previously served as a strength and conditioning coach for the Redskins, the Detroit Lions and the University of Colorado Buffaloes He was also a running back and a four-time letter winner for Virginia Tech. Marcy Blacken has over twenty years’ experience as group fitness instructor, trainer and manager in the fitness ind...
01 How Not to Cheer for Your Kids with Michael Spehn
March 17, 2019 13:00 - 30 minutes - 55.6 MBMichael is a New York Times bestselling author, co-founder of The New Day Foundation, a non-profit serving families fighting cancer, and former co-host of the radio show, Your Family Matters, on Salem Broadcasting in Detroit. He has also been a basketball coach for more than 30 years. He and his wife Gina have raised five children, all of whom were varsity athletes. He brings a unique perspective on youth sports and plus… he’s a native Chicagoan with a true appreciation for what actually con...
00 Confessions of a Bad Soccer Dad by Steve Norman
March 15, 2019 10:38 - 11 minutes - 21.4 MBWelcome to the Bad Soccer Dad Podcast! In this special preview episode, Steve recalled a memory from his time in youth soccer and called his mom up to get her side of the story.