Episode 013 Trickle Down Professionalism with Travis Dorsch

Travis Dorsch, PhD, is the founder of the Families in Sport Lab at Utah State University. Travis was a consensus All-American punter at Purdue University and former NFL player. Current research includes a complementary focus on: (a) the role of youth sport participation on family relationships and family interaction (i.e., sport socialization); (b) Evidence-based parent education in competitive sport, in youth, adolescent, and early adult settings; and (c) the role of internal factors (e.g., motivation) and external factors (e.g., families and social contexts) on sport, physical activity, and recreational behavior. What was your sports life like as a kid and how does that compare to what you are finding now? How have you seen youth sports change since you were a kid both from your research and observations? In your TEDx Talk from March 2018, you reference Dan Arielly’s work on motivation. Please share that snippet on how play became a job. Now that you research this, what are you finding in terms of parent engagement. What does the drive for the scholarship or to become a pro from the parents potentially do to a kid’s sports experience? What is the connection, if any, between parental involvement (more spent) and kids’ attitudes toward sports? What tips can you offer those of us seeking to engage parents to get them on board with being supportive but not sucking the fun out of sports?