Worth Repeating: John O'Sullivan ...

Worth Repeating: John O'Sullivan on How to Positively Support Your Child in Sport

Better Sports Parents by Scott Rintoul
S1
May 1, 2026
13:18

Episode notes

John O’Sullivan, a former professional soccer player and coach, founded of Changing the Game Project to help parents, coaches, and organizations understand how they can better support all young athletes. He's recognized internationally for his positive work in the youth sports environment.

In this segment, John breaks down why so many well-intentioned parents accidentally harm their child’s long-term development and what to do instead. You’ll learn why shouting instructions (“shoot!”, “pass!”, “go wide!”) steals vital reps from kids, what healthy sideline support ACTUALLY looks like, and why volunteer coaches need to hold themselves to a high standard.

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Keywords

youth sports
parenting
athlete development
coaching
community
confidence building
long-term success
soccer
leadership
pressure