Welcome to the Party

Episode: The Behavior That Elevates (or Undermines) Our Youth Athletes

Hosts: Julie Foudy, Abby Wambach, regular guest appearance by Billie Jean King
Date: December 4, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the culture and behaviors shaping youth sports, focusing especially on how adults — parents and coaches — profoundly influence young athletes. Drawing on their own sports journeys, hosts Julie Foudy and Abby Wambach, joined for the Party Buzz segment by Jordan Robinson, break down everything from buzzy college hoops news to the crucial importance of sportsmanship, empathy, and joy in the youth sports experience. The discussion is lively, candid, and sometimes hilarious, but always rooted in the deep belief that positive behavior from adults is foundational for young athletes’ growth in sport and life.

Key Segments & Insights

1. Party Buzz: Women’s College Basketball Latest

Guest: Jordan Robinson, freelance sports journalist (Women's Hoop Show)
Timestamps: 00:41–13:15

• Players Era Tournament (Starts at 01:40):

  • First time for women’s tournament with major teams: Texas, South Carolina, UCLA, and Duke.
  • Each participating school received $1 million toward their NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) activities.
  • “It was a big deal to get this much competition this early in the season. Typically, this is a March Madness lineup.” — Jordan Robinson (01:56)
  • Texas wins high-drama matchups; star point guard Rory Harmon’s near buzzer-beater secures the championship.
  • Jordan highlights Texas’s “swarming, sweltering” defense and top players, especially Madison “Bucket” Booker.
  • Funding comes via sponsors like Geico and founders including an AND1 co-founder. (04:06–04:56)

• LSU’s Scoring Streak (05:05):

  • LSU started the NCAA season with eight straight 100+ point games — “They are scoring like crazy.” (05:13)
  • Guard Flau’jae Johnson singled out for athletic and musical talents.
  • Caveat: LSU’s schedule lacked tough competition early on, which may inflate their stats.

• Transfer Portal Drama (07:47):

  • Malaysia Fu and Wiley transfer from LSU to South Carolina after another top scorer arrives.
  • “Cancel your plans for February 14th when LSU plays South Carolina — it’s must-watch TV!” — Jordan Robinson (08:16)

• Kim Mulkey’s Wild Outfits (08:30):

  • Jordan recounts her Final Four interview with LSU coach Kim Mulkey, whose flamboyant style is “so opposite of her fiery and stern personality … feathers, sequins, glitz, glam. I love it.” (08:46)

• Name to Know: Sila Swords (09:35):

  • Michigan guard, sophomore, recent stellar game vs. UConn. “She put everyone on notice … toughest competition UConn has faced.” (10:17)

• USA Basketball Roster Drop (11:32):

  • Takeaway: “No one panic. This is a training camp roster, not the Olympic team.” — Jordan Robinson (11:40)
  • Notably includes two college players: Lauren Betts (UCLA) and Juju Watkins (USC).

2. Sportsmanship & Adult Modeling in Youth Sports

Timestamps: 17:09–26:02

• Shifting the Focus (17:46):

  • “Instead of focusing on how we teach our kids about sportsmanship, we should start with how do we teach adults about sportsmanship? Because we’re the ones modeling it.” — Julie Foudy (18:15)
  • Too often, adults set a poor example: arguing with refs, coaches, other parents, even players.

• Winning vs. Sportsmanship (19:15):

  • Abby underscores how a win-at-all-costs culture amplifies anxiety and bad behavior: “If you can get the teamsmanship and the sportsmanship right, the winning usually comes. … It’s a byproduct of the real reason we do sport.” (19:45)
  • Emphasis should be on community, conflict navigation, learning, and joy — not just the scoreboard.

• Parent Sideline Behavior: The Lollipop Hack (22:37):

  • Abby shares Glennon Doyle’s sideline strategy: distribute lollipops to parents (herself included) “to keep my mouth shut. And maybe the rest of us do, too. Would you like a lollipop?” (22:55)
  • “There is a line of energy on the sidelines — if parents ramp up, it radiates to the kids.” (24:13)
  • Keeping cool, cheering positively, and resisting the urge to coach/yell is vital to children’s experience.

3. The Car Ride Home: A Crucial Moment

Timestamps: 26:30–29:55

• Who Do Kids Want in the Car? (27:24):

  • Citing a University of Florida camp survey, Abby reveals most kids want their grandparents — not parents — driving them home from games.
  • “The parents … aren’t going, hey, what did you think about this, maybe you could have done that… Nothing you want to hear in that moment.” — Julie Foudy (27:52)
  • Car rides shouldn’t be debriefs or critiques. Focus instead on support, connection, or letting the kid bring up the game if they want.
  • “There’s nothing you as a parent is going to say that’s going to make them play better or worse. Well, it could make them play worse…” — Abby Wambach (29:40)

• Dropout Rates & Joy (29:55):

  • 70% of kids drop out of sports by age 13, per Aspen Institute research. Not having fun, or not meeting parental expectations, are main reasons.
  • Julie: “If your North Star is joy, not college scholarships, you’ll get the healthiest return.”

4. The "ROI Trap" and Plant Parenting

Timestamps: 32:00–36:44

• ROI Mindset (32:35):

  • Parental over-involvement is often linked to the sizable investment in youth sports.
  • “If your return on investment is a college scholarship … you are going to be a parent on the sidelines that has unrealistic expectations, probably going to get out of hand.” — Abby Wambach (33:41)
  • Instead: Honor your child’s journey; be an observer, not a sideline coach.

• Plant Parenting (35:14):

  • “Plant parenting” = being present but letting children come to you (especially as teens), which mirrors the importance of giving kids autonomy in sports.

5. Celebrations, Sportsmanship, and “Don’t Poke the Bear”

Timestamps: 40:29–54:39

• When Celebrations Cross the Line (40:38):

  • Julie shares learning experiences as a player: “Do not poke the bear by rubbing it in … that shit comes back to bite you.” (41:52)
  • Norway’s famous “centipede crawl” celebration after beating the USWNT in 1995 became motivation fuel for the US, leading to Olympic revenge.
  • Abby recalls Brazil’s elaborate post-win “drum circle” in 2007, and how the USWNT drew on that for inspiration in their next Olympic meeting.

• Memorable Quotes:

  • “Would I take a picture of that [celebration] and hang it in my locker room? Because that is going to come back to bite you.” — Julie Foudy (47:34)
  • “I appreciate celebrating … but there is a line where you just don’t rub it in the face of the opponents.” — Abby Wambach (47:05)
  • Use empathy: "Put yourself in the shoes of the person who just lost." — Julie Foudy (47:44)

6. Teaching Empathy in and out of Sports

Timestamps: 47:44–50:21

• Empathy Education:
  • Julie highlights Denmark’s empathy training in schools: “If you were in those shoes, how would you feel?”
  • Glennon Doyle’s family hack: each sibling must recount disagreements from the other’s perspective (49:12).

7. Examples of Outstanding Sportsmanship

Timestamps: 51:05–54:39

• Two under-23 Italian fencers: With 17 seconds left, an injured competitor’s rival lets the clock expire so she can win. “Friendship is worth more than a victory.” — Julie Foudy (52:18)
• Grandview Softball, 2023: Injured player is helped around the bases by the opposing team after a grand slam (53:04).
• Abby: “If you’re only trained in the winning piece, it is really hard to even understand what it feels like and what it looks like to be a good sport." (53:11)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “We should start with how do we teach adults about sportsmanship? Because we’re the ones modeling it.” — Julie Foudy (18:15)
• “If you can get the teamsmanship and the sportsmanship thing right, the winning usually comes.” — Abby Wambach (19:39)
• “There’s nothing you as a parent is going to say that’s going to make them play better or worse … it could make them play worse.” — Abby Wambach (29:40)
• “Friendship is worth more than a victory.” — Italian fencer Tri Dee, quoted by Julie Foudy (52:18)
• “What’s my ROI?” — Julie Foudy, lampooning the parent mindset (33:38)
• “Plant parenting — just be a plant in the room and wait for your kid to come to you.” — Abby Wambach (35:14)
• “Who doesn’t want a lollipop, Julia?” — Abby Wambach’s sideline hack (23:59)
• “Empathy teaching for young kids … should be mandatory.” — Julie Foudy (49:53)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Party Buzz – Women’s College Hoops: 00:41–13:15
• Sportsmanship & Adult Modeling: 17:09–26:02
• Car Ride Home & Parental Involvement: 26:30–29:55
• ROI Trap & Plant Parenting: 32:00–36:44
• Celebration Ethics / Don’t Poke the Bear: 40:29–54:39
• Empathy Teaching & Examples: 47:44–54:39

Episode Takeaways

• The behaviors of adults — more than rules or lectures — powerfully shape youth athletes’ sportsmanship and attitude.
• Winning should not be the only focus; joy, growth, empathy, and healthy community matter more.
• Thoughtful celebrations and empathy for opponents are as essential as training hours.
• Outstanding examples of sportsmanship remind us all what really matters.
• Coaches, parents, and kids all benefit from keeping the game’s heart front and center.

Further Resources

For video examples and practical tips referenced in the episode, check the show notes.

Questions for the show? Email: partypeoplequestions@gmail.com

End on a note true to the show: Bring it in, party people.

Welcome to the Party: Where the first rule is to have a sh*t ton of fun — and maybe, keep a lollipop handy on the sidelines.