Podcast Summary:

What Are You Made Of?
Episode: More Than the Game: Peter Young on Faith, Family, and the Mental Side of Winning
Host: Mike "C-Roc" Ciorrocco
Guest: Peter Young
Date: January 28, 2026

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, Mike “C-Roc” welcomes Peter Young to discuss the experiences and core values that shaped his life, both on and off the court. They explore Peter’s journey through college basketball, sports broadcasting, deep personal challenges, and the critical role of faith and mindset in defining true success. The conversation emphasizes the mental side of performance, family priorities, and forging an identity beyond achievements or setbacks.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Ingredients of Identity

• Basketball and Faith as Core Pillars

  • Peter shares that, at his core, he’s made of “basketball and faith,” explaining how sports have been a way to process challenges throughout his life.
  • "Some people, if there’s a difficult thing in their life, they sit down with somebody and have a cup of coffee. I go find a gym and shoot baskets." – Peter Young [00:27]

• Staying Fit Across Decades

  • Both Peter and C-Roc discuss how habits from being college athletes stay with them. Peter trades intense CrossFit for daily bodyweight workouts and mountain hikes as he ages, emphasizing smart competitiveness.
  • "In your mid-50s, when you’re trying to keep up with the guys in their 20s, you’re going to get hurt." – Peter Young [01:14]

Competitive Drive and Community

• The CrossFit "Murph" and Motivational Environments
  • Peter recounts his experience with the Murph workout, highlighting how group energy and support drive better performance than solo efforts.
  • "I was about 20 minutes slower by myself, and I was trying hard... Just shows you the motivation you get when you’re working out with somebody right there." – Peter Young [03:47]
  • Discussion of honesty and friendly competition during workouts.

Athletic Career Transition

• From College Basketball to "Almost" Sporting Greatness

  • Peter’s journey: Playing Division 1 at George Washington University, then aspiring to NBA, elite coaching, and sports broadcasting—none became his final destination.
  • "I was gonna be the next Larry Bird... That didn’t happen. Then I got into coaching... That didn’t happen. Then I got into sports broadcasting... That didn’t happen either." – Peter Young [06:13]

• Talent vs. Opportunity

  • Peter candidly admits his limits as an athlete—being a “tweener,” able to shoot and play hard, but not at NBA caliber. He describes the extraordinary difference in athleticism between good college players and NBA stars.
  • "At the Division 1 level, I really only brought two things to the table: I could shoot, and then I played really hard." – Peter Young [07:15]

Life as a Broadcaster

• Unique Opportunities and Trade-Offs

  • Peter describes the double-sided sword of sports broadcasting: the excitement of travel versus the costs to family life.
  • "If there was a guy... who could do the game in Denver or LA... they weren’t going to fly me out. And I chose that lifestyle... to raise my family in Idaho and Montana." – Peter Young [09:37]

• Career Highlights

  • Favorite moments included calling games with buzzer-beaters that made ESPN’s Top 10, despite not getting his audio aired.
  • "I'm back at my hotel room... and both plays made the ESPN Top 10 Plays of the night. They didn’t use my call... but those were some fun moments." – Peter Young [12:13]

Family, Faith, and Adversity

• Navigating Personal Challenges

  • Peter reveals his family’s brush with a religious cult and the toll on his marriage and focus—but maintains that most of his career went unaffected until things nearly unraveled.
  • "I unwittingly joined a tiny religious cult when I married the love of my life. And it... totally upended my life." – Peter Young [12:53]

• Prioritizing Fatherhood

  • Both men discuss the unique irreplaceability of being a present father and balancing ambition with family needs.
  • "Your children cannot replace you... they don’t want a replacement, shouldn't have a replacement." – Peter Young [14:42]

• Blending Profession and Parenting

  • Fond memories of bringing his entire family on broadcasting trips to keep connected during work commitments.

The Modern Chapter: Writing and Small-Town Life

• Broadcasting to Local High School Sports

  • Peter now finds fulfillment calling high school basketball games online, providing fun and connection in his Montana community.
  • "It kind of scratches the itch, and I love it... They have no idea I used to be a sports broadcaster for a living." – Peter Young [16:25]

• Transition to Real Estate and Writing

  • Sports broadcasting is now a passion project, with real estate and authorship as his main endeavors.

The Power of Mindset in Sports and Life

• Mental Preparation and Identity

  • Peter’s books (notably The Blue Team and Wardrobe of the Wolf) examine the mental game: how obsession and misplaced identity can sabotage success, and the power of faith to establish solid foundations.
  • "The game is won and lost in the mind." – Peter Young [17:42]
  • "If you put your identity in being a kicker, writer, a businessman, and you fail, that’s devastating... If your identity is in something greater, the moment still matters... but if you miss it, life goes on." – Peter Young [20:02]

• Faith as an Anchor Through Transitions

  • Peter describes how faith prevents devastation from professional setbacks and why identity rooted in something beyond achievement is vital.
  • "As a Christian, it’s quite easy. My dad is the creator of the universe. I’m a son of God, and so that’s my identity. Win or lose, I can still be absolutely driven..." – Peter Young [25:08]

• C-Roc’s Observations on Identity Loss

  • Through over a thousand interviews, C-Roc notes how losing an identity tied to career or achievement (e.g., athletes retiring, entrepreneurs selling companies) is often the darkest period in someone’s life.
  • "If there’s a way we can proactively create our identity... and understand the things we’re doing are vehicles, not our identity, we can hop in and out of vehicles with the same identity going towards the mission..." – C-Roc [21:19]

Handling Failure and Resilience

• Embracing Setbacks as Normal

  • Citing sports greats like Babe Ruth and Michael Jordan, they reinforce that frequent failure is a natural part of elite performance.
  • "Think about it: You’re an all-star in Major Leagues if you fail seven out of ten times. You’re in the Hall of Fame if you fail seven out of ten." – Peter Young [26:18]

• Growth Mindset

  • The conversation emphasizes moving on quickly from misses, learning, and not tethering self-worth to outcomes.
  • "Every shot, every at bat is a learning experience. You’re going to get better and you move on from it. Make or miss, you move on." – Peter Young [26:26]

Books and Storytelling

• Peter’s Books and Their Purpose
  • The Blue Team (about mental self-sabotage in sports);
  • Wardrobe of the Wolf (balancing ambition and marriage/family, built on his personal experiences);
  • Upcoming: East of Ashton or Green Timber (about fatherhood, coaching, and multi-generational family struggle).
  • Books are written for sports lovers and Christians, embedding gospel themes in accessible stories, “without hitting readers over the head with it.”
  • "I give people the gospel without them really knowing it... embedded in these stories is the gospel message." – Peter Young [28:23]

Memorable Stories & Lighter Moments

• On Returning to High School Coaching and Broadcasting
  • Comparisons to other athletes, banter about “going back” to competitive sports, and the joy found in local community participation now.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Some people, if there’s a difficult thing in their life... I go find a gym and I shoot baskets." — Peter Young [00:27]
• "The game is won and lost in the mind." — Peter Young [17:42]
• "If you put your identity in being a kicker, writer, a businessman, and you fail, that’s devastating... If your identity is in something greater... if you miss it, life goes on." — Peter Young [20:02]
• "If there’s a way that we can proactively create our identity... and understand the things we’re doing on our mission are vehicles, not our identity..." — C-Roc [21:19]
• "You’re an all-star in the major leagues if you fail seven out of ten times... Hall of Famer if you fail seven out of ten." — Peter Young [26:18]
• "My dad is the creator of the universe. I’m a son of God, and so that’s my identity. Win or lose, I can still be absolutely driven..." – Peter Young [25:08]

Important Timestamps

• [00:27] – Peter’s answer to “What are you made of?”
• [03:47] – The Murph group vs. solo motivation story
• [06:13] – The “failed next Larry Bird, John Wooden, and Bob Costas” story
• [09:37] – Why Peter stayed in Idaho and Montana for family
• [12:13] – ESPN Top 10 moment (but not his commentary)
• [12:53] – Personal/family struggles and cult experience
• [14:42] – Importance of fatherhood and irreplaceability
• [17:42] – On mental fortitude in sports and life
• [20:02] – On faith and identity versus professional roles
• [21:19] – C-Roc on lost identity after career transitions
• [26:18] – On failure being integral to sports greatness
• [28:23] – Gospel messages woven into Peter’s sports novels

Where to Find Peter Young

• Website: authorpeteryoung.com
• Books: Available on Amazon
• YouTube: Book reviews and more (link via website)

Final Thoughts

This episode offered a lively and heartfelt exploration of what truly defines success and fulfillment: persistence, mindset, and rooting identity in values deeper than one’s profession. With sports as a backdrop, Peter and C-Roc model candid self-reflection, the willingness to admit failures, and the power of faith, providing valuable lessons for any listener invested in personal development, parenting, or performance.

For more:
Visit authorpeteryoung.com or find Peter’s books on Amazon.