What Pro Athletes Really Think About Youth Sports Today: Youth Inc.'s Best from Radio Row

Summary

Youth Inc. with Greg Olsen

Episode: What Pro Athletes Really Think About Youth Sports Today: Youth Inc.'s Best from Radio Row

Date: February 10, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this special episode, the Youth Inc. team hits Radio Row at the Super Bowl in San Francisco, collecting candid and powerful conversations with some of the biggest names in sports. With Greg Olsen attending to personal family matters, digital host Shelby steps in, guiding listeners through highlights from five standout athletes and advocates. The episode dives into what today's pro athletes and change-makers really think about youth sports: the lessons, the joys, the challenges, and their visions for a better future.

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Featured Conversations & Key Insights

1. Cam Newton – NFL Quarterback & Longtime Greg Olsen Teammate

[01:29 – 03:29]

Key Points:

• Impact of Involved Coaches:

  • Cam reflects how vital coaches are in youth development, crediting Greg and colleagues for making a lasting difference with young athletes.
  • Quote:

    "The impact that they have been able to bestow upon the younger generation is something that I don't even think the kids really can understand...I just appreciate guys like him that volunteer their time to really impact the mental development, the physical development, because every great athlete has been impacted by a great coach." – Cam Newton [01:44]

• Family as Foundational ‘Coaches’:

  • Cam’s father was his "dinner coach," teaching life through daily interactions rather than on the field:

    "My father, to me, was the dinner coach. And he coached me around the dinner table. And I was just lucky enough to have a very strong, impactful person in my life. And they never disappointed—the dinner coach." – Cam Newton [02:20]

• Youth Sports Memories and Advice:

  • Favorite youth sports moment: scoring five touchdowns until a "slaughter rule" benched him [02:44].

  • On growth:

    "Be obsessed. Difficulty is always run away from...But hey, if it didn't break you, it can definitely shape you." – Cam Newton [02:58]

  • Cam advocates pushing through discomfort:

    "Discomfort can be a tool to be the best version of yourself...we all battled through discomfort." – Cam Newton [03:22]

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2. Kerri Walsh Jennings – Olympic Volleyball Legend

[03:57 – 08:34]

Key Points:

• Longevity & Joy of the Journey:

  • Kerri is proudest of her five Olympic appearances, attributing success to consistency and loving the process — including the hardship:

    "I always knew the hard times were leading me somewhere great. And, you know, my whole journey unfolded in such a great way." – Kerri Walsh Jennings [04:26]

• Collaboration and Team Chemistry:

  • On building strong relationships with teammates:

    "It's a commitment. It's a devotion...When things got hard, we went like this...Come closer to your team, and that's where you really can outlast." – Kerri Walsh Jennings [05:51]

• Authenticity & Team Awareness:

  • Urges young athletes to know themselves and their effect on teams:

    "Know that what you do and don't do affects other people. So be aware of how you're affecting your team." – Kerri Walsh Jennings [06:54]

• Coaching Philosophy:

  • As a coach, Kerri emphasizes creating safe, accepting environments where kids can thrive and fail safely:

    "I care most about creating an environment where the athletes feel safe to be themselves, where they feel a sense of belonging...where they feel safe to be challenged, to fail, and to thrive." – Kerri Walsh Jennings [08:16]

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3. Kyle Juszczyk – NFL Fullback

[09:32 – 11:54]

Key Points:

• Hands-On Parenting:

  • Kyle intends to be "a very involved" sports parent, wanting to ensure good coaching for his future kids:

    "I don't want someone else's dad coaching my son or daughter who doesn't know what they're doing. And I feel like I know what I'm doing, so I want to be on top of that." – Kyle Juszczyk [09:34]

• Time Management as a Core Lesson:

  "Time management is everything. And I think youth sports and sports in general just teach you how to properly use your time throughout the day." – Kyle Juszczyk [10:09]

• Multisport Benefits:

  • Advocates for playing "as many sports as possible," linking his on-field versatility to a diverse athletic upbringing:

    "Every sport will help you develop for the other sport...Playing basketball taught me how to control my body in the air, track taught me how to properly run...film helped me understand body mechanics." – Kyle Juszczyk [11:14]

• Sports Parenting:

  • Jokes he'll be the tougher sports parent compared to his wife [11:50].

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4. Jen Welter – First Female NFL Coach, Sports Psychologist, & Youth Football Leader

[12:11 – 17:50]

Key Points:

• Intentional Impact of Youth Sports:

  • Emphasizes early intervention:

    "The place where you can make the biggest difference is in the youth space...Sports are a place where you can learn these great lessons, but not by accident. It's about intentionally connecting dots." – Jen Welter [12:51]

• Advocacy for Girls’ Flag Football:

  • On the growth of girls’ flag football as a "global equalizer":

    "We've got to get 50, 50 for high school...It's a great Title V equalizer. It's an amazing sport and why would we not do that?" – Jen Welter [14:11]

• Encouragement and Defiance Against Stereotypes:

  "Do it and be unapologetic about being great. Let your game speak louder than your gender, louder than your haters, certainly louder than social media." – Jen Welter [15:04]

• Navigating Social Media Pressure:

  • Warns kids that not every moment is "Instagram worthy," and urges coaches and parents to "celebrate the ugly" for true growth:

    "If you're gonna be great at something, guess what? You have to be really good at being really ugly...celebrate the ugly, celebrate the process." – Jen Welter [16:07]

• The Centrality of Joy:

  "Youth sports should be fun. It should be laughter filled. It should not be traumatic...This should be a place in a space where kids get to really explore getting knocked down, getting back up." – Jen Welter [17:03]

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5. Harrison Phillips (Jets) & Ryan – Special Olympics Advocates

[18:09 – 22:43]

Key Points:

• Special Olympics: Promoting Inclusion & Breaking Barriers:

  • Harrison highlights the danger of pity towards people with disabilities, stressing capability and heart:

    "People that don't experience individuals with differences...can have a negative connotation...We are more than capable to do so many amazing things...When God looks at my heart, he doesn't care how many tackles I had this season...he cares about the things of the heart." – Harrison Phillips [18:56]

• Athletic Goals & Inspiration:

  • Harrison recalls picturing faces like Ryan’s for motivation during tough moments on the field:

    "Oftentimes I just picture faces of people who mean a lot to me...that extra gear to kick in...it just gives me a little extra motivation." – Harrison Phillips [20:15]

• Try Everything, Set Big Goals:

  • On sports specialization:

    "Try out as many different sports as you can. I'm a firm believer that we shouldn't individualize as soon as we can...If you reach for the stars and you only get the clouds, you're still higher than everyone else." – Harrison Phillips [21:13]

• Coaching Impact:

  • Ryan shares coaches who taught him work ethic and respect, even as a team helper:

    "[Coaches] can push me to do more work ethic and be respectful, respect other people and how they are treated." – Ryan [22:20]

  • Harrison and Ryan’s friendship shines as a testament to the power of sport to create lasting bonds [22:43].

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "My father, to me, was the dinner coach...they never disappointed—the dinner coach."
  – Cam Newton [02:20]

• "The hard times were some of the best times. And I just knew the hard times were leading me somewhere great."
  – Kerri Walsh Jennings [04:26]

• "Know that what you do and don't do affects other people. So be aware of how you're affecting your team."
  – Kerri Walsh Jennings [06:54]

• "If it didn't break you, it can definitely shape you into a better version of yourself."
  – Cam Newton [02:58]

• "Joy. Youth sports should be fun. It should be laughter filled. It should not be traumatic."
  – Jen Welter [17:03]

• "Try out as many different sports as you can...If you reach for the stars and you only get the clouds, you're still higher than everyone else."
  – Harrison Phillips [21:13]

• "Let your game speak louder than your gender, louder than your haters, certainly louder than social media."
  – Jen Welter [15:04]

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Important Timestamps

• Cam Newton on coaching and discomfort: [01:29 – 03:29]
• Kerri Walsh Jennings on the journey and partnership: [03:57 – 08:34]
• Kyle Juszczyk on time management and multiple sports: [09:32 – 11:54]
• Jen Welter on embracing the ugly and joy in sports: [12:11 – 17:50]
• Harrison Phillips & Ryan on Special Olympics and inclusion: [18:09 – 22:43]

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Tone & Takeaways

The tone throughout is enthusiastic, determined, and reflective—athletes and coaches balancing candor about what’s broken in youth sports with uplifting examples of impact, inclusion, and hope. Recurring themes include the importance of resilience, the value of multi-sport experience, the necessity of supportive coaching, and the transformative power of community.

"Youth sports should be joy-filled. It’s not the wins or medals—it’s the journey, the teammates, and the people who believe in you."

This episode serves as a heartfelt reminder of why youth sports matter—and how all of us, from coaches to parents to athletes themselves, can contribute to making them better.

Transcript

[Shelby]

Hey, this is Shelby, a digital host for yourthink. Normally you don't hear from me on this podcast, but I'm filling in for Greg following the unfortunate passing of his brother Chris. Our thoughts and prayers are out to the entire Olsen family. During this time. Last week, we headed out to San Francisco and got the opportunity to set up on Radio Row at the Super Bowl. To be honest, I didn't really know what to expect. We were walking into Radio Row and it was beyond my expectations. For those that don't really know what Radio Row is at the super bowl, you walk in and there's 150plus different media outlets from all over the country. From us at Youth Inc. We were really the only media outlet there that was telling you sports stories. And I think that was so encouraging for me and Mikey because we were like, wow, what we're doing here is really special, but it's also really niche and we can really dive into this here with a whole bunch of different athletes and coaches. We sat down with some amazing guests, and now we're going to share our top five conversations from the trip. It was hard to choose, but let's get into it. First one was Cam Newton. He played with Greg for nine seasons. Cam Newton is not hard to miss. I mean, his height and his iconic outfit. I was so excited to meet Cam. I'm with Cam.

[Cam Newton]

Cam, I'm with Greg. That's my guy.

[Greg]

That's his guy. I've seen that you've made some comments about Greg and his coaching staff. What do you think about him coaching and Charlotte young kids?

[Cam Newton]

I just hate that it's not in Atlanta where my kids are.

[Greg]

All right, that's a great point.

[Cam Newton]

Luke J. Stu. The impact that they have been able to bestow upon the younger gener is something that I don't even think the kids really can understand. And I just appreciate guys like him that render or volunteer their time to really impact the mental development, the physical development, because every great athlete has been impacted by a great coach.

[Greg]

So what is your favorite coach?

[Cam Newton]

Oh, there I have the corny job of saying, like, life is the greatest coach.

[Greg]

Yeah.

[Cam Newton]

But my father never coached me. You know, I had quarterback coaches, I've had offensive coordinators, head coaches. But my father, to me, was the dinner coach. And he coached me around the dinner table. And I was just lucky enough to have a very strong, impactful person in my life. And they never disappointed the dinner coach.

[Shelby]

I've never heard that before.

[Greg]

Yeah, that is something special. What is your favorite youth sports memory?

[Cam Newton]

Five Touches five touchdowns. And that was during a time where they had the slaughter rule in our league. Our slaughter rule was he can no longer be on the field. And every time I touch the ball, I score. So it's true.

[Greg]

What do you want to tell youth athletes today, man?

[Cam Newton]

Be obsessed. Difficulty is always ran away from, especially in this world of nil and transfer portal and things like that. But hey, if it didn't break you, it can definitely shape you into a better version of yourself. And I always want to push people to or push kids to discomfort. Discomfort can be a tool to be the best version of yourself. Because when you think about the Greg Olson's, the Cam Newtons, we all battled through discomfort.

[Greg]

Yes, you did. Thank you so much for your time.

[Cam Newton]

Appreciate you.

[Greg]

I appreciate you.

[Cam Newton]

Thank you, Greg. Nice seeing you, bro.

[Harrison Phillips]

Always.

[Shelby]

We were so lucky to snag Cam. He is truly an incredible person and gave us so many insightful tips and tricks in being a football athlete. When Cam said my job was a dinner, coach put that on a poster board. At number two, we have Kerri Walsh Jennings, the iconic USA Volleyball Olympian. To be honest, the main thing that I took away from her is how radiant she is. She shines so bright, and the conversation with her just immediately made my day.

[Greg]

All right, I just want to get this right.

[Shelby]

How many Olympics have you been to? What were the years?

[Greg]

She was like, Shelby 2000 through 20, 2016. And I was like, oh, my goodness. I was like, I'm not even gonna remember the dates. She's a five time Olympian, is what I'm gonna say.

[Kerri Walsh Jennings]

That's my favorite stat, by the way.

[Greg]

Really?

[Ryan]

It is.

[Kerri Walsh Jennings]

Because the longevity of it, like, you know, once every four years is interesting.

[Greg]

No, once every four years.

[Kerri Walsh Jennings]

You're so blessed to go so many times, like, blessed beyond.

[Greg]

What was your favorite part about being an Olympian?

[Kerri Walsh Jennings]

All of it. All of it, Shelby. Like, truly, I'm one of those people who love the journey so much that. And I hear this. So many, like, champions talk about, like, the hard times were some of the best times. And I just knew, I always knew somewhere in my heart. I think it's because my faith and my understanding of, like, potential and what it takes to get it out. But I always knew the hard times were leading me somewhere great. And, you know, my whole journey unfolded in such a great way.

[Greg]

You were an Olympian for 20 years?

[Kerri Walsh Jennings]

Yes.

[Greg]

How did you build your success over time?

[Kerri Walsh Jennings]

I just kept with it, you know, and I have this, like, inner fire and this love about my pursuit and my pursuit ultimately now that I perspective was about my potential and who I was becoming. But volleyball was a mechanism for so long, and I just kept finding myself in the right place at the right time with the right people. And then you combine that with love and faith and life is beautiful.

[Greg]

It's magic.

[Jen Welter]

Yeah.

[Greg]

When you throw it back to your playing career. What type of player were you?

[Kerri Walsh Jennings]

Obnoxiously excitable and in it and just in love. Like, I am one of those people, like, if I didn't talk or celebrate, my head would blow up, you know? Whereas my partners were the opposite of me. They were more stoic and like Yoda, where I was like Han Solo or just crazier, you know, so that's who I was. I'm not for everybody, but, you know, my partners, you know, filled my blind spots and I felt theirs, and it was beautiful.

[Greg]

I was gonna say, like, that collaboration. Can you kind of talk to me about that? Like, how do you build chemistry with a partner? How do you kind of get through those highs and lows with each other?

[Kerri Walsh Jennings]

It's a commitment. It's a devotion. You know, my partners and I always shared the same North Star. We shared a love for the game and a respect for each other. And with that, that you build resilience and you build trust with time in the trenches together and time in the saddle. You know, trust takes time. And my partner and I, we were always so committed to each other, even through the hard times. When things got hard, we went like this, which every team that I talk to, and Even if it's CEOs or young athletes, like, when things get hard, come closer to yourself. Go close to your team, and that's where you really can outlast. Because being a champion, winning, developing yourself, is all about outlasting those hard times with grace and love. And that'll make you a killer. And I had that in abundance in my life.

[Greg]

When you talk about yourself, your sunshine, you love to celebrate. What was your favorite way to celebrate after a great play?

[Kerri Walsh Jennings]

Well, I'm terrible at high fives. Like, I always told. I'm like more of a butt pat girl, but I'm just an expressive girl. I don't care. It could be a look, could be silent, but as long as there's some engagement, I was good.

[Greg]

How do you encourage young athletes to kind of connect with their teammates?

[Kerri Walsh Jennings]

Well, just, I think it's really important to know who you are and know your expression of competitive fire, because sometimes it is the quieter athlete, but it doesn't mean they're any less powerful. So I think know who you are. Know that what you do and don't do affects other people. So be be aware of how you're affecting your team. Ask yourself, what does my team mean right now? They need me to chill out. Which I had to tell myself that a lot. Carrie, chill out, take a breath. Or do they need me to, like, be me and fire up and then just kind of make a difference?

[Greg]

Last question that I have for you. When you look at your career, what do you take most from your professional experience and then you're also your youth experience?

[Kerri Walsh Jennings]

I take that it's a journey, and it's not about the destination. The destination literally is just the mechanism for you to focus on, so you go through this journey of becoming. And that journey. I'm 47 now. I played 30 years, you know, very competitive ball, and I feel like I'm still scratching the surface. So when you look at things like it's a journey or a marathon, the urgency goes away and that edge softened because you're like, I don't need to be perfect right now. I need to do my best right now. But it's a journey, and whatever's happening is a rep right now. I'm gonna do my best and then take that lesson moving forward.

[Greg]

Sorry, I have one more question.

[Kerri Walsh Jennings]

No worries.

[Greg]

What type of a youth sports coach are you?

[Kerri Walsh Jennings]

Oh, my hell. I am enthusiastic, I am loving, and if the refs are good, then I'm pretty chill. But if the refs are terrible, then.

[Jen Welter]

I have a problem.

[Greg]

What do you care most about as a coach?

[Kerri Walsh Jennings]

I care most about coach. Creating an environment where the athletes feel safe to be themselves, where they feel a sense of belonging. Not that they have to fit in, but that they are there and accept it for themselves. An environment where they feel safe to be challenged, to fail, and to thrive.

[Greg]

It's amazing. You're amazing.

[Kerri Walsh Jennings]

Well, now I gotta go do it. Those are just words. Now I gotta go live it.

[Greg]

This is awesome. Thank you, Shelley.

[Shelby]

And to be honest, my favorite part about talking with Kerri is she was so excited when she saw the youthink booth, and. And she immediately squealed and said, oh, my goodness. I send your post to my youth athletes and their parents two times a day. Kerry was an Olympian for 16 years. Incredible tenure for Kerri. So she's really kind of built her success over time. And for her to be able to give her time to us and really pour her heart into why she loves youth sports. And our mission met the world. At number three is Kyle Juszczyk. Oh, my gosh. He immediately can light up a room. It was so exciting to talk to him and hear his story. As a Baltimore native, I've been following Juice for a long time, but in classic Shelby fashion, I was also interested who was going to be the better or tougher sports parent, him or his wife, Kristin. All right, right now I'm with Kyle.

[Greg]

Kyle, what type of youth sports parent.

[Ryan]

Are you going to be?

[Kyle Juszczyk]

Ooh, a very involved one. Because, honestly, I know how impactful and how important youth sports are. I've always said, like, I don't want someone else's dad coaching my. My. My. My son or daughter who doesn't know what they're doing. And I feel like I know what I'm doing, so I want to be on top of that.

[Greg]

Not like Greg, though. What do you think of his coaching ability?

[Kyle Juszczyk]

Greg could definitely coach my kids. There's no doubt about that. I've seen the clips of him and Luke. Those are some dream coaches for youth sports. Are you kidding me?

[Greg]

That's fair.

[Kyle Juszczyk]

It's not fair, but, you know, life's not fair, so.

[Harrison Phillips]

Yeah.

[Greg]

All right, next question. What is one lesson that youth sports taught you?

[Kyle Juszczyk]

This is a funny one that I always say is time management. It's. And that on the. On the outside, that doesn't sound like a big deal, but time management is everything. And I think youth sports and sports in general just, like, teach you how to properly use your time throughout the day. Because we only have so much of it, I think sports just teaches you, like, how, like, hey, I got to be here at this time for practice. I have to do this to prepare for practice. I got to start at this time, and I think that that really helps you down the road.

[Greg]

So many lessons so early. What is your favorite youth sports memory?

[Kyle Juszczyk]

It's just being out there on the field with your best friends. Like, I still remember, like, my first day of pads in sixth grade, peewee football, Seville Raiders. And like, I still remember my very first hit in pads. And, like, those are just memories that you'll never forget.

[Greg]

Last question. What is one message that youth sport athletes need to hear?

[Kyle Juszczyk]

Play as many sports as possible and play. Just. Just always be Playing every sport will help you develop for the other sport.

[Greg]

I was going to say, like, how is playing multiple sports helped your.

[Kyle Juszczyk]

It's helped me in so many ways because, like, versatility is kind of like, that's my game, is that I'm able. I can play so many different positions, but just like playing basketball taught me how to control my body in the air, playing track, how to properly run. I used to throw shot put. And I remember that was the first time I watched film on myself of just me and how my body was moving and body mechanics. And that taught me so much of like, all right, now I know how to control my body, and I know how to make adjustments and that type of stuff.

[Greg]

Who's gonna be the harder sports parent, you or your wife?

[Kyle Juszczyk]

I think me.

[Shelby]

All right, all right, that makes sense.

[Kerri Walsh Jennings]

Thank you.

[Greg]

You're awesome.

[Kyle Juszczyk]

Absolutely. Thank you.

[Cam Newton]

Appreciate you.

[Shelby]

Kyle's had an incredible NFL career and was super complimentary about what we're doing here at. You think he even told Greg is allowed to coach his kids at number four? One of my first interviews at Radio Row started off hot with Jen Welter. She is the first ever female coach in the NFL.

[Jen Welter]

It was once said that I was a nightmare opponent and a dream teammate. So I always tell people, stay with the teammate side.

[Greg]

I absolutely love that. All right, so we're all about youth sports here. You just opened up. You said, I love youth sports. Tell me why you love youth sports.

[Jen Welter]

Okay, so my. Just so you know, my PhD is in psychology, My master's in sports psychology, and when I was first getting my masters, everything was adult. It was adult everything. And I was like, well, that's really cool. I can help the adults, but the place where you can make the biggest difference is in the youth space, right? Like, the. The adults are pretty fully formed by the time they get to a sports psychologist.

[Greg]

Right.

[Jen Welter]

But with the youth, like, one of the thing that things that most people miss is that absolutely sports are a place where you can learn these great lessons, but not by accident. Right. It's about intentionally connecting dots. So when I was in my master's program, one of my major programs was parenting your child athlete. And the other one was the integration of sports psychology and play and drawing therapy for a communication methodology for youth. And I have a kids book series that I've authored. I have, like, four that are out in the world and like, seven more that are in the can. Because I just think there's so much that we can do in the youth space. And like, I founded Gridiron Girls, which was the first national movement for girls in flag football. And I've done 70 girls camps across the country. So I am just a big believer in the power of youth sports for helping set kids on a trajectory in their life and course correcting things in a really healthy way, like whether it's learning to work As a team, learning how to take feedback, doing all those things. So I love what you guys do. And I actually told them, I was like, I want to be on this one. I love their stuff.

[Greg]

I love it. So you speak about flag, what are the next steps for flag in your opinion?

[Jen Welter]

Well, it's, I mean it's obviously we just saw the first Power 4 offer for college football. It'll be in, I think varsity in 2028. McKenna Cook just got it. But here's what we see. We've got to get 50, 50 for high school and I always say 50, 50 for equality, which means 50 states with varsity girls flag football in high school. So every state's got to have it. It's just, it's a no brainer at this point. Then we've got to see it in all the college programs. It's a great title five equalizer. It's an amazing sport and why would we not do that? And then I think we'll see, obviously we're going to see the Olympics in 2028 and I think we're going to see pro flag not just here in the US but also globally. And that's one of the great things for flag football is it's become a global equalizer because all you need is a ball.

[Greg]

What is the biggest advice that you have for young girls that are playing flag or want to get into flag?

[Jen Welter]

Do it. I mean, it's the same advice that I would give a boy is do it and be unapologetic about being great. Right. Like I always tell people, one of the things I said about gridiron girls is like, you know, they'd be like, oh, that's so cute. She plays flag. I'm like, no, no, no, hold on. She can be cute and play flag, but it is not like pat your head on the top of the head cute that she plays flag. These are two different things. You can be absolutely super fly cute and, and play, but don't demean the fact that this girl is out here and falling. And I always tell my girls, let your game speak. There are going to be people who say girls shouldn't play. I've heard it my whole life, trust me. But let your game speak louder than your gender, louder than your haters, certainly louder than social media. Because when you're good, someone will find you and if they look past you, especially because you're a girl, then go on ahead and give them whiplash with your ponytail. So they say, dang, was that a girl? Yes, do it, girl.

[Greg]

Do it what are the biggest pressures that kids face today that you didn't face when you were a kid?

[Jen Welter]

Social media is one. It's like every play has a life of its own. That's really hard because it doesn't embrace the messy. Okay? If you're gonna be great at something, guess what? You have to be really good at being really ugly.

[Greg]

Okay?

[Jen Welter]

Because when we start something, it's ugly. So I tell my kids, I'm like, hey, we're gonna get ugly today. Like, let's celebrate the ugly, let's celebrate the process and let's be unapologetic about the fact that it takes getting ugly to get good. But we have to empower kids with the fact that your end game is not this six year old flag football game. This is not the biggest day of your career. It's cool. But if you want to get to the super bowl one day, you're going to have a lot of ugly plays and ugly days. And it is not the end. It is just a learn. It is a part of the learning process.

[Greg]

What's one word that youth sports need more of?

[Jen Welter]

Joy. Joy. Youth sports should be fun. It should be laughter filled. It should not be traumatic. And I have a rule like when I'm coming coaching, I'm coaching. If you're a parent and you are dropping your kid off and you're saying, listen to your coach, do what your coach says. And then you're up in the stands and you're screaming about what an idiot your coach is, then how do you possibly think that your kid is going to listen? You have to be consistent. And if there is a time that you need to talk to the coach, do it offline. This should be a place in a space where kids get to really explore. Explore getting knocked down, getting back up. And oh, by the way, when you do those things, they will find a place in a space where it's okay to go after their dreams.

[Shelby]

One of my favorite things that she shared when I asked her what she tells her youth athletes is she tells them to embrace the ugly. You're not going to get better, you're not going to make strides of improvement if you don't embrace the ugly in the moment. And last but certainly not least, number five is Harrison Phillips from the jets and his buddy Ryan.

[Greg]

I'm with Ryan and Harrison here. How are you guys liking Radio Row?

[Harrison Phillips]

It's amazing, Ryan. I mean, what is this interview 20 for you?

[Ryan]

I'm not counting. I'm just having some fun.

[Harrison Phillips]

Yeah, we're having a Blast. And helping promote Special Olympics and all the great things Ryan and I have been trying to do in the community. Special Olympics. Ryan, you've been involved for over 25 years playing every sport possible. He's got a medal from our games last year.

[Ryan]

Track and field.

[Harrison Phillips]

Track and field, which we did javelin.

[Ryan]

Did the 100 meter and relay.

[Harrison Phillips]

And he's playing even though I'm a defensive lineman and he's a quarterback. But we're still friends. We can still make, you know, we can still make friendship out of this. But we're here promoting Special Olympics and all the great things that they've been doing. We have the Summer Olympics coming to Minneapolis, where I used to play.

[Greg]

What are some of the gaps that you see with the Special Olympics and with what you're doing with Ryan that you really want to try to fill?

[Harrison Phillips]

I would say people that don't experience individuals with differences often can sometimes have a negative connotation or a bad thought of what Special Olympics or with individuals with differences are. And sometimes it's pity and sometimes it's not thinking that they can do things. And Ryan is an amazing example amongst all the Harrison's playmakers I have and all these Special Olympics athletes that I've ever seen, that we are more than capable to do so many amazing things. And even though that we have different abilities, we still heart are great and excellent in the abilities that we have. And so I think it's great to celebrate those things. And when God looks at my heart and the things that he's most impactful for, he doesn't care how many tackles I had this season. He doesn't care how many super bowl rings I win or don't win, but he cares about the things of the heart. And when I go to Special Olympics events or when I spend more time with Ryan, I see people whose cups are overflowing with caring for their teammates with passion, with love, with the ability to miss 100 shots in a row and belief in themselves to make the next one, supporting their teammates. Just all the great things Special Olympics has done, the family that it's created for you and I. And so I think the biggest gap I see is with people who haven't been able to get involved. You have to. You have to.

[Greg]

What does he mean to you? And what does Ryan mean to you?

[Ryan]

A great friend.

[Harrison Phillips]

A great friend. Well, that means a lot to me. Although earlier today.

[Greg]

Can I get in here?

[Harrison Phillips]

Come on in. Earlier today, he said that he would rather interview Christian McCaffrey than me. So I'm A great friend, but only number two. It doesn't make sense, but in the 40 seconds between the ball being snapped and the ball being snapped again, you have a lot of time to think. You get the play call, you get the thing and then you're just sitting there and your heart's racing and all these things are going. And oftentimes I just picture faces of people who mean a lot to me in my world and like that extra gear to kick in and to go try to make the play. I'm hurting, I'm out of breath. And I think of people like Ryan and think of all the great playmakers I have out there who are watching, who are supporting, who care about me. It would do anything to have to be in the position that I'm in and it just gives me a little extra motivation. So for me, Ryan's inspiration.

[Greg]

Ryan, you won gold. What was that like? And you're a multi sport athlete. You're awesome. Let's go.

[Ryan]

I love Special Olympics because they're a part of me and always been number one to me. And even vision coming down a radio road, meeting new people.

[Greg]

What do you have to tell youth athletes today?

[Harrison Phillips]

Number one thing I would say is try out as many different sports as you can. I'm a firm believer that we shouldn't individualize as soon as we can, we have no idea what our bodies are going to grow into, how tall we're going to get, how small we're going to stay. And if you would have told me when I was 5 years old, 10 years old, maybe 15 years old, that I'd weigh over 300 pounds one day, I would say there's no way in heck that's happening. And so, and my other thing is, if you reach for the stars and you only get the clouds, you're still higher than everyone else. And so from 14 years old, I told every person I meet that I was going to be the number one pick in the NFL draft. And people told me I was a little cocky, piece of crap, but that's what I would say. And I said it over and over and over and over again. I was not the first pick in the NFL draft, but I still got drafted. And so when you set those really hard, far off goals, you should reach goals that are maybe unattainable because in the pursuit of to get them, you'll become a much better person and accomplish a crap load along the way.

[Greg]

Favorite coach that you've ever had?

[Ryan]

Favorite coach, yes. Oh, man. I'll just say this. All coaches, all of them and even.

[Greg]

Players and what made them so important to you?

[Ryan]

Because they can push me to do more work ethic and be respectful, respect other people and how they are treated. Both brothers and my dad played football in high school. I tried out for my high school team and I never made it. But one of my good friends asked me to help with the football team and that made me so happy.

[Shelby]

Harrison, to be honest, left me speechless. He truly was one of the best people that I met on Radio Row. He's super involved with the Special Olympics and youth sports and making youth athletes all over the country feel important. One of my favorite things that happened during this interview is I asked Harrison and Ryan with what they mean to each other and Ryan, without a singular second of doubt, said harrison's my best friend. It was just a really special moment shared on Radio Row. Thank you for listening to our top five favorite conversations from Radio Row. I think what stood out to us the most about this experience was not the star power or the excitement of the Super Bowl. It was how every single athlete, person, player or influencer we talked to all had a connection to US sports. Whether it was coaching their kids or remembering the lessons they learned when they were youth athletes, or actively giving back to youth sports and the next generation, each guest brought something special to the table and I think that's really what Youth Sports and Youthink is all about. It's about celebrating the joy, the passion, the community that youth sports brings. We'll be back on Youthinks next episode for more insights, stories, conversations that matter to parents, coaches and athletes everywhere.

[Cam Newton]

It.