035 - The Truth About Youth Sports, Athlete Development & Coaching w/ Jesse Wright

The Health Movement Podcast: Where Fitness, Wellness & Mindset Align

In this episode, host Derek sits down with Jesse Wright, a high-performance consultant for elite athletes and teams, former NBA strength & conditioning coach, and author. With 14 years of experience working with the Philadelphia 76ers, Eagles, and other teams across major sports, Jesse brings a wealth of knowledge on youth athlete development, injury prevention, and coaching excellence.

They dive into the dangers of early specialization in youth sports, breaking down why playing multiple sports leads to better long-term success and how parents and coaches can better support young athletes in today's hyper-competitive environment.

Key topics include:

✔️ The Myth of Early Specialization – Why playing multiple sports builds better athletes
✔️ Youth Sports Culture – How pressure, burnout, and misinformation are affecting kids
✔️ Athlete Development Done Right – Strength, mobility, and mental resilience for long-term success
✔️ Coaching for Growth – How great coaches create confident, adaptable athletes
✔️ Parenting in Youth Sports – Supporting kids without adding unnecessary pressure

🎙 Tune in for an eye-opening conversation on reshaping youth sports to develop healthier, more resilient athletes.

Contact Jesse on his website: https://www.balancethebar.com/

📖 Grab Jesse’s book The Intent Is to Grow: https://a.co/d/g8NqgFC

📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube as well as past episodes here: https://www.youtube.com/@UCQJhgWfIdW5SpQ8WlyYXyYg 

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