Founders in Full

Jonathan Carone | Healthy Sports Parents

Dan Ritzke Season 2 Episode 1

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0:00 | 1:07:35

Jonathan Carone, founder of Healthy Sports Parents, shares how a lifetime around sports — from coaching and athletic departments to marketing and entrepreneurship — ultimately led him to build one of the fastest-growing parenting platforms focused on youth sports culture today.

What started as frustration watching unhealthy behavior from parents on the sidelines quickly turned into a much bigger mission: helping families navigate youth sports in a healthier, more sustainable, and more human way.

After years building websites and helping organizations clarify their messaging through the StoryBrand framework, Jonathan unexpectedly found himself at the center of a growing conversation around pressure, burnout, identity, and what youth sports should actually teach kids.

In this conversation, we explore:
✅ Why so many parents feel pressure to push kids harder in sports
✅ The emotional dynamics that often drive sideline behavior
✅ Why 70% of kids quit sports by age 13
✅ The long-term impact of tying love and approval to performance
✅ Why process matters more than outcomes — both in sports and life
✅ The dangers of early specialization and burnout
✅ What healthy support actually looks like for young athletes
✅ How Jonathan grew Healthy Sports Parents into a platform reaching hundreds of thousands of families

Jonathan’s story is a powerful reminder that youth sports are about far more than winning. At their best, sports can help kids build confidence, resilience, discipline, and relationships that last a lifetime — but only if adults create environments where kids feel safe, supported, and loved regardless of performance.

👉 Learn more about Healthy Sports Parents: https://healthysportsparents.com/

👉 Follow Jonathan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healthysportsparents/

👉 Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-carone-52145778/

Connect with me (Dan Ritzke):

I’m a Fractional CMO who helps FamTech companies position their brand, sharpen their messaging, create marketing strategies that drive growth, and oversee execution to make sure those plans turn into results.

👉 Visit my website: https://danritzke.com/

👉 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ritzke/

Apply to be on the podcast or nominate a founder:

👉 Founders in Full: https://danritzke.com/podcast/