‘Tis (almost) the Season: Racer eX at TEDx

As we enjoy these last brilliant days of fall, and get ready to hunker in for what we hope beyond hope is a monster winter, it’s time for a little review. Last month I had the great pleasure of giving a talk at the Tahoe City TEDx. When I say great pleasure I do not mean that it was also a great comfort. Talking in front of a crowd—even the friendliest one—and knowing full well that the whole shebang is going online, is by no means comforting. That said, it was a worthy challenge, a great experience, AND an opportunity to spread the Racer eX message to a broader audience.

That message is increasingly something I refer to as Parent Whispering, or, helping parents talk themselves and each other down from this insane tail-chasing exercise that youth sports often becomes. I never profess to come to this from a position of knowing all the answers, or even being able to follow my own advice all the time. But I DO come at it from a place of having been there, in the thick of youth sports, as an athlete, a coach and a parent. The message is about the Long Road, and the things you learn in sports that actually matter in life and can help make kids grow into happier, healthier, more capable and confident adults.

These are things like teamwork, sportsmanship, perseverance, confidence, humility, mental strength, etc… , which are among the real wins of sports.

In this particular presentation I focused on the all-important “F Words” —friends, failure, fear and throughout, the importance of FUN, which, it turns out, is actually a worthy performance goal.

So anyway, here is the link below. Huge thanks to everyone at TEDx Tahoe City, especially Carolyn Hamilton,
Renee Koijane and Robb Gaffney for making it happen, and to Tania Coffey for hooking me up with awesome photos of awesome kids, doing what they love.