Hockey Hall of Famer Geraldine Heaney, who scored the game-winning goal in the first Women's World Championship and won Olympic gold, shares what's broken in youth hockey and her view on how to fix it.

From pioneer player to coaching her own kids, Geraldine has seen it all: as a multi-sport athlete who taught herself the game, as an elite player, and now as a parent navigating today's youth hockey landscape.

Geraldine coached at the professional and university levels and currently coaches U18 AA, the highest level of girls' hockey in Ontario. She doesn't sugarcoat: too many kids are overtrained (7+ times per week), parents have unrealistic expectations, and a lot of talented players don't understand the game.

But she sees hope in kids who play for the right reasons, rare multi-sport athletes, and memories that outlast trophies.

Key Issues Geraldine Tackles:

• Parents coaching from the sidelines
• Hockey's affordability problem
• Unrealistic expectations from parents
• Social media's dark side

• Why kids need to watch hockey to understand it
• Her approach to coaching her own kids

About Geraldine Heaney:

• Hockey Hall of Fame (2013) & IIHF Hall of Fame (2008)
• First Women's World Championship game-winning goal (1990)
• 7 World Championship golds, Olympic gold (2002), Olympic silver (1998)

• Mother of two former competitive hockey players

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

03:50 The Growth of Women's Professional Hockey

05:17 How Geraldine Got Started in Hockey

08:00 Multi-Sport Athlete: Playing Everything

09:07 How Multi-Sport Made Her a Hall of Famer

10:26 What's Missing in Youth Sports Today

11:22 The Pathway to Burnout

13:25 Coaching U18 AA: Multi-Sport Athletes Are Gone

15:56 Why Coaches Pressure Year-Round Specialization

18:40 The Cost Crisis: Pricing Families Out of Hockey

20:43 What Kids Should Get From Sport (Not Scholarships)

26:00 Coaching Your Own Kids: The Challenges

28:33 Parents Coaching from the Stands

32:20 The Advantage of Having Parents Who Didn't Know Hockey

33:58 What Kept Her in Hockey When There Was No Pathway

35:47 Supporting as a Parent vs. Being Overbearing

42:45 Why Kids Need to Watch Hockey

45:47 Social Media's Impact on Young Athletes

48:40 Mental Health in Youth Sports

53:35 Pulling a Player Aside: Teaching vs. Attitude

56:20 Advice for Parents Feeling the Pressure

59:08 The Biggest Issue in Youth Sports Today

59:56 Why She's Passionate About Youth Sports

Resources: ⁠⁠Legends of Hockey - Induction Showcase - Geraldine Heaney

Three-time Olympic gold medalist and Canadian Senator Marnie McBean joins Better Sports Parents to discuss the crisis facing youth sports in Canada and what we can do about it.

From her rowing career to raising her 10-year-old daughter Isabel, Marnie shares insights on why multi-sport participation matters more than early specialization, how we're monetizing youth sports at kids' expense, and why confidence, not medals, should be the goal.

Key topics include:

• Why Canadian boys might not finding their best sports (hint: it's the hockey pipeline)
• The difference between structured vs. unstructured play
• How parents can support without backseat-coaching
• Why we need tax incentives for coaches and multi-sport families
• The future of sport in Canada

Marnie doesn't hold back on what's broken, but more importantly, she offers actionable solutions for parents, coaches, and policymakers who want to keep kids in sport longer and healthier.

🎙️ Better Sports Parents helps families navigate youth sports with confidence, perspective, and purpose.

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction0

3:54 Why youth health and sport became Marnie's life mission

05:47 Sport as the fun vehicle for improving quality of life

08:31 Structured vs. unstructured play: What's missing today

09:51 The privilege problem: Who gets access to youth sports?

11:43 Multi-sport participation: Why it matters more than specialization

17:30 Marnie's childhood: No specialization, just trying things

22:40 Why Canadian boys may be missing sports outside of hockey

24:54 What kept Marnie in sport while growing up

26:24 What keeps athletes motivated beyond winning

30:00 Letting kids bring their personality (yes, even the nails and makeup)

33:29 The monetization of youth sports

36:55 What does "winning" mean for your child?

39:46 Lessons from around the world: Patience and perspective

42:25 Let kids choose their sports

44:07 Should parents stay at practice?

46:47 The biggest distraction at the Olympics: Friends & family

49:30 Building trust between coaches and parents

54:46 The recreational pathway gap for teenagers

57:23 Don't forget individual sports

01:01:11 How can Canada improve the youth sports environment?

01:03:24 Tax incentives for multi-sport and coaching stipends

Resources:

Senator Marnie McBean https://sencanada.ca/en/senators/mcbean-marnie/

Jumpstart State of Play 2024 https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0122/8124/9892/files/State-of-Play-2024-EN.pdf?v=1713368242

Courtesy of Mas+ by Messi, Jesse Marsch, coach of Canada's National Men's Soccer Team, joins Better Sports Parents to share lessons from his playing career in MLS, managing in Europe, and raising three children across multiple countries and cultures.

From playing for the US National Team to coaching the New York Red Bulls and leading clubs in Germany, Austria, and England, Jesse has seen youth sports development from every angle. Now as a father of three grown children who played sports around the world, he offers unique insights into what actually matters in youth athletics.

Jesse Marsch doesn't give parenting advice: he gives coaching insights rooted in decades of professional experience and the lessons learned from watching his own three children navigate sports across the globe. This is an episode for every parent wondering whether they're doing it right, every coach trying to create the right environment, and every young athlete who just wants to love the game.Key

Topics Discussed:

• How sports became the bridge for his kids to adapt to new cultures
• The Biggest Problem in Youth Sports
• Creating Space for Free Play
• Why the best players in the world grew up playing on the streets, not in structured environments
• The Pay-to-Play Reality
• Coaching Your Own Kids
• Body Language on the Sidelines
• Youth Development
• Creating Club Identity
• The Canadian National Team Values

About Jesse Marsch:

• Current Head Coach, Canada Men's National Team
• Former Head Coach: New York Red Bulls, Leeds United, RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg
• Former MLS player (14 years) and US National Team player
• Father of three who have played sports in 8+ countries

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

05:30 The Evolution of MLS Since Jesse's Playing Days

07:02 The Nomadic Coaching Lifestyle as a Parent

09:10 How Sports Created Community in Every Country

11:53 German HALA Tournaments: Pure Joy & Fun

16:14 The Importance of Free Play

20:20 Jesse's Evolution as a Sports Parent

23:46 Jesse's Parents: Hands-Off But Held Him Accountable

25:24 Teammates Who Shaped His Understanding of Leadership

27:43 The Selflessness of Great Teammates

30:00 Balancing Individual Drive with Team Selflessness

32:47 The New York Red Bulls Parent Transformation Story

36:45 Developing a Rapport with Parents

39:54 The Pay-to-Play Model: Reality and Concerns

44:16 What Should Parents Measure Success By?

49:53 How Parents Unintentionally Put Pressure on Kids

52:20 The Father Who Told His 8-Year-Old to "Shut Up"

55:32 Jesse's Personal Values & Canadian Culture Alignment

58:49 The Team's Character: 25 Games Without Playing Poorly

1:01:53 How to Evaluate a Volunteer Coach

1:05:04 What Makes a Healthy Sports Organization

1:09:22 Building the DNA of Canadian

1:11:24 The Biggest Issue in Youth Sports Today

1:13:49 Closing Thoughts

Resources: https://canadasoccer.com/profile/?id=56831&teamId=2068