When the world shut down, Toby Roberts’ dad built a backyard climbing wall. Years later, Toby won Olympic Gold.

A global shutdown wipes out climbing gyms and competitions, so we look at what actually keeps a young athlete moving forward when access, routine, and motivation disappear.

I trace how Toby Roberts’ family support and their own pandemic wall build one principle I want every sports parent to try: be the constant even when you are not the expert.

Raising an elite athlete doesn’t mean you have to be the ultimate expert in their sport.

In this episode, I dive into the incredible journey of Olympic sport climber Toby Roberts and his father, Tristan.

We explore how Tristan went from a software developer with zero climbing experience to coaching his son to the Paris Olympics and discuss the realities of parenting a pro athlete, overcoming the terrifying risks of extreme sports, and why leaning into your child’s natural passions is the ultimate key to the podium.

Key Takeaways:

• Don’t tame their nature: Why trying to suppress a hyperactive or adventurous child can kill their athletic potential.
• The 2020 pivot: How a DIY backyard climbing wall kept an Olympic dream alive during global lockdowns.
• Find the experts: Why Tristan Roberts succeeded by outsourcing technical coaching rather than pretending to be a guru.
• Be the constant: The crucial difference between being a sports expert and providing a safe, reliable foundation for your child.

If you care about raising resilient athletes, sport climbing mindset, and practical support strategies that work in real life, hit play. Subscribe, share with a parent who needs it, and leave a review so we can keep building this village together.

If this episode moved you, subscribe and share it with one other parent who needs to hear this.

Please leave a review and let us build this village together.

About This Podcast

It takes a village to raise a pro athlete.

For the first time ever this channel takes you behind the athlete’s ‘unspoken’ road what it really takes to raise athletes.

What to expect when you listen:

Real, Raw Truth

Laughter

The Struggles & Successes

ABOUT YOUR HOST:

Marina Kuperman Villatoro, a mama who is on a mission to help her sons reach their athletic (rock climbing) goals and dreams.

Connect and be Part of the Strategic Village

SIGN UP FOR THE LATEST UNCENSORED HACKS and TIPS

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Website - https://raisingproathletes.com/

What does it really take to raise an X Games champion? Discover how Hailey Langland’s parents nurtured her wild side to make snowboarding history.

Haley Langland’s X Games moment shows what can happen when talent meets a family willing to build a whole life around growth.

I break down the incredible journey of this elite snowboarder and explore the massive family commitments required to raise a competitive athlete.

From encouraging risky play in toddlers to relocating to mountain towns, homeschooling, and managing the financial burden of a youth sports career.

I also share my own family's parallel journey moving to Barcelona for competitive youth climbing.

Key Takeaways:

• The "Inner Wild": Why you shouldn't clip the wings of adventurous, risk-taking kids.
• The Power of Environment: How changing your child's peer group by relocating accelerates their skills.
• Education Shifts: The realities of homeschooling to accommodate an international training schedule.
• Family Logistics: Navigating the financial and career sacrifices required to bankroll a young athlete before the sponsorships arrive.

If you’re trying to raise a serious athlete, this conversation will help you think clearly about commitment, tradeoffs, and what your next step could be.

Subscribe for more real stories and parent strategy, share this with a family who needs it, and leave a review with the biggest question you’re wrestling with right now.

About This Podcast

It takes a village to raise a pro athlete.

For the first time ever this channel takes you behind the athlete’s ‘unspoken’ road what it really takes to raise athletes.

What to expect when you listen:

Real, Raw Truth

Laughter

The Struggles & Successes

ABOUT YOUR HOST:

Marina Kuperman Villatoro, a mama who is on a mission to help her sons reach their athletic (rock climbing) goals and dreams.

Connect and be Part of the Strategic Village

SIGN UP FOR THE LATEST UNCENSORED HACKS and TIPS

https://raisingproathletes.com/sign-up/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/raisingproathletes/

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@raisingproathletes

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@raisingproathletes

Website - https://raisingproathletes.com/

How do teachers with zero climbing experience raise an Olympian? Discover the unconventional sports parenting behind Oriane Bertone's massive success.

In this episode of Raising Pro Athletes, I'm exploring the incredible true story of Stefano Bertone and his wife, who raised Olympic rock climbing phenom Oriane Bertone on a remote volcanic island.

We rewind to the Bertone family’s roots: a judo background, a move to a tiny volcanic island far from mainland France, and a father whose entire academic career centers on one question: how experts pass skill to learners.

Instead of hiring expensive coaches or pushing for early burnout, Stefano used his academic background in education to teach himself how to coach.

We dive into the science of skill transmission, the hidden sacrifices of the "unseen parent," and the crucial moment a parent must step back from coaching to save their relationship.

Whether you are raising a climber, a gymnast, or a soccer player, this episode reveals what it really takes to nurture elite athletic talent.

Key Takeaways:

• The Power of Academic Coaching: How Stefano applied education science to youth sports training, focusing on technique over brute strength.
• Pacing for Longevity: Why capping climbing grades and avoiding hangboards early on prevented injury and burnout.
• The "Unseen" Parent: The vital, stabilizing role of the non-traveling parent in holding the family together.
• Knowing When to Quit: Why stepping down as your child's coach is often the most important decision a sports parent can make.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, please leave a review, share it with your friends so that I could keep on giving you these incredibly inspiring stories of behind the scenes of the parents of the athletes that we see in front of us every day.

About This Podcast

It takes a village to raise a pro athlete.

For the first time ever this channel takes you behind the athlete’s ‘unspoken’ road what it really takes to raise athletes.

What to expect when you listen:

Real, Raw Truth

Laughter

The Struggles & Successes

ABOUT YOUR HOST:

Marina Kuperman Villatoro, a mama who is on a mission to help her sons reach their athletic (rock climbing) goals and dreams.

Connect and be Part of the Strategic Village

SIGN UP FOR THE LATEST UNCENSORED HACKS and TIPS

https://raisingproathletes.com/sign-up/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/raisingproathletes/

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@raisingproathletes

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@raisingproathletes

Website - https://raisingproathletes.com/