Former Canadian national team soccer player Steve Kindel shares invaluable insights on youth sports development through the lens of a player, a parent, and a coach. As Senior Technical Director for North Vancouver FC, father to NHL player Ben Kindel and Canada U17 soccer player Lacey, plus husband to former national team player Sara Maglio, Steve offers a unique perspective on balancing competition with healthy development. 

Among the issues Steve discusses in this episode: 

✅ The benefits and drawbacks of early sport specialization 

✅ How multi-sport participation develops better athletes 

✅ Managing playing time conversations with parents 

✅ When and how to implement age-appropriate tiering 

✅ The decision to let Ben leave home at 16 for major junior hockey 

✅ Why compete level matters more than outcome 

✅ The impact of social media and video games on youth sports

✅ Cost barriers and accessibility challenges in modern youth sports 

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