Heaven or Heisman

Lessons Learned from a Youth Coach and D1 Parent Part 2 // Garry Linton

In part two of our conversation with Garry Linton, we continue unpacking the culture surrounding youth sports and the pressure many families feel to chase rankings, stats, elite teams, and early success. Garry challenges the scoreboard-driven mindset that dominates today’s sports world and encourages parents and coaches to focus instead on long-term development, fundamentals, and helping kids grow at their own pace. We discuss how fear, comparison, and social media often shape decisions more than people realize, and why patience and intentionality matter far more than quick results. Throughout the episode, we talk about what healthy development actually looks like, from allowing kids to fail and learn through experience to prioritizing skill-building over constant competition. Garry shares practical insight into avoiding “money traps” in youth sports, recognizing trustworthy mentors, and resisting the temptation to copy the paths of superstar athletes without understanding the bigger picture behind their journey. The conversation continually points back to one central idea: helping kids become confident, resilient people rather than simply high-performing athletes.

Lessons Learned from a Youth Coach and D1 Parent Part 1 // Garry Linton

In this episode, part one of a two-part conversation, we sit down with Garry Linton, known to many as Take Flight Coach, for an honest and eye-opening discussion about youth sports, parenting, and what it really means to develop kids the right way. Garry shares how his journey began as a parent who stepped in to coach and quickly realized that much of the system was missing the mark. From early ego traps to the pressure-filled culture surrounding kids’ athletics, he brings clarity to the tension so many families feel but struggle to name. We talk about the illusions that drive youth sports today, especially the belief that more games, travel teams, and private training automatically lead to better development. Garry challenges that mindset by pointing us back to something many kids are missing: freedom. Freedom to play, to fail, to experiment, and to build confidence without constant correction. He introduces the idea of “self story” and how the narratives kids form about themselves are often shaped by the words and reactions of the adults around them. This conversation is both grounding and hopeful, and it sets the stage for part two where we continue unpacking what it looks like to reshape the youth sports experience. It invites parents and coaches to step back, rethink their approach, and prioritize long-term growth over short-term success. At its core, this episode is about helping kids rediscover joy in the game while building resilience, confidence, and a healthy identity that goes far beyond the scoreboard.

How to Build Real Confidence in Your Athlete // Brad @ The Coaching Dad

In a youth sports culture that often ties confidence to performance, how do we help kids build something deeper, something that lasts beyond the scoreboard? In this episode of Heaven or Heisman, we’re joined again by Brad, “The Coaching Dad,” to talk about the difference between confidence rooted in results and confidence rooted in identity. Together, we explore how athletes can grow in belief without needing to prove themselves every time they step on the field. Through real coaching stories and practical examples, this conversation highlights simple but powerful ways to build confidence on purpose, creating space for mistakes, celebrating effort over outcomes, and giving kids opportunities to lead and use their voice. It’s a reminder that the environments adults create, through their words, reactions, and expectations, play a huge role in shaping how kids see themselves. Ultimately, this episode is an invitation to zoom out. To focus less on early success and more on long-term development. To trade pressure for presence. And to help kids find a confidence that isn’t shaken by a missed shot or a tough game, but strengthened by knowing who they are and why they play.

The Shot That Shocked Wisconsin and the Faith Behind It // High Point Guard Chase Johnston

What does it look like to hold your identity steady when everything around you—your role, your platform, your success—keeps shifting? In this episode of Heaven or Heisman, we sit down with High Point University’s Chase Johnston, whose viral game-winning moment captured national attention—but whose story runs much deeper than one shot. From losing his starting position mid-season to becoming a bold voice for his faith on one of the biggest stages in college basketball, Chase shares how God reshaped not just his circumstances, but his identity. Together, we explore the tension many athletes feel between performance and purpose. Chase opens up about the quiet unraveling that came when basketball became everything—and the freedom he found when it no longer had to be. Through moments of disappointment, doubt, and unexpected opportunity, his story becomes a picture of what it means to trust God not just in success, but in surrender. We also dive into the role of discipline, family, and formation—what it looked like to put up 1,500 shots a day, the influence of a brother who spoke hard truth in love, and the parents who built a foundation behind the scenes. It’s a conversation about the unseen work that shapes both the athlete and the person. Ultimately, this episode is an invitation to reexamine what defines us. To pursue excellence without being consumed by it. And to recognize that the most meaningful victories often come in the moments we least expect—when faith, identity, and purpose align.

Changing the Game: The Parents Guide to Raising Happy, High Performing Athletes // John O'Sullivan

In a culture where youth sports often feel overwhelming, expensive, and hyper-competitive, how do we hold on to what actually matters? In this episode of Heaven or Heisman, we sit down with John O'Sullivan to talk about the current state of youth sports—and why the experience a child has depends far more on the environment adults create than the sport itself. Together, we explore the quiet drift many parents feel: starting with good intentions, but slowly getting pulled toward comparison, pressure, and short-term results. John challenges us to start with the end in mind—who do we want our kids to become—and work backwards from there. From the dangers of early specialization to the rising cost and commitment of youth sports, this conversation offers a grounded, research-backed perspective on what truly helps kids thrive. Ultimately, this episode is a call to play the long game. To value development over status, relationships over results, and joy over burnout. Because when sports are done right, they don’t just build better athletes—they shape healthier, more resilient people for life.