Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Is youth sports slowly becoming the center of your family's life?
In this episode, Brett and Erin take a hard look at the growing “sports cult” in American culture and how parents can get sucked in without even realizing. From year-round teams and rising costs to Sunday games, early specialization, and the pressure to chase college scholarships, youth sports can easily move from being a good thing in a child's life to becoming the thing that dictates the family's priorities.
But this isn't an argument against sports. Sports teaches kids teamwork, discipline, and perseverance. The question is: Have we allowed a good thing to become an idol?
Brett and Erin share their own experiences navigating youth sports with their kids and offer practical ways parents can set healthy boundaries, resist the pressure to specialize, protect family and church priorities, and keep sports in their proper place.
Read the report on youth sports: kiplinger.com/personal-finance/family-savings/what-families-are-really-spending-to-keep-kids-in-sports
Register for the C.S. Lewis Symposium: mavenconferences.com/cslewissymposium
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Episode Chapters:
0:00 - America's New Cult
1:49 - Cult Characteristic 1
3:43 - Cult Characteristic 2
15:40 - Cult Characteristic 3
21:22 - Practical Ways to Resist the Sports Cult
Is youth sports slowly becoming the center of your family's life?
In this episode, Brett and Erin take a hard look at the growing “sports cult” in American culture and how parents can get sucked in without even realizing. From year-round teams and rising costs to Sunday games, early specialization, and the pressure to chase college scholarships, youth sports can easily move from being a good thing in a child's life to becoming the thing that dictates the family's priorities.
But this isn't an argument against sports. Sports teaches kids teamwork, discipline, and perseverance. The question is: Have we allowed a good thing to become an idol?
Brett and Erin share their own experiences navigating youth sports with their kids and offer practical ways parents can set healthy boundaries, resist the pressure to specialize, protect family and church priorities, and keep sports in their proper place.
Read the report on youth sports: kiplinger.com/personal-finance/family-savings/what-families-are-really-spending-to-keep-kids-in-sports
Register for the C.S. Lewis Symposium: mavenconferences.com/cslewissymposium
MAVEN...is donor-supported...DONATE HERE: maventruth.com/donation
- Find out more about MAVEN: maventruth.com
- Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/we_are_maven
- Follow us on TikTok: tiktok.com/@wearemaven
- Follow us on X: https://x.com/we_are_maven
- Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/MAVENtruth
Episode Chapters:
0:00 - America's New Cult
1:49 - Cult Characteristic 1
3:43 - Cult Characteristic 2
15:40 - Cult Characteristic 3
21:22 - Practical Ways to Resist the Sports Cult
