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Forged Youth | Legacy Within
Forged Youth: Legacy Within
What if the conversations you needed most as a teen athlete were finally being had, openly, honestly, and with purpose?
Forged Youth: Legacy Within is the podcast that equips youth athletes (ages 12–24), their parents, and coaches with the mental tools, emotional resilience, and life insight to rise above the noise and grow into strong, intentional human beings.
Each episode features real, raw conversations with professional athletes, CEOs, and cultural leaders sharing what they wish they knew when they were younger. We unpack topics like mental grit, overcoming adversity, identity beyond sport, and building a life of purpose, even when things fall apart.
Hosted by former elite athlete and mental health advocate Mariel Nichole Anderson, this podcast is your companion through the messy middle of chasing big dreams, and becoming someone even bigger in the process.
Because you weren’t born to just survive sport. You were made to be forged by it.
Forged Youth | Legacy Within
Ep. 22 - How Hard is Too Hard? Q&A with Mariel Anderson and Jordan Owens
In this week's Q&A, Mariel and Jordan dig into one of the most confusing issues facing youth sports today: the blurry line between a firm, well-intentioned coach… and one who crosses into harmful territory.
Throughout the episode, they dive into the pressures today’s coaches face, the rise of “old school” intensity, and the ways young athletes (especially girls) respond differently to certain coaching styles. Mariel reflects on growing up under a brutally demanding coach and how those high-pressure environments both shaped her resilience and revealed where the line gets crossed. Together, they talk through when discomfort becomes growth, when it becomes damage, and how parents can support their athletes without becoming over-involved.
This episode is full of hard truths and practical guidance for anyone trying to navigate the realities of modern sport. Whether you’re a parent who’s unsure how to interpret a coach’s intensity, an athlete learning to advocate for yourself, or a coach striving to get it right, this conversation offers the perspective and nuance that’s been missing from the sidelines
Join our free 'Forged Youth' Skool group for more parent support!
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