Be Valiant

Ep. 20 Episode 11 - Re-Release: Sydney Merkow — Identity, Pressure, and Finding Your Way Through Youth Sports (Audio)

As we head into the holiday break and take a brief pause from releasing new episodes, we wanted to re-share one of the most meaningful conversations from the Be Valiant podcast.

This episode features an honest and deeply personal conversation with my daughter, Sydney Merkow, about her youth sports journey — including identity, pressure, expectations, confidence, and the emotional realities that often go unseen by parents, coaches, and even athletes themselves.

We’re re-releasing this episode because the themes remain timeless:

How pressure shows up for young athletes

How identity can become tied to performance

How important it is for parents to listen — really listen

If you’re a parent navigating youth sports, or an athlete trying to find your voice, this conversation is worth revisiting.

Originally released: October 29, 2025 Re-released: Holiday 2025 as part of our year-end reflection and reset