Spotlight: Greg Berge - Actionable Ideas from 30+ years of coaching & leadership

This Week's Information:

Greg Berge, Author who writes a weekly newsletter featuring actionable ideas on Coaching, Leadership, Culture and Teams straight to your inbox.   

What It Is:

Greg Berge’s newsletter and social accounts are MUST READS for youth sports parents. A veteran high school coach and long-time principal in Minnesota, Berge has spent decades leading winning basketball teams and nurturing school cultures built on purpose and values—not trophies. He’s grown into a widely respected thought leader. Through his Great Teams, Better Leaders newsletter, Berge shares quick, actionable reflections on leadership, culture and cultivating resilience in young athletes. 

Why Berge's ideas matter for youth sports parents: 

Berge’s content is great for youth sports parents because it helps shift the focus from wins and stats to what actually matters in a child’s development: character, confidence and culture.

Here’s why his work stands out: 

It Centers the Whole Child:

Berge’s coaching philosophy is grounded in growth mindset and relationship-based leadership. He consistently reminds parents that youth sports are about helping kids become better people—not just better players. This aligns with what most parents actually want: resilient, kind, confident kids. 

“We don’t coach sports. We coach people.” — Greg Berge 

 It Offers Clear, Actionable Guidance 

His weekly newsletter is short and practical. It often includes one clear lesson or reminder that’s easy to discuss with your child or bring up with a coach. No jargon. Just thoughtful prompts like:  

• How do you define success after a game? 
• Are you giving your child space to lead and learn? 
• Do you praise effort and attitude as much as performance? 

This kind of reflection helps parents support without smothering, cheer without pressuring and talk about sports in ways that build connection. 

It Models Healthy Coach-Parent Partnership 

Berge has been a coach and a school leader. He understands how critical parents are to a healthy team culture—and how badly things can go when parents and coaches are misaligned. 

His writing gives parents tools to: 

• Ask the right questions in the car ride home 
• Support coaches in public while offering feedback in private 
• Know when to step in—and when to step back 

It Reduces the Anxiety 

Youth sports can feel overwhelming. Tryouts, teams, playing time, recruiting, scholarships. Berge's calm, values-based approach reminds parents to zoom out:  

“Winning the moment is fine. But growing for life? That’s the goal.” 

 His work offers a north star when everything else feels like noise. 

It Validates What You’re Feeling 

Parenting an athlete is emotional. Berge gets that—and doesn’t dismiss it. But he helps parents turn that emotion into something useful: perspective, presence and purpose. 

Recommended Read: Parents Who HURT More than HELP

Too many kids are struggling in youth sports. 

Not because of the game. 

Because of the adults.  

I wrote this for the well-meaning parents who might not realize they're doing more harm than good.  

Coaches, feel free to share it. 

Here’s a powerful excerpt: 

Bulldozer Parents: These parents clear every obstacle from their children’s path, jumping in at the first sign of trouble. While they mean well, removing challenges prevents kids from learning how to handle adversity.  Facing hard things is a crucial part of growing up.   

Action You Can Take 

• Subscribe to his newsletter, Great Teams, Better Leaders (11,000+ people already have) for weekly game-changing insights Subscribe here.
• Read Culture WINS or Coaching GOLD—two foundational books that complement his newsletter learnings  
• Consider sharing his short, practice-shareable posts with your team or parent group to spark better conversations about why sports matter. 

If you come across any content that you think is worth sharing with the broader Youth Inc. community, I’d love to hear from you. Drop me a line at tmurphy@youth.inc. 

Let’s learn, grow, and enjoy the ride—together.