USWNT Legends Abby Wambach and Julie Foudy Break Down How to Raise Resilient Kids

Abby Wambach and Julie Foudy, U.S. Women's National Team legends and two of the most influential voices in women’s sports, sat down with Greg Olsen for a candid, funny and deeply insightful conversation about youth sports. Their discussion ranged from how parents can support young athletes without projecting their own ego to the importance of independence and communication in youth sports today.

Watch the full episode on our YouTube channel.

Key Takeaways

Parenting without ego

Wambach and Foudy openly called out a growing issue in youth sports: adults tying their identity to their child’s performance.

“So many parents get lost in their own ego around what it will look like upon them as a parent with how good or bad their child might be at sports,” Wambach said. “We have to separate the parent’s need to define themselves through their children’s experience.”

Wambach also shared the conversation she had with her daughter early on: “This has nothing to do with me. You don’t have anything to prove to me.”

Her message is clear: your kid’s journey is theirs, not yours.

Meet each kid where they are

Foudy emphasized that every child learns and absorbs information differently and that age or gender doesn't change the fact that each kid is unique. You need to meet them where they are in terms of the volume and the amount of information they can absorb.

 She said that kids need clarity, expectations, and support. And at the end of the day, joy in the sport is the most important thing.

“If you don't enjoy it, why are you doing it?” she said.

 Let kids have independence

Both Wambach and Foudy stressed that kids need space to grow without constant parental presence.

Wambach was blunt: parents don’t need to go to every practice.

“I want my kids to feel like they have the agency within themselves to make their own way in the world,” she said. “They need to go to practice, be with friends and take instruction from another adult.”

In her view, the real work happens in the car ride home. Ask the “Big Three Questions”:

1. Did you have fun?
2. Did you learn anything?
3. Did someone do something interesting or cool?

This builds true independence by teaching kids to take instruction, solve problems, and navigate sports without a parent watching every rep.

Olsen offered a middle ground as a coach: parents can come for the last 10 minutes if they want to watch. As a coach, he actually welcomes parents seeing how practice is run. Wambach agreed that this solution could work, as long as the kid still gets their own time and space.

Foudy applauded Olsen’s strong communication, calling it a "lost art." Coaches need to clearly articulate what their program stands for, what they value and how they are building athletes and people.

Foudy's Golden Rule

Foudy shared her golden rule:“If we’re not volunteering our time to be coaching, then we have no right to criticize the person who is giving their time.” Olsen and Wambach echoed the same sentiment.