What I Didn’t Understand About ‘I Love to Watch You Play’—Until My Daughter Quit

I thought I had it all figured out.

After playing Division 1 basketball and spending decades in sports journalism—watching thousands of games and interviewing countless coaches, athletes, and experts—I eventually shifted my focus. I founded I Love to Watch You Play to support parents navigating the complex, emotional world of youth sports. I thought I knew what kids needed—and how to help parents provide it.

Then my daughter Piper quit. [Read About it HERE]

She was a gifted athlete playing on a water polo Olympic Development team and had dreams of playing in college. But in 11th grade, she walked away from it all—not because she wasn’t good enough, but because she was exhausted. The joy was gone.

And that moment—watching her let go of something she had once loved and something I had built so much of my own identity around—taught me more than any expert interview ever could.

Since then, everything has shifted in my philosophy. Piper's two younger sisters are thriving in their sports—one playing Division 1 soccer, one committed to a top D1 beach volleyball program. But I’d be lying if I said I’m not still learning. Still evolving. Still unlearning things I thought were true.

That’s why I started I Love to Watch You Play; not to showcase perfection, but to offer perspective. Because whether your child is just starting out or chasing college dreams, what they need most is the same: support, perspective and a relationship that isn’t tied to performance.

It starts with one sentence:

I love to watch you play.

Simple words. But they carry a message too many kids are desperate to hear:

You are more than your results.

You are valued beyond the scoreboard.

You are loved—for who you are.

So here are 10 things I try to hold onto now—and offer to every parent walking this path: