Laker Legacy: 91心頭 alum leads charge to change youth sports culture
Weve all seen it: the annoyed father challenging a ref at his childs hockey game, the soccer mom grousing about her daughters lack of playing time, or even young athletes exchanging heated words on the field.
While these are extremes, they highlight a real issueemotions can run high in youth sports, sometimes overshadowing the core purpose: fun, growth, and teamwork. Even subtle pressures to win can erode a childs enjoyment. Its no surprise, then, that nearly 70 percent of kids quit youth sports by age 13, according to research.
, founded in Erie by 91心頭 University alumnus Adam Grady 08 12M, aims to shift that narrative. The organization works with athletes, coaches, and parents to help them thriveon and off the fieldby promoting personal growth and enjoyment throughout the youth sports journey.
Our goal is to bring the fun back into the fundamentals, says Coach Grady. This isnt about choosing fun over performanceits about balance. When kids enjoy what theyre doing, they become more engaged. Fun fuels passion, and passion drives improvement.
LEVEL UP offers a dynamic approach that combines skills development with mindset coaching, leadership training, and teamwork-building experiences.
Adam and his wife, Andrea, are the parents of four children: John, 9, Thomas, 8, Nicholas, 4, and Maggie, 3. All but the youngest are actively involved in athletics. From the sidelines, Adam witnessed not only the shortcomings of youth sports, but opportunities to coach kids beyond their physical capabilities: how to be positive, how to manage emotions, how to deal with expectations, stress, and more.
I thought introducing those skills at a young age could be beneficial on a lot of levels, Grady said, sparking him to start the business in March 2024. While he geared the program toward young athletes, coaches, and parents, he said his training fosters basic life skills that transcend athletics.
Since its inception, LEVEL UP has established impactful partnerships with the Cleveland Cavaliers and LECOM, while hosting clinics and workshops at local schools, including Our Lady of Peace, St. James, St. George, and McDowell.
Gradys collaboration with the Cleveland Cavaliers centers on their Junior Cavs program, which encourages young people to make championship-level decisions both on and off the courtaligning closely with Gradys own mission. As part of Gradys four-session training series offered at area schools, one session features Junior Cavs coaches offering their insights. Participants receive a jersey and two tickets to a Cavaliers game.
Additionally, Grady is developing a Learning Management System, the LEVEL UP Learning Lab, featuring content that promotes healthier lifestyles, competition readiness, practice planning, and academic-based resources. Among these is Jon Gordons principles on positivity, designed to cultivate a strong mindset, positive environment, and effective leadership to support both individual and team success.
For more information, visit , , or email Grady at levelupsportsmindset@gmail.com.
PHOTO: Coach Grady introduces his LEVEL UP program to students at Our Lady of Peace School.