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Chat By The PitchConversations that shape youth soccer cultureone chat at a time. Author: Ian Babcock
Chat By The Pitch is the go-to podcast for North Texas soccer families and anyone passionate about the culture of the game. Hosted by Ian Babcock, each episode connects parents, coaches, and club leaders with local and global voices shaping youth soccer today. From player development and team selection to mental performance, coaching culture, and gear that gives you an edgeChat By The Pitch helps families make informed, confident decisions throughout every stage of their players journey. Stay ahead of the game, learn from the best, and be part of the community thats redefining youth soccerone story at a time. Contact: chatbythepitch@gmail.com Links: linktr.ee/ChatByThePitch Language: en Genres: Kids & Family, Parenting, Soccer, Sports Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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Born to Play: Ted Kroeten on Free Play, Language, and Youth Development
Episode 148
Wednesday, 24 December, 2025
Joy of the People founder and longtime coach Ted Kroeten joins Chat By The Pitch to break down what truly develops creative, intelligent players — and why most of the U.S. youth soccer system gets it upside down. Ted’s “soccer as a language” philosophy reframes how kids learn, why free play must come before instruction, and how mixed-age, low-pressure environments cultivate game intelligence no coach can teach.From the failures of super clubs and the youth sports industrial complex to Joy of the People’s bold commitment to no tryouts, no cuts, and no overcoaching, Ted delivers one of the clearest visions of what American development could be if we trusted kids to play again.If you care about player development, coaching, or burnout in youth sports — this episode will challenge everything you think you know.Key Talking Points• Ted’s journey from late-start player to coaching leader and founder of Joy of the People• Why he walked away from the elite club model and the youth sports industrial complex• “Soccer as a language” — acquisition vs learning, Chomsky, Krashen, and immersion• What kids learn in free play that coaches cannot teach• Why Joy of the People operates with no tryouts, no cuts, no pressure• How mixed-age play, different surfaces, and alternate balls accelerate creativity• Overload vs underload: reading effort, joy, and false intensity in players• Why early free-play kids lag at first—but surpass others by U16–U19• The danger of over-rewarding performance and creating kids who only love winning• Building a true community model where every kid matters and development lastsQuotes from Ted Kroeten• "When I saw kids in play learning things I could not teach them, I knew there was something in play."• "Unstructured play, street play, free play has developed the top players in the world."• "We’ve been teaching soccer only with rules and techniques, not allowing acquisition to occur."• "The best way to learn a complex language is not a teacher — it's immersion."• "Kids who fall in love with explicit training programs are in danger of burning out."• "We don’t have tryouts. We have a mix of everyone — and they bloom on their own timeline."Episode Chapters00:00 — Ted Kroeten’s Late Start and Multi-Sport Roots03:10 — Coaching at the Highest Levels and Seeing the Cracks06:00 — Walking Away from the Youth Soccer Industrial Complex08:30 — Founding Joy of the People and the Decision to Prioritize Play11:45 — Watching Kids Learn What Coaches Can’t Teach14:30 — Poverty of the Stimulus and Why Play Accelerates Learning18:00 — Soccer as a Language: Acquisition vs Instruction22:45 — Chomsky, Krashen, and Immersion on the Field27:30 — The Panenka Penalty and Non-Verbal Soccer Communication31:30 — Why Cone Work Fails Under Real Pressure35:00 — What Parents Miss When They Watch Training38:30 — Early Attempts at Free Play — and Why They Failed42:45 — Building a Community Hub with the City of St. Paul46:30 — Kids “Not Knowing How to Play” and What That Revealed50:45 — Removing Tryouts, Cuts, and External Pressure55:30 — What Joy of the People Looks Like Day to Day59:30 — Losing Games Early to Win Long Term1:03:30 — Why Joy and Belonging Come Before ResultsConnect with Ted / Joy of the People🌐 Website: https://www.joyofthepeople.org/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j_o_t_p/✖️ X: https://x.com/JOYofthePEOPLE👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joyofthepeople/Follow Chat By The Pitch✖️ X: @ChatByThePitch📸 Instagram: @ChatByThePitch📘 Facebook: Chat By The Pitch🎧 Subscribe & Review — it helps
