Note to Readers
Expressing appreciation and hopes for the future
The Athlete Generation substack launched in January 2023. The original impetus for the move was simple - having released a book on Sports Parenting in May 2022 only a few months after becoming a parent myself I swiftly had the realisation that parents struggle to find the time to read a book! Bite-sized content delivered direct to email inbox seemed like a more realistic proposition for readers with busy lives (as an aside, the recently released audiobook version of Sports Parenting should help provide the original content in a medium that is more easily consumed alongside parenting duties). Beyond such practical concerns, a prominent response to the book was that the content was equally relevant to other parties involved in the talent development process - one podcast host went as far to suggest that I change the book’s title. On that basis, a related objective with the substack was to reach a wider audience, notably youth sports coaches (many of whom are parents themselves), physical education teachers and those involved in talent development pathways.
As I reflect on the journey to date, there have been some landmark achievements. Just over a year ago we hit 1000 subscribers. We have also grown the number of generous readers who have chosen to support the mission by becoming a paid subscriber. Aside from those metrics, the favourable feedback from readers confirms that we have proof of concept - that is, the content is of value and there is an audience for it.
Above all, I wanted to express my appreciation to all of you who have subscribed. I would also like to thank those who have shared the content with others. Whilst this may seem like a small thing, it helps a great deal to spread the word and reach our intended audience (so please do continue to share the posts with anybody in your circle who you think might benefit from reading). Sharing the content via readers’ personal connections also serves the ultimate objective, which is to create a community who share the mission of Athlete Generation - that is, ‘helping more kids to thrive through sport and providing the best path for those who aspire to reach the highest level’.
Continuing the theme of community, as we look ahead I want to offer more opportunities for direct engagement and interaction. Subscribers are welcome to reach out with comments, questions or suggestions at any time - I am always delighted to hear from readers. You can do by simply replying to this email or any previous posts in your email inbox. I am also seeking to create a forum to allow for more interaction and discussion among the readership. One way to do this is through the ‘Chat’ function on the substack app, which can be accessed either on the desktop app from your PC or the substack app on your mobile device. We will pilot this initially - keep an eye out for a chat message from me and we will see what the response is. Depending on the response and readers’ feedback we can also explore alternatives. For instance, another option is to create a community on Whatsapp.
Many thanks again for your attention and support. I look forward to continuing the conversation and my hope is that words lead to action, in the form of new intiatives to better serve the needs of aspiring young performers. As the community grows, we can work together support local efforts to enact change on the ground to permit more kids to enjoy all the good that youth sports can bring.