🏆 Redefining Winning: Lessons for Youth and Parents from the Generation Youth Podcast

How shifting our perspective on success can empower the next generation—in sports, academics, and life.

Rethinking the Winner’s Circle

Let’s be honest—our culture loves to keep score. 🥇 From the moment our kids enter school or step onto a field, they’re surrounded by rankings, grades, and comparisons. But what if we’ve been defining “winning” all wrong?

On a recent episode of the Generation Youth Podcast, I had an incredible conversation with Wendy Win, a lifelong competitor, coach, and mom who’s redefining what it means to succeed. As she shared her journey from growing up on a ranch in Idaho to mentoring athletes nationwide, one message stood out loud and clear:

“You could be last in your class and still be a winner.”

That’s not just a catchy phrase—it’s a truth that changes everything. Because real winning isn’t measured by medals, it’s measured by mindset. It’s the quiet victories—the perseverance, growth, and self-belief that happen when no one’s watching—that truly shape character.

When Winning Gets Too Narrow

As both a former coach and a parent, I’ve seen how easy it is for competition to steal the joy out of learning and growth. When the focus becomes only about results, kids start tying their worth to outcomes they can’t always control.

Wendy and I talked about this “performance trap”—and how it can quietly erode confidence. When success becomes the only story worth celebrating, many young people give up before they even start.

Wendy reminded me of legendary coach Geno Auriemma, who once said the greatest lessons come not from winning streaks, but from how teams respond to defeat. In other words, the real scoreboard isn’t on the field—it’s inside each of us.

As Wendy put it, “If we can teach our youth, and teach ourselves, to focus on what was right with what we did, that’s winning.” 💪

Parents: The Quiet Game-Changers

One of the most powerful parts of our conversation centered on parents. Because let’s face it—our kids are always watching how we define winning.

I admitted that as a competitive dad and former coach, I’ve had to fight the urge to step in and “fix” things for my kids. It’s hard not to project your own ambitions onto them. But what they need most isn’t a play-by-play commentator—it’s a calm, consistent fan in the stands.

Wendy shared a story about her own son walking away from a promising wrestling and rodeo career. As a mom and coach, she struggled with that decision—until she realized that true success is choosing purpose over pressure. Sometimes the biggest win is walking a different road than everyone expected.

Her advice for parents? Become students of the game. Learn your child’s world, appreciate their process, and cheer for every kid giving their best—because empathy grows champions. 🙌

The Power of “One More”

In sports and in life, progress isn’t always pretty. It’s built through the “one more” moments—the times you push past frustration, try again after a stumble, or show up even when you don’t feel like it.

Wendy calls this the “power of one more.” One more rep. One more conversation. One more chance to believe in yourself. That’s where confidence is formed.

In our conversation, she told me about a young athlete whose biggest accomplishment wasn’t winning a competition—it was simply having the courage to keep showing up. That’s what we need to celebrate more often: progress over perfection.

What We Can All Take Away

If you’re a coach, parent, or mentor, here’s what this episode reminded me:

• Winning is personal. It’s about who you’re becoming, not what you’re collecting.

• Effort outlasts outcomes. Growth and grit matter more than gold medals.

• Parents, be guides—not directors. Step back enough for your kids to step forward.

• Celebrate progress. Every rep, every try, every act of courage deserves applause.

Because as Wendy so beautifully said,

“Nobody else tells us if we win or lose. Only us.”

If we want to empower the next generation, we must redefine what “winning” really means—and remind our kids that the greatest victories start within. 🧠❤️