Real Talk for Sport Parents Podcast

Hosted by Samantha Livingstone

Ep. 5 - Rebecca McConville - Navigating Nutrition and Performance in Sports

In this illuminating episode, Samantha sits down with Rebecca McConville - sports dietitian, eating disorder specialist, and author of Finding Your Sweet Spot - to unpack the real truth behind performance, energy, and long-term health for youth athletes. They dive into the critical topic of RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport), how under-fueling shows up subtly in young athletes, and why nutrition is about more than just fueling for sport - it's about fueling for life.

Rebecca offers compassionate and practical advice to parents who want to raise resilient, thriving kids in an often performance-obsessed culture. Whether you’re navigating club sports, managing food anxiety, or simply trying to better understand your child’s needs, this episode delivers clarity, heart, and hope.

00:00 - Meet Rebecca McConville + how she got into sports nutrition
06:35 - What RED-S really is and why it’s often misunderstood
10:10 - The difference between discipline and disordered behavior
15:45 - Red flags - What to watch for in your athlete’s eating and mindset
21:08 - Why intention matters more than image when it comes to food
28:50 - How performance culture can feed perfectionism
33:22 - How parents can foster resilience without pressure
39:44 - Creating a family culture around food, rest, and recovery
44:19 - How to support your athlete through injuries and transitions
50:01 - Final thoughts on fueling for health, growth, and joy

Quotes

· “RED-S is not just about food - it’s about life. It's about having enough energy to grow, think, feel, and live.” (06:42)

· “Parents need to know that discipline doesn’t mean deprivation. Restriction doesn’t build resilience.” (12:05)

· “Fueling is not a reward for performance - it’s a requirement for being human.” (33:00)

·

Social Media and Links

· RTSP Instagram

· samanthalivingstone

· @rebeccaeddietitian on IG

· Rebecca on LinkedIn

Resources + Mentions:

• Rebecca’s book: Finding Your Sweet Spot - How to Avoid RED-S and Fuel for Sport Performance
• Learn more: https://rebeccamcconville.com
• RED-S resources: https://www.femaleandmaleathletetriad.org/red-s

Real Talk for Sport Parents Podcast

Hosted by Samantha Livingstone

Ep. 4 - Dr. Andreas Stamatis - Unlocking Mental Toughness

In this thought-provoking episode, Samantha sits down with Dr. Andreas Stamatis - researcher, professor, and mental performance expert - to unpack one of the most misunderstood topics in youth sports: mental toughness. Together, they redefine what it actually means, how it can be developed, and why old-school approaches rooted in pressure and punishment fall short.

Dr. Stamatis introduces a more compassionate, evidence-based framework - centered around eight mental skills and three mindset pillars - that equips parents to help their kids handle adversity and strive with intention. Whether your child is elite or just starting out, this conversation is packed with practical insight to guide their growth and your role in supporting it.

00:00 - Welcome + how Samantha met Dr. Stamatis
08:35 - The Special Forces moment that changed his view on mental strength
13:20 - Defining mental toughness: a mindset, not a personality trait
18:05 - Why yelling doesn’t build mental toughness
22:12 - What are the three pillars? Purpose, efficiency, and flexibility
30:14 - Why overprotecting your child can hurt their growth
39:20 - What does real emotional regulation look like in kids and parents?
46:58 - How parent language impacts a child’s confidence
54:50 - Reframing failure through optimistic thinking
1:09:45 - The “car ride home” framework: 3 powerful questions to ask your athlete

Quotes

· “A mentally tough person is not defined by their goals - but by their mindset.”

· “Uncomfortable doesn't mean bad. Discomfort is the beginning of growth.”

· “Success isn’t winning or losing. It’s showing up with purpose, flexibility, and efficiency.”

Social Media and Links

· RTSP Instagram

· samanthalivingstone

· Andreas Stamatis Instagram

Resources + Mentions:

· Mental Toughness Index (MTI)

· Medium articles by Dr. Stamatis

· PubMed + Google Scholar: Search “Andreas Stamatis”

Real Talk for Sport Parents Podcast

Hosted by Samantha Livingstone

Solo wtih Samantha - More Than An Athlete

In this deeply moving and transparent solo episode, Olympic gold medalist Samantha Arsenault Livingstone shares the full-circle story of how she went from standing atop the Olympic podium to navigating life as a sport parent raising four girls—including a hockey player chasing her own Winter Olympic dream.

Samantha peels back the curtain on her personal story—from her childhood in Peabody, MA, to the toxic club swimming environment that nearly broke her spirit, to the healing that followed her Olympic victory. She opens up about the mental health challenges she faced post-Olympics, the guidance of her mentor Greg Harden, and the life-altering experience of nearly losing her daughter to heart failure.

This episode is a vulnerable invitation into the why behind the podcast: to create a judgment-free space for sport parents to connect, grow, and find real tools for supporting their kids—without shame, perfectionism, or pressure to do it all “right.”

04:55 – How parenting in sport mirrors her Olympic journey

10:30 – Childhood, cultural roots, and dreaming big
18:40 – Why she started swimming (hint: it wasn’t her dream)
29:00 – A mother’s intuition and a life-saving decision
36:50 – Qualifying for Olympic Trials—and the power of support”
46:50 – Mental health crash: the pressure no one saw
59:00 – The medical trauma of her daughter’s heart surgery
1:16:45 – On learning to fall—so they can rise
1:21:40 – What parents really need in the sport ecosystem

Quotes

· “They were having the kids fall on purpose so they could learn how to rise. Why aren’t we doing that with our kids’ inner world?”
[1:17:00]

· “We get in our kids’ way sometimes—not because we’re bad parents, but because we’re human.”
[1:26:05]

· “Who we are and what we do are not the same. That truth saved my life.”
[0:55:45]

Social Media and Links

· RTSP Instagram

· samanthalivingstone

Books Mentioned:
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk

Websites:
SameHere Global Mental Health Movement
5 in 5 Mental Health Campaign

Real Talk for Sport Parents Podcast

Hosted by Samantha Livingstone

Two time Olympian Lindsay Mintenko - Rooted in Values, Rising in Sport

In this candid and heart-filled conversation, Samantha welcomes longtime friend, fellow Olympian, and sport parent Lindsay Mintenko to the podcast. Lindsay shares her journey from small-town Indiana to Olympic gold, reflecting on the foundation her family gave her and the challenges of balancing identity, performance, and spotlight.

Now a mom of two, Lindsay opens up about parenting elite athletes, choosing the right club environments, and supporting kids through the highs and lows of sport—without losing sight of the bigger picture: raising good humans.

Together, Sam and Lindsay unpack what it means to let our kids lead, to be present without overpowering, and to trust that performance doesn’t need to come at the cost of wellness. This episode is a must-listen for parents navigating sport culture today—and proof that greatness and groundedness can coexist.

06:05 – Cultural roots, family values & John Wooden's legacy
11:00 – Multi-sport childhood and early sport experiences
15:10 – Parenting athletes through transitions and prioritization
18:45 – Supporting identity development vs. performance identity
23:30 – How her parents held space without pressure
37:00 – Identity struggles and the relief of college
46:20 – Separation, support, and letting kids lead
54:00 – Failing forward: celebrating the “bad days”
1:08:15 – Club choice: alignment over chasing wins
1:14:30 – Raising siblings with different skills and spotlights
1:19:00 – Social media pressure & mental health in today’s youth
1:26:50 – Letting kids grow: where we might be missing the mark

Quotes

· “My job isn’t to raise an Olympic champion—it’s to raise a good person.”
[1:09:00]

· “No one knows your kid better than you do. Just listen.”
[1:32:00]

· “Let them fail. Let them fall. Let them grow.”
[1:26:45]

Social Media and Links

· RTSP Instagram

· samanthalivingstone

Books Mentioned:
Pyramid of Success by John Wooden

Websites:
SameHere Global Mental Health Movement
5 in 5 Mental Health Campaign

Real Talk for Sport Parents Podcast

Hosted by Samantha Livingstone

Ep. 3 - Sports as a Catalyst for Personal Growth with Amanda Bayliss

In this rich and wide-ranging conversation, Samantha sits down with integrative fitness coach and fellow sport parent Amanda Bayliss to explore the many layers of raising athletic kids while staying grounded in wellness, purpose, and perspective.

Amanda opens up about her own journey—from a running-centered upbringing to college-level burnout, to rediscovering movement as healing and joy. As a mom of three sport-loving boys, Amanda shares hard-earned wisdom about the reality of supporting multiple kids in multi-sport seasons, navigating puberty and performance identity, and honoring each child’s path.

Together, they dive into the deeper meaning behind movement as a form of love, the importance of language around body image, how to model consistency in chaos, and what permission slips we all need to write as sport parents.

04:30 – How Amanda’s upbringing shaped her connection to community and sport
11:10 – Discovering a love for running and following her sisters' path
26:50 – What she would tell her younger self as a runner and athlete
34:20 – Puberty, body image, and letting kids evolve
50:10 – Club vs. school sports: navigating priorities and pressure
1:01:40 – The AAA hockey pivot: honoring her son's desires without panic
1:22:15 – Parking lot workouts: prioritizing parental wellness in creative ways
1:32:30 – The language of fitness: strength over size
1:43:00 – Working across generations—from teen athletes to cancer patients
1:50:15 – What elite athletes have in common: consistency, ownership, and alignment
1:58:20 – Permission slips we all need: your sport is what you do, not who you are

Quotes

· “When you give to your body, it gives back tenfold.”
[1:36:20]

· “Our job isn’t to mold the journey—it’s to create the space for it to unfold.”
[1:13:00]

· “Movement is love. It’s how I pour into others. It’s how I help them love themselves.”
[1:44:45]

Social Media and Links

· RTSP Instagram

· samanthalivingstone

· amandabayliss.com

Books Mentioned:
More Than a Body by Lexie & Lindsay Kite

Real Talk for Sport Parents Podcast

Hosted by Samantha Livingstone

In this heartfelt and powerful debut episode, Olympic gold medalist Samantha Livingstone introduces the Real Talk for Sport Parents podcast—a grounded and honest space for parents navigating the world of youth and competitive sports. Samantha shares her deeply personal why behind this project: to create a supportive, non-judgmental place for parents to learn, grow, and connect without shame or pressure to "get it right."

Drawing from her 20+ years of experience as an elite athlete, educator, coach, and performance consultant, Samantha outlines the vision for the podcast. She shares her commitment to humanizing the parenting journey in sport, giving voice to the common struggles, decisions, and emotional rollercoasters that come with raising competitive athletes.

This is not a podcast about perfection. It’s about curiosity, community, and learning how to show up for our kids and ourselves in a way that’s real, intentional, and values-aligned.

· 01:23 Creating a Supportive Community

· 02:25 Challenges and Realities of Parenting Athletes

· 06:29 Expert Insights and Knowledge Sharing

· 08:16 Personal Experiences and Lessons Learned

· 11:53 Looking Ahead and Getting Involved

Quotes

· “When we follow our dreams, we discover the magic that’s inside of ourselves.” (15:10)

· “Every parent I’ve ever met cares deeply about their kid... behavior might fall below the line, but shame won’t fix that.” (08:00)

· “Sport is a metaphor for life. It speeds up the lessons, the emotions, and the growth. This is life school.” (28:50)

Social Media and Links

· RTSP Instagram

· samanthalivingstone