Youth Sports Has Become a Full-Time Job for Parents | Dave Yoo of Onsides
Youth sports has quietly become a full-time job for parents. Between schedules, travel, apps, training, and expectations, the load has grown far beyond just showing up. Eric Kasimov talks with Dave Yoo, founder of Onsides, a platform built to simplify the youth sports experience for parents, about the pressure and complexity behind it — and where it’s heading. They get into the reality families are dealing with today, from rising costs and sideline behavior to NIL, recruiting, and how AI can actually reduce the “cognitive load” parents are carrying. In this episode: • Why youth sports has quietly become a $50B+ machine • The chaos of managing multiple teams, apps, and schedules • The real “cognitive load” parents are carrying • How AI can actually reduce stress when used right • The gap between recreational play and high-pressure club sports • The hidden financial and emotional tax on families • NIL, recruiting, and how early the stakes are starting • What AI changes for students, founders, and careers Chapters 00:14 – The business and emotion of youth sports 03:00 – Why Dave Yoo started building Onsides 05:00 – The chaos parents deal with across platforms 06:12 – The vision for an all-in-one youth sports app 08:26 – Reducing cognitive load for parents 10:48 – Private coaching, training, and monetization 12:29 – How Onsides is using AI behind the scenes 14:40 – Guardrails, hallucinations, and reliable data 16:36 – AI’s impact on software and engineering 18:57 – Advice for students and young founders 20:09 – College, careers, and uncertainty 21:49 – Growth, distribution, and parent adoption 24:23 – The commercialization of youth sports 27:07 – Recreational sports vs. club intensity 29:00 – Parent pressure and youth sports culture 31:44 – NIL, recruiting, and what comes next 38:00 – Media, podcasts, and startup storytelling 41:38 – AI, search, and signal amplification 43:51 – Phones, social media, and young athletes 47:42 – Connect with Onsides & Dave Yoo Connect with Dave Yoo / Onsides: Onsides | Onsides App Dave Yoo on LinkedIn Connect with Eric & SportsEpreneur: SportsEpreneur.com | X | LinkedIn Eric on LinkedIn | X Related Youth Sports Content by SportsEpreneur The State of Youth Sports The Real Cost of Youth Sports in 2026: What Families Actually Spend The Pressure Placed on Kids in Youth Sports High School Athletes and NIL: The Future of Youth Sports