My favourite client came in on the weekend.

And he said something that stopped me in my tracks.

I'd been talking to his dad about the research I've been deep in lately — specifically around how much impact parents have on their kids' confidence and performance. Because here's the uncomfortable truth: the vast majority of challenges for kids in youth sports don't come from the kids themselves.

They come from the parents.

Not because they're bad parents. Far from it. Every single one of them believes they're doing the right thing. But the language coming out of their mouth? It just doesn't land the way they intend.

Marcus's dad told me that his mum is always calling out from the sideline about his arm position when he's running on the soccer pitch. Trying to correct it in the moment. Mid-game. Mid-run.

So I asked Marcus directly what he thought about it.

His exact words: "She infuriates me."

That's a strong word. A really strong word for a 15-year-old to use about his mum.

I asked if he'd spoken to her about it. He had. Multiple times. But it wasn't getting through.

Here's what I told him.

He'd been asking her to stop — but he was leading with frustration. When you lead with frustration, people get defensive. They double down. Nothing changes.

But when he goes deeper? When he explains how it makes him feel — not what she's doing wrong, but the actual emotion it creates inside him — that's when everything shifts.

Because every parent loves their child. And the moment a mum hears from her own kid, "When you do that, it makes me feel like you don't believe in me" — she has no choice but to stop and listen. Really listen.

He'd been asking her the wrong way this whole time. Not because he was wrong to ask. But because he hadn't yet found the language that would actually reach her.

And that's exactly what we teach inside Built From The Ground Up.

Not just how to run. Not just how to understand your body. But how kids and parents can find the right language — and the right actions — to build the most confident, resilient, and courageous version of themselves.

Because the gap between wanting to help your child and actually helping them? It's almost always a language problem.

If this is something you are aware of and want to fix, let's catch up for a Zoom chat and see how I can help you

— Coach Mick