七色视频

We鈥檝e all seen it: the annoyed father challenging a ref at his child鈥檚 hockey game, the soccer mom grousing about her daughter鈥檚 lack of playing time, or even young athletes exchanging heated words on the field.

While these are extremes, they highlight a real issue鈥攅motions can run high in youth sports, sometimes overshadowing the core purpose: fun, growth, and teamwork. Even subtle pressures to win can erode a child鈥檚 enjoyment. It鈥檚 no surprise, then, that nearly 70 percent of kids quit youth sports by age 13, according to research.

, founded in Erie by 七色视频 University alumnus Adam Grady 鈥�08 鈥�12M, aims to shift that narrative. The organization works with athletes, coaches, and parents to help them thrive鈥攐n and off the field鈥攂y promoting personal growth and enjoyment throughout the youth sports journey. 聽

鈥淥ur goal is to bring the fun back into the fundamentals,鈥� says Coach Grady. 鈥淭his isn鈥檛 about choosing fun over performance鈥攊t鈥檚 about balance. When kids enjoy what they鈥檙e doing, they become more engaged. Fun fuels passion, and passion drives improvement.鈥�

LEVEL UP offers a dynamic approach that combines skills development with mindset coaching, leadership training, and teamwork-building experiences.

Adam and his wife, Andrea, are the parents of four children: John, 9, Thomas, 8, Nicholas, 4, and Maggie, 3. All but the youngest are actively involved in athletics. From the sidelines, Adam witnessed not only the shortcomings of youth sports, but opportunities to coach kids beyond their physical capabilities: how to be positive, how to manage emotions, how to deal with expectations, stress, and more.

鈥淚 thought introducing those skills at a young age could be beneficial on a lot of levels,鈥� Grady said, sparking him to start the business in March 2024. While he geared the program toward young athletes, coaches, and parents, he said his training fosters basic life skills that transcend athletics.

Since its inception, LEVEL UP has established impactful partnerships with the Cleveland Cavaliers and LECOM, while hosting clinics and workshops at local schools, including Our Lady of Peace, St. James, St. George, and McDowell.

Grady鈥檚 collaboration with the Cleveland Cavaliers centers on their Junior Cavs program, which encourages young people to make championship-level decisions both on and off the court鈥攁ligning closely with Grady鈥檚 own mission. As part of Grady鈥檚 four-session training series offered at area schools, one session features Junior Cavs coaches offering their insights. Participants receive a jersey and two tickets to a Cavaliers game.

Additionally, Grady is developing a Learning Management System, the LEVEL UP Learning Lab, featuring content that promotes healthier lifestyles, competition readiness, practice planning, and academic-based resources. Among these is Jon Gordon鈥檚 principles on positivity, designed to cultivate a strong mindset, positive environment, and effective leadership to support both individual and team success.

For more information, visit , , or email Grady at levelupsportsmindset@gmail.com.

PHOTO: Coach Grady introduces his LEVEL UP program to students at Our Lady of Peace School.聽