2-4-1 Blog

June 30, 2026

For a few weeks every four years, the world seems just a little bit smaller. People who have never watched a soccer match suddenly find themselves planning their day around kickoff. Flags appear in neighborhoods. Families gather around televisions. Complete

May 30, 2026

Over the past few months, I’ve found myself in some pretty interesting conversations. Some have taken place in school gymnasiums. Others in conference rooms. A few have been in Washington, D.C. with people thinking about youth sports at a national

April 21, 2026

One of my first jobs in the early 2000s, after moving back east from Seattle, was working with high-schoolers who were at risk of dropping out of school. I knew pretty quickly that if I wanted to connect with them,

February 28, 2026

I was born and raised in Baltimore, and my dad, who passed away ten years ago last June, had  an enormous impact on my life. He was a longtime teacher and coach, but years before that, he was something of

January 27, 2026

I don’t really understand why we don’t get more excited for the Winter Olympics. In the sports world, we have been talking about the LA Summer Olympics for what feels like 15 years. The World Cup gets massive buildup, as

December 30, 2025

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to testify before Congress about the state of youth sports in America. It was an honor, and it came with a real sense of responsibility. Sitting in that room, I was acutely aware

November 26, 2025

How 2-4-1 “Shout-Outs” are changing culture As many of you know, in every 2-4-1 program we end our sessions with shout outs. When we first introduced this practice, the intention was simple. Coaches would highlight effort, kindness, teamwork, and all

October 31, 2025

2-4-1 leads quality outside of school time year round SEL infused sport sampling programs. At 2-4-1 CARE, we are much more than a summer camp organization. Our year-round mission is to reach kids where they are, in schools and community