Ian Goldberg is the Founder and CEO of iSport360, a SportsTech company that is helping 12,000 coaches, parents and kids set goals, share player feedback and track player development….all so our kids can have more success, more confidence and more fun. Try iSport360 for free here.
It was amazing to meet Beth Jessop and her organization Sports Moms United. At iSport360 we spend a lot of time researching sports parents, understanding their pain points and developing tools for them. But we still can’t find a worldly explanation for how the modern sports mom can get to her kids’ 5 games in one weekend, work 2 jobs to pay for it, complete 8 loads of laundry before the weekend begins and know the precise location of each piece of her kids’ sports gear. So we asked Beth to shed some light for us.
I’m often asked why I started Sports Moms United? It’s because, let’s be honest, sports moms are the heartbeat of youth sports.
Behind the scenes (and thankfully more in front now, too) sports moms run the youth sports engine. From start to finish, they are a part of it all. We sign up our kiddos, buy equipment, provide transportation, heal wounds (both physical and mental), feed, coach, and prepare our athletes for battle. And we do it with grace, charm, sweat, blood, tears (and the occasional glass of wine).
When I started the Sports Moms United facebook community, I wanted sports moms to have a place to go to connect, support and unite with each other. I wanted them to have a support group. And I needed one, too.
My story starts with my sports mama, Grace Carol Fisher. I miss her so much. She passed away in 2004, but my memories of her at my sports events keep me closely connected to her.
In fact, she’s closely connected to all the mamas in the community because it’s her passion for life and sports that led me to them.
She was the kind of sports mama who loved everyone. My teammates, the opponents, the refs because she loved sports and she loved watching all of us compete. Her energy in the stands was tangible, not the obnoxious-sports-parent-way, but in a loving assertive way. She had no problem leading cheers from the sideline. Love was her first language.
So fast forward through my life, a high school and college athlete, to now and my little athletes are competing. My daughter dances competitively and my son is a baller (baseball and basketball) and I want to lead them the way my Mom led me.
She was a bright light in the stands. She focused on the bigger picture and never forced her agenda in my journey.
Now my heart is to shine a bright light on all the AMAZING people and resources in youth sports and provide sports moms a place to come share their journey while parenting through sports.
Sports is one of the richest soils still available for us to raise our kiddos in, but it’s our job to make sure the soil remains rich in what they need to grow and mature. My hope is the community and company created for sports moms will be one of those good ingredients to help mamas and their athletes thrive!
Beth Jessop is a former college athlete, now raising her little athletes, in the wonderful world of youth sports. Her mission is to serve and support sports moms and their athletes by connecting them with quality resources and a supportive community.