Youth Sports Mastery Brings Experienced Sports Leaders Together to Help Improve Youth Sports

Sponsored by the National Academy of Athletics, the show features conversations for coaches, parents, educators and rec professionals on the DPRS Media Network.

BATON ROUGE, LA, UNITED STATES, October 8, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Creating better youth sports experiences starts with the adults who lead them. Youth Sports Mastery, featured on The Daily Parks & Rec Show / DPRS Media Network, brings together four experienced hosts and guests from across the sports community to explore the challenges facing youth sports and share practical ways to address them.

Co-hosted by Aaron Locks, Dr. Mike Herbert, Jon Torine and Ray Lokar, the show draws on decades of experience spanning youth, high school, collegiate and professional sports. Conversations focus on helping coaches, parents, school leaders and Parks & Recreation professionals create environments where more kids can participate, develop and enjoy playing.

The National Academy of Athletics (NAofA) sponsors the show, supporting its focus on improving youth sports through education, conversation and shared experience.

“After more than 40 years in youth sports, I get to sit down with incredible people, ask important questions & challenge how we think about the experience we’re creating for kids,” said Aaron Locks, co-host of Youth Sports Mastery and founder and CEO of the National Academy of Athletics.

Guided by the tagline “Real Experience. Real Conversations. Real Solutions.,” Youth Sports Mastery moves beyond identifying problems to explore what adults can do better. Topics include access and inclusion, coaching standards, athlete development, family support and the role sports can play in building confidence, character and leadership.

Each host brings a distinct perspective:

Aaron Locks, founder and CEO of NAofA, brings more than four decades of experience as a coach, camp director, administrator, collegiate basketball official and youth sports leader.

Dr. Mike Herbert, an educator, coach and athletic administrator, brings more than 20 years of experience in education and athletics, with a focus on helping adults become better teachers and leaders.

Jon Torine, a former NFL strength and conditioning coach and Super Bowl champion, connects his experience developing professional athletes with his work advancing quality coaching for young people.

Ray Lokar, a coach, educator, author and speaker, brings more than 40 years of experience using sports to teach skills that extend beyond the game.

“Because when we develop the adults around young athletes, we create a greater opportunity for every athlete to thrive,” said Torine.

Youth Sports Mastery airs live Monday through Friday at 1 p.m. Pacific / 4 p.m. Eastern. Viewers can watch live or catch replays on LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook and X, with episodes also available on Spotify.

To explore the show, visit Youth Sports Mastery or watch on The Daily Parks & Rec Show’s YouTube channel.

About Youth Sports Mastery

Youth Sports Mastery brings together coaches, educators, researchers, administrators, athletes and parents for conversations about improving youth sports. Co-hosted by Aaron Locks, Dr. Mike Herbert, Jon Torine and Ray Lokar, the show is featured on the DPRS Media Network and sponsored by the National Academy of Athletics.

Carleigh Boling
National Academy of Athletics
carleighb@naofathletics.com
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