In this episode of Untapped Stories, we sit down with Kayla and Chad Zimmer — two longtime baseball parents who’ve spent years watching the game teach their kids lessons that go far beyond batting averages or win-loss records. And they shared a perspective every parent in youth sports needs to hear.

Most parents obsess over the big questions: Should my kid play rec or travel? Are they falling behind? Are they good enough to “make it” someday?

But Kayla and Chad simplify it better than anyone: if your kid is having fun and it doesn’t feel like a job, they’re exactly where they should be. Travel isn’t automatically better. Rec isn’t automatically easier. Every athlete has a different personality, and the best environment is the one that keeps them loving the game.

From there, we dove into one of the most misunderstood truths in baseball — the role of failure. In school, a 30% on a test means big trouble. In baseball? A 30% success rate at the plate makes you elite. It’s the only sport where failing 70% of the time can still put you in the conversation as one of the best.

And that’s the beauty of it.

Baseball forces kids to handle adversity early and often. Strikeouts, slumps, errors, bad hops, long weekends at the fields… all of it builds resilience, EQ, confidence, and mental toughness. The Zimmers believe that’s the real value of youth sports. Not the trophies. Not the rankings. Not the slim chance at playing professionally — but the real-world reps of falling down, adjusting, and trying again.

This conversation goes deeper than highlights or skill development. We talk about:

• Why rec vs. travel shouldn’t be a status symbol
• How to choose the right environment based on your child, not pressure
• The difference between fun pressure and burnout pressure
• How baseball teaches patience, humility, and emotional regulation
• Why embracing failure is the biggest competitive advantage in the sport
• What parents can model to help their kids build confidence
• Why “making it” isn’t the point — becoming capable is

Kayla and Chad also share the reminders every parent needs: the window for youth sports is incredibly short. The years fly by. The smiles in the dugout, the long car rides, the post-game ice cream — that’s the stuff kids remember. Not their batting average from 11U.

At Athletes Untapped, we believe baseball is one of the greatest teachers in sports. It gives kids a safe place to fail, learn, grow, compete, and build character they’ll lean on for the rest of their lives. And the Zimmers embody exactly why that matters.

🎙️ Untapped Stories is presented by https://athletesuntapped.com — the nation’s #1 platform for private sports coaching. Our mission is to help young athletes reach their full potential through great coaching, great habits, and great experiences in youth sports.

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