Youth Sports Holdings, LLC today announced the launch of the Instruction Manual, Helping Parents and Players Navigate Youth Sports, a comprehensive, stage-by-stage guide written by author and head coach Steven L. Davis. Written for both parents and youth sports coaches, the Instruction Manual maps the entire youth sports journey and arrives with 2 companion offerings: a free downloadable digital planner for readers and supporters, and a fundraising program built to support youth teams, clubs, schools, and sports organizations.
The Instruction Manual is the product of a lifetime in the game. Davis grew up playing multiple sports from the recreational level through college, coached at the competitive club and select travel tournament levels, raised 3 children through youth sports, and today follows 5 grandchildren who are active in competitive club, select travel, and high school programs. As he notes in the book, every page is drawn from real life and lived experience, and was written without the assistance of AI.
Rather than focus on a single age or sport, the Instruction Manual follows the full arc of a young athlete’s path across every level: recreational play, competitive club leagues, select travel teams, middle school, high school, and the collegiate sports road, all the way through life after youth sports and how to evaluate professional opportunities. Along the way it addresses the moments families rarely feel ready for: first registrations, team tryouts, playing time, burnout, travel demands, the true cost of a season, recruiting, and the emotional highs and lows that come with each new level.
For parents, the Instruction Manual offers practical advice, proven strategies, and insider tips for making better decisions, setting realistic expectations, and handling the emotions, costs, and commitments of each stage. For coaches, club directors, and administrators, it serves as a shared reference they can put in the hands of the families they serve, so players and parents arrive with a clear, common understanding of the road ahead.
Inside the Instruction Manual
Readers move through the youth sports journey step by step, with dedicated guidance on:
- Choosing and registering for an entry-level recreational team
- Supporting your child and getting organized as parents and players
- Diet, nutrition, hydration, and rest for young athletes
- Setting realistic expectations across a full year of participation
- Competitive club teams: tryouts, challenges, emotions, and frustrations
- Recognizing and heading off youth sports burnout
- Select travel team programs and what to expect on the road
- Understanding the real cost of a season and planning ahead
- Middle school sports and the transition up to high school
- High school sports, and what to do when a player is not selected
- A collegiate sports road map, including the recruiting process
- Life after youth sports and evaluating professional opportunities
- Real testimonials from players, parents, and support groups
A free companion planner. Every reader and supporter also gets access to a free downloadable digital planner. The planner turns the cost awareness in the Instruction Manual into a simple, reusable tool, helping families see the true cost of a season, plan ahead for travel, gear, camps, and tournament fees, and avoid the surprises most families never see coming. It is offered free to readers and to the organizations that support them, and works for any sport and any level of play.
A fundraising program for youth organizations. The Instruction Manual is also available as a fundraiser for pre-qualified teams, clubs, schools, and sports organizations. Participating organizations can offer families a genuinely useful guide and earn a share of every copy sold, with fulfillment handled by Youth Sports Holdings and no inventory or upfront cost to the organization. Unlike traditional drives, the program raises funds while giving every family a resource they will use all season and beyond.
| [ SUGGESTED AUTHOR QUOTE, FOR APPROVAL ] “Every family walking into youth sports deserves a real map, not guesswork,” said Steven L. Davis, author and head coach. “I wrote the Instruction Manual from a lifetime on the field and on the sidelines, so parents and coaches can make better decisions at every stage, from a first practice to a college roster spot and beyond. The free planner and the fundraising program are there to help families, and the organizations that support them.” |
Availability. The Instruction Manual, Helping Parents and Players Navigate Youth Sports, is available now in paperback and digital editions. [ Retailer or Amazon listing link ]
To download the free planner, visit [ free planner download link ]. Teams, clubs, schools, and sports organizations interested in the fundraising program can learn more and enroll at [ fundraising sign-up link ] or by contacting [email protected].
More information is available at www.youthsportsholdings.online.
| Quick Facts Title: Helping Parents and Players Navigate Youth Sports Author: Steven L. Davis, author and head coach Publisher: Parker Publishers for Youth Sports Holdings, LLC Primary audience: Parents and youth sports coaches Coverage: Recreational, Competitive Club Leagues, Select Travel Teams, Middle School, High School, and Collegiate Sports Programs Formats: Paperback and digital [ confirm ] Free companion: Downloadable digital planner [ confirm final name ] Fundraising: Available to pre-qualified teams, clubs, schools, and sports organizations Availability: Available now [ retailer link ] Website: www.youthsportsholdings.online Contact: [email protected] |
About Steven L. Davis
Steven L. Davis is an author and head coach who grew up outside St. Louis, Missouri, competing in basketball, baseball, football, track, and cross country from the recreational level through college. He was on the eve of signing a Major League Baseball pitching contract when injury ended his playing career, and he channeled that experience into coaching, mentoring, and advocating for youth athletes and their families. He has coached at the competitive club and select travel tournament levels. He is the father of 3 and grandfather to 5 grandchildren who are active in youth sports today.
About Youth Sports Holdings, LLC
Youth Sports Holdings, LLC, based in Severance, Colorado, publishes the Instruction Manual, Helping Parents and Players Navigate Youth Sports, and operates its companion free planner and youth sports fundraising program. The company’s mission is to help families navigate the cost and complexity of youth sports and to support the teams, clubs, and organizations that serve them. Learn more at www.youthsportsholdings.online. [ Confirm final boilerplate wording. ]
Media Assets
Cover: the Instruction Manual, Helping Parents and Players Navigate Youth Sports.
