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PRIME PATH ATHLETICS
PPA PRO
Issue No. 22 · Week of September 14
OUR MISSION
Helping families spend their time, money, and trust on what actually moves their athlete forward.
THIS WEEK
Five more pieces of advice, checked a year later — concussion research, a $100K NIL decision, early specialization, what not to do at 10U, and a coach's line on parent conduct.
FOOTBALL
BASKETBALL
SOCCER
BASEBALL
SOFTBALL
CAMP SPOTLIGHT
Offense-Defense Mini Camp — Atlanta, GA
June 26–28, 2026 (2027 TBA)
Youth & HS — all positions · $399 (+$60–$80 equipment rental)
Registration OpenCAMP SPOTLIGHT
PGC Basketball — Playmaker College
Summer 2026
Incoming grades 7–11 · $995–$1,395 commuter; $1,095–$1,495 overnight
Registration OpenCAMP SPOTLIGHT
No. 1 Soccer Camps — Senior Academy
Summer 2026
Ages 14–18 · $849 at NMH (varies)
Registration OpenCAMP SPOTLIGHT
Nike Baseball Camps — Los Angeles
Summer
Ages 7–14 · From $439
Registration OpenCAMP SPOTLIGHT
Florida Gators All Skills Camp
Dec 5–6, 2026
Ages 8–18 · $505
Registration OpenTrainer picks are pulled from the PPA Trainer Directory. Want to update your info? Claim your listing →
RECENT FROM PPA
Clips from this week's shorts and podcasts — links go live once published.
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Incredible Baserunning IQ: Escaping a Bases-Loaded Rundown (Youth Baseball Breakdown)
YouTube Short
10 Reasons Why Youth Sports Matter
Rotates every issue — sport-specific some weeks, big-picture others.
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01Youth-specific concussion research doesn't go stale season to season.Tackle athletes still sustain roughly 15 times more head impacts than flag players — the numbers haven't moved in a year.
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02Continuity still has real value most families underestimate.A season further removed from a $100K offer, one coach says his son's decision to stay looks even better in hindsight.
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03Early specialization research still points the same direction.World-class athletes still tend to have specialized later, not earlier — the pattern hasn't reversed.
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04The same three 10U mistakes still show up every single season.Social media presence, size obsession, overcoaching — a fresh crop of ten-year-olds means the warning is still relevant.
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05A parent's conduct is still weighed as part of recruiting.Another year of watching recruiting cycles play out has only reinforced how much this actually matters to coaches.
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06The best advice doesn't expire after one read.Every piece in this issue is something we published before and would publish again, word for word, a year later.
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07A helmet still doesn't eliminate concussion risk.Reducing skull fracture risk and reducing concussion risk are two different things — that hasn't changed.
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08Poaching is still baked into how travel sports work.A trusted coaching relationship still gets disrupted by a bigger offer more often than families expect.
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09A program's real priorities still show up in small, checkable details.Contact-time limits, coached technique, a specific protocol after a hard hit — real answers still exist for all three.
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10We ask the same question every time.What's actually worth paying for, and what isn't? Every PPA guide and every issue of this newsletter starts there.
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FUEL UP — MEAL PREP MEAL OF THE DAY
Turkey Chili Mac
Two family favorites in one bowl — chili and mac and cheese. Serves 6.
DIRECTIONS
- Brown ground turkey with onion and garlic in a large pot.
- Stir in chili powder, cumin, diced tomatoes, and beans. Simmer 10 min.
- Cook elbow macaroni separately according to package directions; drain.
- Combine pasta into the chili, then stir in shredded cheese until melted.
- Divide into 6 containers.
- Refrigerate up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months.
GROCERY LIST
- 1.5 lbs ground turkey
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained
- 2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese