A Conversation Worth Having
Live On Fire Coaching announced a new thought leadership initiative focused on a growing challenge facing athletics at every level: the interconnected relationship between youth sports commercialization, coach development, and coach retention within collegiate athletics.
Founded by Judy Fox, a former NCAA Division I coach, collegiate athlete, recruiting coordinator, and mentor with more than 35 years of experience across the athletic landscape, Live On Fire Coaching is bringing attention to what it views as a systemic issue that is often discussed in isolated parts rather than as a connected whole.
The conversation comes at a time when youth sports participation, college recruiting, leadership development, athlete well-being, and coaching sustainability continue to generate discussion across the broader sports community.
A System Shaped by Growth and Complexity
Over the past two decades, youth sports have evolved into a significant economic sector, growing into a $40 billion industry—more than double the annual revenue of the NFL. Families participating in competitive club and travel programs frequently invest substantial resources in training, travel, competition fees, and athletic development opportunities.
At the same time, many young athletes experience increasing demands associated with year-round competition schedules, specialization, performance expectations, and recruiting preparation. Industry research has also highlighted ongoing concerns surrounding athlete burnout and long-term participation rates.
According to Judy Fox, these developments cannot be understood independently from the challenges currently facing collegiate athletics.
“We have built a youth sports system that too often burns kids out before they reach high school, produces coaches who were never taught to stay, and then wonders why college athletics can’t stop the bleeding. Nobody is connecting the dots because connecting them requires looking at the whole system, not just the part that’s in front of you right now.”
Rather than assigning blame to any individual group, Live On Fire Coaching emphasizes that these outcomes reflect broader structural trends that have evolved over time.
The Development Gap Facing Emerging Coaches
The organization also highlights a less-discussed challenge within collegiate athletics: the transition from athlete or assistant coach to leadership positions.
Many new coaches enter the profession with significant passion, technical expertise, and competitive experience. However, leadership development, structured onboarding, mentorship, and long-term career guidance are often less formalized than athlete development systems.
As a result, some coaches encounter significant pressures early in their careers while simultaneously learning to manage recruiting responsibilities, roster management, administrative requirements, staff supervision, and athlete support responsibilities.
Fox believes these realities deserve greater attention within conversations about the future of athletics.
“The right guidance, at the right time, changes everything. I know that because I lived it. And I’ve spent 35 years helping athletes, families, and coaches connect a higher purpose to their passion while making sure they don’t have to figure it out alone.”
The organization notes that intentional leadership development may play a critical role in helping coaches build sustainable careers while supporting long-term program stability.
Why Retention Matters Beyond the Coaching Staff
Coach turnover remains a significant challenge for many collegiate athletic programs. Frequent leadership changes can affect recruiting continuity, student-athlete development, program culture, and institutional stability.
At the same time, experienced coaches face an increasingly complex professional environment shaped by roster management demands, athlete support expectations, transfer activity, fundraising responsibilities, administrative requirements, and evolving competitive landscapes.
Live On Fire Coaching’s newly announced framework suggests that athlete burnout, coaching turnover, and leadership sustainability are not separate issues but connected outcomes emerging from the same ecosystem.
The organization suggests these are not three separate problems, but three expressions of the same system—playing out across young athletes, emerging coaches, and veteran leaders. Sustainable championship cultures are built when institutions invest in coaches with the same intentionality they invest in athletes.
A Perspective Built Across Every Level of Athletics
The perspective reflects insights developed through Judy Fox’s extensive experience throughout the athletic ecosystem.
Fox began her journey as a two-sport high school athlete before walking onto a collegiate volleyball program despite having no competitive volleyball experience. Three years later, she earned First Team All American honors, an experience that shaped her belief in the transformative impact of mentorship and opportunity.
Throughout her career, she has coached and mentored athletes and coaches across club, high school, collegiate, and international settings. She has also served as a collegiate recruiting coordinator and founded multiple volleyball development organizations.
Her contributions have been honored through induction into four halls of fame, recognizing her long-term global impact on athletes, coaches, and sport through leadership, coaching, and mentorship.
Together, these experiences have given Fox a unique perspective on how athletes, families, coaches, and institutions shape one another across the athletic ecosystem.
“When coaches thrive, athletes flourish, and programs win. That’s not a tagline. That’s what 35 years of evidence looks like.”
Elevating the Discussion Around Athletic Sustainability
Through this initiative, Live On Fire Coaching aims to encourage a broader discussion about the future of athlete development and leadership development within sports.
Live On Fire Coaching believes lasting solutions begin by recognizing that athlete development, coach development, and leadership sustainability are interconnected priorities, not independent challenges. At its core, the future of athletics depends not simply on developing better athletes and better coaches—but on developing better people.
Rather than promoting a single solution, the initiative seeks to encourage collaboration among families, coaches, administrators, and athletic stakeholders who share an interest in creating environments where both athletes and coaches can develop and thrive over the long term.
As conversations surrounding youth sports and collegiate athletics continue to evolve, Live On Fire Coaching believes that connecting these traditionally separate discussions may provide a more complete understanding of the challenges facing the athletic community today.
About Live On Fire Coaching
Live On Fire Coaching was founded by Judy Fox to support athletes, families, emerging coaches, and collegiate leaders through mentorship, leadership development, recruiting education, and career sustainability guidance. Drawing on more than 35 years of experience across club, high school, collegiate, and international athletics, the organization focuses on helping individuals pursue excellence while building long-term sustainability. Additional information is available at www.iliveonfire.com. For inquiries, contact the organization through its website or email. Connect with Live On Fire Coaching on Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can email directly to hello@iliveonfire.com.