Who is Craig Young?
Craig Young is one of the most respected mental health and sports psychology experts in athletics today. As a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT), counselor, speaker, and CEO of Young Consulting Group and President of Young9 Foundation, he has dedicated over 25 years to helping athletes, parents, and families navigate the mental and emotional challenges of elite sports.
With a Master’s degree in Psychology and Marriage and Family Therapy, Craig has worked extensively as a school-based therapist and within the mental health field. His expertise has made him a sought-after public speaker, intellectual, and educator.
Beyond his professional achievements, Craig has a unique personal perspective—he is the father of Bryce Young, the 2021 Heisman Trophy Winner and #1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. His firsthand experience raising a champion has given him deep insight into the pressures that young athletes and their families face, from youth sports to the highest levels of competition.
Craig’s expertise has been featured in ESPN, USA Today, CBS Sports, Fox Sports, The Ringer, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, The L.A. Times, and The Philadelphia Inquirer. His biggest accomplishment—next to marrying his amazing wife—is guiding his son through the journey to becoming one of football’s most elite players.
He continues to impact the sports world by providing expert guidance on mental toughness, resilience, and the emotional demands of high-performance athletics.
Craig is motivated
to share his journey to uplift and inspire families and athletes of all ages, races, sex, and gender.
As a parent, we often feel our child’s success or lack of success is some grand reflection on us, our ability to prepare and/or motivate our child. Well, it’s not about you. It’s bigger than you. Explore separating your stuff and your child’s athletic development.
How to strategize, implement, and achieve long-term and short-term athletic goals.
There was no master plan to develop an elite athlete, the plan was to keep a rambunctious and energetic toddler from tearing up our living room.
Navigating youth sports is essential to your child’s development as a young athlete and an overall person.
Dedicating yourself to athletics requires sacrifice and a level of emotional maturity. The athlete can still be a child and enjoy their childhood. In some areas, they will need to mature at an accelerated pace. We will discuss those areas.
Do not hide from honest evaluation, coaching, and feedback. You and your child can handle constructive criticism. It’s not an attack! Processing information, eliminating bad habits, and learning new skills is essential to growth.
