Laker Legacy: Mercyhurst alum leads charge to change youth sports culture

We’ve all seen it: the annoyed father challenging a ref at his child’s hockey game, the soccer mom grousing about her daughter’s lack of playing time, or even young athletes exchanging heated words on the field.

While these are extremes, they highlight a real issue—emotions can run high in youth sports, sometimes overshadowing the core purpose: fun, growth, and teamwork. Even subtle pressures to win can erode a child’s enjoyment. It’s no surprise, then, that nearly 70 percent of kids quit youth sports by age 13, according to research.

LEVEL UP Youth Sports and Mindset Training, founded in Erie by Mercyhurst University alumnus Adam Grady ’08 ’12M, aims to shift that narrative. The organization works with athletes, coaches, and parents to help them thrive—on and off the field—by promoting personal growth and enjoyment throughout the youth sports journey.  

“Our goal is to bring the fun back into the fundamentals,” says Coach Grady. “This isn’t about choosing fun over performance—it’s about balance. When kids enjoy what they’re doing, they become more engaged. Fun fuels passion, and passion drives improvement.”

LEVEL UP offers a dynamic approach that combines skills development with mindset coaching, leadership training, and teamwork-building experiences.

Adam and his wife, Andrea, are the parents of four children: John, 9, Thomas, 8, Nicholas, 4, and Maggie, 3. All but the youngest are actively involved in athletics. From the sidelines, Adam witnessed not only the shortcomings of youth sports, but opportunities to coach kids beyond their physical capabilities: how to be positive, how to manage emotions, how to deal with expectations, stress, and more.

“I thought introducing those skills at a young age could be beneficial on a lot of levels,” Grady said, sparking him to start the business in March 2024. While he geared the program toward young athletes, coaches, and parents, he said his training fosters basic life skills that transcend athletics.

Since its inception, LEVEL UP has established impactful partnerships with the Cleveland Cavaliers and LECOM, while hosting clinics and workshops at local schools, including Our Lady of Peace, St. James, St. George, and McDowell.

Grady’s collaboration with the Cleveland Cavaliers centers on their Junior Cavs program, which encourages young people to make championship-level decisions both on and off the court—aligning closely with Grady’s own mission. As part of Grady’s four-session training series offered at area schools, one session features Junior Cavs coaches offering their insights. Participants receive a jersey and two tickets to a Cavaliers game.

Additionally, Grady is developing a Learning Management System, the LEVEL UP Learning Lab, featuring content that promotes healthier lifestyles, competition readiness, practice planning, and academic-based resources. Among these is Jon Gordon’s principles on positivity, designed to cultivate a strong mindset, positive environment, and effective leadership to support both individual and team success.

For more information, visit LEVEL UP’s website, Facebook page, or email Grady at levelupsportsmindset@gmail.com.

PHOTO: Coach Grady introduces his LEVEL UP program to students at Our Lady of Peace School.