Breaking the Boy Code

I Want to Make a Name for Myself: Boys and Competition

Episode Summary

Fourteen-year-old Joseph shares his thoughts and experiences on training, competing and envisioning himself as a high-level athlete competing at a national level. Joined by Jason Rogers, Olympic medalist and writer on the evolving state of masculinity.

Episode Notes

One of my earliest memories with Joseph is hanging out with him at a park when he was around 10 years old. He spent most of his time climbing trees with his friends. Since then, climbing has become a steady passion for him—it’s his primary sport, his job, one of his favourite things to do and one of his biggest aspirations in life.

We’ve spent countless hours underneath bouldering walls and pull-up bars. I’ve worked out with him, listened to him blast Apashe, and watched him grow into a remarkable young athlete. I asked him to join for a podcast episode so we could capture this moment in his life.

Then I connected with an Olympic medalist named Jason Rogers. This is what we created.

FURTHER READING

Jason Rogers writes The Mandate Letter, a patient and meaningful exploration of the world of masculinity that features in-depth research and thought-provoking interviews on relevant topics. 

SOURCES

William Pollack, Real Boys: Rescuing Our Sons from the Myths of Boyhood

Michael Thompson, Speaking of Boys: Answers to the Most-Asked Questions About Raising Boys

David Cohen, No Boy Left Behind?

Rachel Giese, Boys: What it Means to Become a Man

LINKS

If you thought this episode was worthwhile, support it through Next Gen Men.

Email breakingtheboycode@gmail.com to get in touch. Connect with @boypodcast on all mainstream social media. Follow the publication on Medium for more writing and the blog on Tumblr for more masculinity research and occasional podcast-related updates.

Part of Next Gen Men Podcast Studio.