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Courtside Forever is a podcast for parents swept up in the circus of everyday problems who, despite the world’s best efforts, are still dedicated to seeking intentional moments with their kids. I’m your host, Ryan Rucker, and each week, I will bring you a new episode made for you. We’ll keep it brief for some weeks, diving into a specific topic such as Youth Sports or Paternity Leave in America. These 15-20 minute episodes will focus on overarching themes, statistics, and practical next steps parents can take. In other weeks, we’ll extend our conversations, inviting parents in sports, business, and other industries to look at how they center parenthood in their lives and touch on our inevitable struggles while building a career, business, and future. Whether you’re a dad or mom or thinking of stepping into the role someday, Courtside Forever is a podcast that aims to recenter the world we’re building for our kids. In 2024, The United States of America declared parenting a public health crisis, citing the way society is set up for the reason we struggle. In the document created by the US Department of Health and Services Department, Parents Under Pressure, Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy stated, “Raising children is sacred work. It should matter to all of us. And the health and well-being of those who are caring for our children should matter to us as well.” In 2020, I hosted and produced the 8-episode docuseries Complicated Fatherhood, where I spent each episode speaking to my biological dad to understand how his absence from my life affected my Fatherhood. Since wrapping the podcast, I knew I wanted to get back into podcasting, and Courtside Forever is a continuation of my mantra to be ever present in my daughters’ lives. On Courtside Forever, we’ll have fun, get serious, tell stories, and work to focus on the only thing that matters because, as parents, we’ve got the best seats in the house. Let’s enjoy them.
Episodes
Tuesday Feb 25, 2025
Tuesday Feb 25, 2025
"Say goodbye to the next 18 years of your life!"
That was one of the first things someone said to me when I told them my wife and I were expecting our first child. And while I laughed it off, the more I thought about it, the more I realized how messed up that mindset is.
Because here’s the truth—becoming a dad will absolutely change your life. But it won’t ruin it. If anything, it’ll make your life more meaningful, more exciting, and more fulfilling than you ever thought possible.
I’ve always been someone with passions. I love basketball, I love writing, I love creating. And when my first daughter was born, I started hearing all the warnings:
"You won’t have time for that anymore."
"Your hobbies are gonna take a backseat."
"You better get your fun in now before the baby comes."
But here I am, years later, still doing the things I love—just differently. I learned how to adapt my hobbies instead of abandoning them, how to communicate better with my wife, and how to reject the idea that being a dad means losing myself.
And that’s what we’re talking about in today’s episode of Courtside Forever.
Here’s what I’m diving into:
✔️ The "Negative Ned" mentality and why so many men think fatherhood is the end of their personal freedom
✔️ How I found ways to keep my passions alive while being an engaged, present dad
✔️ The power of communication and planning (aka, how not to be an idiot)
✔️ Why resentment happens when dads don’t carve out time for themselves—and how to avoid it
✔️ Actionable steps you can take to balance fatherhood and self-care
Fatherhood isn’t about giving up who you are—it’s about evolving into the best version of yourself. Yeah, my life looks different now. I don’t have endless free time. I don’t spend entire weekends on the couch playing 2K. But you know what? I wouldn’t trade what I have now for anything.
So if you’re a new dad, an expecting dad, or even just a guy wondering if he’ll ever get to do the things he loves again—this episode is for you.
Let’s talk about it—because as parents, we’ve got the best seats in the house - let's enjoy them.
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