A Founder’s Story.

At five years old, our son Bryce did not want to go to his first soccer practice.

He cried the entire way there. When we arrived at the park and opened the minivan door, he gripped the doorway with both hands. I gently peeled his fingers away, one at a time. Once his hands were free, I gently nudged him out and closed the minivan door behind him.

I don’t remember exactly how I persuaded him to walk toward the other kids. I suspect some bargaining—and possibly a promise that he would never have to do it again—was involved. It wasn’t my most polished parenting moment.

After practice, he came back to the car full of energy and joy. He also made it clear that he would not be returning. The following week, we did the whole thing all over again.

We would navigate versions of that moment many times over the years: when to encourage, when to push, when to listen, and when to step back.

Those questions are part of what brought us to Before Greatness.

Sport has shaped much of my life. At the University of Iowa, I was fortunate to become an All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year, with opportunities to represent the United States at the U21 and senior national-team levels. I then spent 20 years coaching at Iowa, Virginia, and Princeton.

At Princeton, I coached alongside my college teammate and friend, Kristen Holmes, for 14 years. Together, we were part of a program that won 11 Ivy League championships and a national championship.

In 2016, I returned to Zag Tours, the company I had founded, connecting teams with cultural and sporting experiences around the world. I also founded LeadHer Field Hockey, bringing together athletic development, character, and the game I love.

These experiences have introduced me to exceptional athletes, coaches, and families. Along the way, I became a mother to Bryce, Clara, Cayden, and Miah, and welcomed our daughter-in-law, Jaelyn.

For all that experience, parenting continues to give me more questions than answers.

In 2024, Bryce was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the second round of the MLB Draft. Hearing his name called was an extraordinary moment for our family. His professional journey was beginning, and we were celebrating everything it had taken to reach that point.

But his path had never been a straight line. There were ups and downs, uncertainty, and countless ordinary decisions whose significance we couldn’t know at the time.

Looking back, I believe encouragement to move beyond his comfort zone mattered for Bryce. Today, he seems to embrace that challenge for himself. But I can’t draw a straight line from a reluctant five-year-old at soccer practice to a professional baseball player.

And what helped Bryce isn’t necessarily what each of our other children needs. We are still learning how to support them as individuals. Much of what our parenting has meant will only become clear years from now.

That is the curiosity behind Before Greatness.

What did the people around an extraordinary athlete notice early on? Did the athlete approach learning, practice, or setbacks differently? How did parents, relatives, coaches, teachers, and friends respond? What do they believe helped—and what might they do differently now?

Their perspectives will be central to our conversations, alongside the athletes’ own understanding of their development. We want to explore the choices, habits, relationships, and environments that may have helped potential grow, while being honest about what remains uncertain.

We’re bringing our experience, our questions, and a willingness to reconsider what we think we know.

We hope you’ll join us. Together, we may find something that helps us better support the next generation as they discover what they’re capable of becoming.

All the best,
Melisa Meccage