The Cost of Winning started as a community passion project – a question Atlee James and Matt Young kept coming back to: what is the outcome-driven culture in youth sports actually costing kids? Not in wins and losses, but in enjoyment, longevity, and love of the game. The documentary was produced and directed by Atlee James, with Matt Young producing, over a production period that spanned multiple countries and dozens of interviews.

The scope of the film set it apart from the beginning. Rather than staying local, we reached out to some of the most respected voices in amateur and professional sport: the United States Olympic Committee, Soccer Canada, Norway’s Ski Jumping Federation, Sport New Zealand, The Ohio State University, the PGA, and the NHL. Getting those organizations on camera meant building credibility with each one individually – the film had to demonstrate a serious, evidence-based approach before major institutions would agree to participate.

The edit was structured to build a case rather than deliver a verdict. The Cost of Winning doesn’t tell parents and coaches what to do – it gives them the information and perspectives to make better decisions themselves. That editorial stance is part of why the film has resonated so broadly, screening across North America and internationally, including as a featured presentation at the Olympic Organizing Committee of Lithuania’s Education Forum in 2019.