Welcome to Courtside Forever
Courtside Forever is a podcast for parents looking to be more present with their kids and themselves. Every Tuesday, I'll bring you episodes designed to quiet the insanity around us.
If you're even looking for a parenting podcast, I know you care, and while we won't always get it right, we can do our best to show up well.
At Courtside Forever, we believe in leaning all the way into intentionality because, as parents, we've got the best seats in the house - let's enjoy them.
Listen to the episodes
Your founder and host
Hi. I'm Ryan Rucker: A dad, husband, author, ice cream enthusiast, and even a game show winner.
In 2020, I launched Complicated Fatherhood, an eight-episode podcast recorded with my biological father, Maurice, to explore the complexities of absent fatherhood. Through candid conversations, I sought to understand how my father’s absence shaped my approach to parenting while working to inspire others navigating similar journeys.
After Courtside Forever, I contemplated my podcasting next steps. With the amount of parenting podcasts available, I was concerned about creating another one in a market that felt saturated. Then I thought how silly it was to let other people's perceptions prevent me from doing what I'm good at, and that's leading conversations and telling stories.
I am also the founder of Be Ice Cream Or Be Nothing, an online community that celebrates making memories and delicious ice cream for our families. My children’s book, Is This Your Favorite Ice Cream?, became an Amazon Best Seller, sparking joy and curiosity for readers worldwide.
When I'm not writing, recording, or consulting, you can find me soaking up family time at the beach, taking walks with my dogs, or cheering courtside at his daughters’ basketball games.
About the podcast
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.