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ESPN - Kids aren't playing enough sports. The culprit? Cost

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ESPN - Kids aren't playing enough sports. The culprit? Cost

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Kids aren’t playing enough sports. The culprit? Cost

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Youth sports participation is down nationwide. We’re taking a look at the issues -- cost, time and travel -- and what’s being done to fix this problem.

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Late 1800s-Early 1900s: States require children to attend school. "School time" and "Free time" distinction was created.

1903: New York City’s Public School Athletic League for Boys was established.

1920s- Great Depression caused these leagues to suffer financially. Pay for play leagues like the YMCA began to pop up as a result.

1929 - Pop Warner Football, established. This formally instituted national competitive tournaments for children, for a price.

1960s- Little league and pee wee leagues grew as parents sought out more competition for their children.

1960s - competition in college admissions grew, many parents relied on athletics to gain admission into school.

The competition and desire for organized sport continues to grow over the following decades and now, as a result, youth sports have become a billion dollar operation.

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Significance of the issue (in sport and society) 

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Significance of the issue (in sport and society) 

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A study developed by the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition Science Board in 2020 revealed that youth participation in sports can have a wide variety of long-lasting, positive impact on a child through adulthood. These benefits include a positive impact on areas including:

-  Mental, emotional, and social health
-  Physical health
-  An athlete's education and future career
-  The economy and communities
- Lifelong success

As outlined by the study above it is clear the impact that sports can play in a child's life. The opportunities for positive growth that sports allow has a significate impact on athletes while playing sports and many years beyond. The barrier to entry for sports that the financial issues cause for children and their families severely impact the positive outcomes that can come from participation which is why these financial burdens in youth sports are so devastating to youth development and growth.

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Core Sport Participation by Demographic from 2012 to 2020

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Core Sport Participation by Demographic from 2012 to 2020

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Benson, J. (2018). Rising costs of youth sports extinguishes dreams of young athletes. WFLA News Channel 8. Retrieved June 1, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6FZeUQW_Hw&t=1s.

Cohen, K. (2019, August 11). Kids aren't playing enough sports. the culprit? cost. ESPN. Retrieved June 2, 2022, from https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/27356477/kids-playing-enough-sports-culprit-cost

The commercialization of Youth Sports. KU School of Education. (2021, August 12). Retrieved June 1, 2022, from https://onlinesportmanagement.ku.edu/community/commercialization-of-youth-sports

Gregory, S. (2017, August 24). Kids' sports leagues have turned into a $15 billion industry. Time. Retrieved June 2, 2022, from https://time.com/4913687/how-kids-sports-became-15-billion-industry/

President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition Science Board, Benefits of Youth Sports (2020). President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition Science Board. Retrieved June 2, 2022, from https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2020-09/YSS_Report_OnePager_2020-08-31_web.pdf.

Youth Sports Facts: Participation rates. The Aspen Institute Project Play. (2021). Retrieved June 1, 2022, from https://www.aspenprojectplay.org/youth-sports/facts/participation-rates

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Financial Disadvantages in Youth Sports - Introduction

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Financial Disadvantages in Youth Sports - Introduction

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In 2018, it was estimated that U.S Youth Sports was at $17 billion industry. Today Wintergreen Research estimates is a $19.2 billion industry in the United States. The rising cost of youth sports are forcing today's families to choose between allowing their children to participate in youth sports & assuming the financial burden, or exclude them from participation. For many low-income American families, there is often no choice to make. The expenses associated with youth sports starting as young as preschool sports are often too much of a financial burden for families to take on. In additional to the costs associated with registration fees, travel and equipment - families often bear the additional burden on transporting children to and from the youth programs and taking time away from work and other children to be at practices, games, tournaments, and competitions.

This is an ever-growing crisis found in the United States and globally. Research has proven the importance of youth sport in a child's life and we should not let children be excluded from participation due to inequities in financial situations among families.

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Now that we've outline the problem - where do we go from here?

1. Breakdown the financial barrier to entry for children to participate in existing youth sport programs.
- Scholarship/sponsorship opportunities for athletes
- Targeted fundraising for teams to cover expenses
- Lowering the cost of league dues & fees.

2. Source resources from professional leagues, organizations, and companies.
- Example: Phillies RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) league in which all of the team entry fees are free and uniforms are provided.

3. Schools to change the narrative that in order to make a high school team, and as a result, a college team, that you must participate in a multitude of leagues and travel teams.

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1. Why has the financial burden increased over the years as it pertains to youth sports? Is this an inevitable increase or are these rising cost of participation in youth sport preventable?

2. What are professional teams and other for-profit sports organizations doing to help support youth participation in sport? Are they doing enough?

3. What will the long-lasting impact of the decline in youth sports have on children as they progress into adulthood. Are there any alternatives to participating in sport that provide similar outcomes?

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Rising Cost of Youth Sports - NBC Affiliate News Segment 

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Rising Cost of Youth Sports - NBC Affiliate News Segment 

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WFLA News Channel 8 takes a look at the rising cost of youth sports in today's world and some more affordable (or free) programs that families can take advantage of.

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0:00 / 4:06•Watch full video

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Rising costs of youth sports extinguishes dreams of young athletes