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While participation among lower/middle class  students is going down, it is rising among upper class children

“The typical family with kids who pay sports spends about $700 a year on fees, equipment and more, but some spend up to $35,000.” (Picchi, 2019)

Rising economy, not being able to afford certain leisurely activities and having to distribute money elsewhere just to “get by”

Tweet stating and showing evidence that the biggest predictor of sport participation is parent income

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/ MoneyWatch

Youth sports in the U.S. are diverging according to income -- more middle- and lower-income students quitting athletics while participation among wealthier children is rising.

The typical family with kids who play sports spends about $700 a year on fees, equipment and more, but some spend up to $35,000.

More public schools are also charging "pay-to-play" fees, pricing out some families.

Wealthier families often spend more on kids' sports in hopes of securing college admissions for their children.

From Little League to the ubiquitous suburban soccer field, youth sports in the U.S. have long been considered an important part of growing up. But the rising cost of playing sports, coupled with rising economic inequality, is increasingly leading poor and even middle-class families to hang up their cleats.

That trend is being fueled by the growth in "pay-to-play" sports, which is making organized athletics prohibitively expensive for many households. Participation in sports among families earning less than $75,000 has dropped since 2011, according to The Aspen Institute's Project Play.

By contrast, children from better off families are participating in ever great numbers. About 7 of 10 children from families that earn more than $100,000 play sports, compared with 3 in 10 from families earning less than $25,000, the non-profit think tank found in a 2018 report.

The typical American family spends about $700 per year on their child's sports activities, but some parents shell out as much as $35,000 annually to pay for lessons, camps, school sports fees, equipment, travel and more, according to Project Play. Even public schools are increasingly charging for sports due to budget cuts, data from the Rand Corporation shows.

Families earning $50,000 or less -- or middle- and lower-income households -- cited cost as the top reason their kids don't participate in organized sports, the Rand study noted.

The biggest predictor of sport participation is the parents' income. Only 27.5 percent of children from homes with incomes under $25,000 a year play sports compared to the 45.5 percent of kids from homes with incomes greater than $100,000 a year, via @AspenInstitute pic.twitter.com/w7cGSoCccE
- Dr. Lynne Kenney (@DrLynneKenney) August 12, 2019

"We have a system that is based on the concept of 'up or out,' like we have in a lot of corporate America, except it's not merit-based," said Tom Farrey, executive director of The Aspen Institute's Sports & Society program. "It's disproportionately based on whether you come from a family with money or if you are that child who is simply an early bloomer."

Winning the college game

This represents a massive shift within a single generation, Farrey said. In earlier decades, children played in local team sports, rarely traveling outside their local areas for games.

But that's changed, he said, partly due to the pressure from college-minded families to help their children earn athletic scholarships and admission to elite colleges. To make sure their children stand out, they are opening up their wallets for lessons, camps, expensive club teams that travel for tournaments and more.

"Youth sports has been transformed by the chase for the athletic scholarship and the preferential admission to highly selective colleges," he said. "A recruited athlete has a greater advantage than a legacy or a minority or any other population."

That change in the environment for youth sports was evident in the college admissions scandal that tarnished actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman as well as dozens of other parents. Some parents spent millions to bribe college athletics officials, who then offered their children a spot on a college team -- securing them admission to Yale and other prestigious schools. In some cases, the students didn't even play the sport.

Kids are dropping out of youth sports at an alarming rate. That's why @AspenInstSports started #DontRetireKid. There needs to be a sports system that's for all kids, regardless of zip code or talent. https://t.co/DuWzALbPtx pic.twitter.com/qtDSpB7V8D
- The Aspen Institute (@AspenInstitute) August 6, 2019

Of course, most families are simply spending money to further their children's athletic abilities, often with the goal of securing a college scholarship. One in 5 parents with a kid in sports believe it will lead to a college athletic scholarship. That's almost certainly wishful thinking: Only 1 in 10 young people who play sports ever get a sports scholarship, a recent TD Ameritrade study found.

"When you have that kind of system, parents start spending a lot of money," Farrey said. "That's where you get them on the right club teams, hiring private trainers and doing whatever it takes -- buying them the $300 special bat -- to have them succeed at sports."

He added, "It effectively pushes aside a lot of kids on the lower end of the income distribution."

Public schools losing out

Some public schools are adding pay-to-play fees due to shrinking or stagnant sports budgets. In some cases, it's due to caps on property taxes that's making it tougher to find resources for schools or financial struggles.

That pattern can be seen in Ohio, where families in one school district may pay up to $1,000 to enroll their kids in sports, while a family in a nearby district may pay nothing, according to the Dayton Daily News. Some schools charge sports fees because it helps them avoid making cuts; others pared back the charges in order to increase sports participation, the paper noted.

Here is more evidence of how we are pricing poor kids out of sports. Sports are one of the best ways for young people develop the character and grit skills it takes to succeed in life.

National Youth Sport Survey - The Aspen Institute Project Play https://t.co/u6FlMrgExC
- Jon Husted (@JonHusted) August 7, 2019

Meanwhile, poor students face a host of issues that wealthier children don't that can deter them from playing sports, said Mara Mazza of the Kings County Tennis League, a non-profit that teaches tennis to low-income children in Brooklyn. "There are a variety of reasons why kids don't participate in sports. Some of it is access, some of it is transportation and some of it is safety," she said.

The bigger picture, according to the Aspen Institute's Farrey: Middle-class and poor children who can't afford to play sports may be at a distinct disadvantage compared with kids from affluent families.

"The research shows physically active kids are less likely to be obese, more likely to get a college degree, less likely to suffer chronic illnesses including cancer and more likely to be active as adults, and twice as likely to have active children," he said. "Everyone will pay price if we don't get them off the couch."

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Game over: Middle-class and poor kids are ditching youth sports

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Youth sports participation is rising among richer families, as children lower down the ladder exit the field

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Podcast

Quitting because you see you might be the worst one on the team

"I think it's stupid to keep playing only for their enjoyment" - (comment submitted by youth athlete in video for podcaster to address)

Parents wanting to keep their child in sports because they want them to perform at a higher later on

Some kids do not see a future for themselves in sports

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Why Athletes Quit Sports and the Wrong Reasons to Stop Playing

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How does the influence of social status in youth sports create potential consequences for children from a lower socioeconomic status?

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Interview conducted by the Australian Sports Commission on why kids play sport

The majority of them acknowledge the importance of exercise and being active as part of their answer

Highlights the important of exercise to one's health

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Kids Talk Sport: Why should kids play sport?

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Wealth gap since the pandemic

^Huge reason why many kids decided to quit sports

Rising popularity of club sports and leagues/teams that you have to pay money for

“The Aspen Institute found that families spend on average $1,188 per year per child for soccer, $1,002 for basketball, $714 for baseball and $581 for tackle football.”

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The Income Gap Is Becoming a Physical-Activity Divide

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Nationwide, poor children and adolescents are participating far less in sports and fitness activities than their more affluent peers.

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"Win at all costs culture"

Parents try to be a second coach

Even worse when a coach has a player on the team so they feel pressured to be the best and lead by example

Coach that would ask his players how they're doing and if anything should improve

"Consistently, however, he found that their worst memory of playing a team sport had nothing to do with him; it happened during the car ride home after practice or a game, when their parents would grill them about their performance."

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Youth sports long have been seen as a ticket to a college scholarship, and as college costs go ever higher, parents may be putting more pressure on their children to snag some of that cash.

"It's become a win-at-all-costs culture," said Jason Sacks, executive director of the Positive Coaching Alliance, a Chicago-based national nonprofit organization founded at Stanford University to encourage positive coaching experiences for coaches, teachers and parents.

But as the stakes grow, the children are the ones losing, according to Sacks. Seventy percent of children drop out of sports by age 13, and a big reason is that their parents are putting too much pressure on them, he explained.

"Parents are putting in all this money and time," he said, "and they think that if they put it all in, they'll see a light at the end of the tunnel in the form of a college scholarship."

But there's a balance between encouraging a child's athletic abilities and stressing him or her out by becoming a second coach.

In a July study published in the Journal of Physical Activity & Health, researchers interviewed children who played organized soccer and found that, for them, winning was less important than having fun. In fact, having fun was the primary reason for the children's participation in an organized sport, according to the study.

Winning was just one of 81 determinants that makes playing sports enjoyable for children, and it was rated 48th, which means that there are 47 more important things that children, coaches, parents and league administrators should be focusing on, said Amanda Visek, lead author of the study and associate professor of sports psychology at George Washington University in Washington.

"While surprising, this is positive," Visek said. "Sports by definition includes competition, and the outcome of a competition results in winning and losing. But the findings from our study highlight that the fun experience is not determined by the end result of a game but rather by the process of physically engaging in the game."
Striking the right balance
Wendy Grolnick, co-author of "Pressured Parents, Stressed-out Kids: Dealing With Competition While Raising a Successful Child" (Prometheus Books, $18.99) and professor of psychology at Clark University in Massachusetts, said parents still can be highly involved with a child's team without pressuring or pushing. In fact, it's when they find balance that their children are most likely to enjoy sports and to persist at them.

"Being involved is great, but it is important to do so in a way that is not pressuring," Grolnick said. "I like to say that parents should be just behind the child, matching their level of interest to that of the child."

Those interests should not be marred by whether your child won or lost a game, said Alan Goldberg, a Massachusetts-based sports psychology consultant and author of "This is Your Brain on Sports."

Instead, parents should give consistent support and excitement regardless of the outcome of the game, because the actual outcome isn't important.

"Most parents lose sight of that," Goldberg said. "You want to go to your kid's games, to enjoy the experience, to cheer for them and for every one of their teammates and to be a good role model."

Many parents push their children too much, thinking they are doing the right thing when, in fact, they are causing damage, Goldberg said. They're actually creating performance problems that can be avoided if they simply stay quiet and calm and happily cheer on their little sports player from the sidelines, he explained.

"Don't push your kids to do extra training, evaluating your kids after practice and telling them what to do differently," he said.
Look for signs of stress
It's especially important to show the right level of support after the game if your child loses or doesn't do as well as he or she envisioned, said Bruce Brown, cofounder of Proactive Coaching, a company based in Washington state that coaches other coaches, parents and businesses nationally.

Brown, who previously coached football, baseball, volleyball and basketball, always asked his players what their best and worst memories were of playing so he could continue what he was doing right and fix what he was doing wrong

Consistently, however, he found that their worst memory of playing a team sport had nothing to do with him; it happened during the car ride home after practice or a game, when their parents would grill them about their performance.

"Even college players would remember, 'I just didn't want to rehash the game,' " Brown said. "What they really need is time and space. The more competitive the kid, the more time and space they need."

In addition to paying attention to signs of needing space after a game, parents should be alert to when a child has had enough of a sport entirely or needs a break. Signs of emotional strain such as headaches, stomachaches and fatigue may be physical evidence that it's time to reevaluate whether the sport is too stressful, Grolnick said.

Not wanting to attend practice or games also may be a hint that the child isn't enjoying the sport anymore, and this may be a time to sit down with a child to see whether he or she wants to cut back or switch to a different team or league.

After all, it's supposed to be fun.

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Experts: When parents push sports, kids often lose

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Seventy percent of kids drop out of sports by age 13, and a big reason is their parents

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Creation of hyper-competitive culture

Kids will associate sports with pressure, high expectations, and anxiety rather than enjoyment

Author tells the story of her friend’s daughter

She quit because playing lacrosse became a burden due to the weigh of her parents wanting her to do good

Fear of disappointing parents

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The Unseen Consequences of Parental Pressure in Youth Sports

The Unseen Consequences of Parental Pressure in Youth Sports. As parents, we all want the best for our children. We want them to excel, challenge themselves, and find their passions. But when it comes to sports, this desire for excellence can often lead us down a path that may not necessarily be in the best interest of our children.

The world of youth sports is an arena where parental pressure is commonly exerted. Driven by the desire to see their kids succeed, parents often push their children to be better, to take on more challenges, to train harder, and to never settle for mediocrity. While it's natural to want your child to do well, this intense focus on achievement can inadvertently create a hyper-competitive culture more about winning and outcomes than the process and enjoyment of playing, which can take a mental and physical toll on our kids.

Sports should be about fun, enjoyment, and personal growth, but the excessive pressure from parents can transform it into a stressful experience. Children begin to associate sports with pressure and high expectations, leading to anxiety and, ultimately, burnout and, too often, quitting. They begin to lose sight of the joy that once made them fall in love with the sport.

This happened to my own daughter and, recently, to my friend's daughter, Anna. She was a promising young lacrosse player who used to play for the sheer love of the game. With time, however, her parents' relentless drive for her to excel began to weigh heavily on her. Practices became a chore, games a battlefield, and lacrosse, once a source of joy, became a burden. Ultimately, Anna decided to quit lacrosse, mostly because she felt immense pressure and the constant fear of disappointing her parents. Her best no longer seemed good enough. They always had something more they wanted from her. The fun had disappeared.

Anna's story isn't isolated. There are countless others who have experienced similar burnouts, losing their passion for a sport they once loved due to the overwhelming pressure to constantly perform and meet high expectations.

So, how can we change this narrative? The answer lies in adopting a more balanced and sustainable approach to youth sports. As parents, we need to understand that sports are not just about winning or losing or getting a college scholarship. They are about the lessons learned, the friendships made, the resilience built, and most importantly, the fun and joy experienced in playing the game. That doesn't mean there's anything wrong with a child having lofty goals of playing in college or even professionally. Parents should definitely support their children on their own unique journey. But what it does mean is that it should be child-centered and child-led if you go down that path - not parental pressure. There's such a small percentage of athletes that will play past high school, less than 7%, so odds are that having a balanced and fun approach will be the best way for most parents, even if your child wants to play at the next level.

We need to encourage our kids to enjoy the process of playing, revel in the camaraderie of the team, and appreciate the beauty of the sport. Winning is great, but it should not be the sole focus, especially when the kids are young. Let's strive to make sports a joyful experience that encourages personal growth and fosters a lifelong love for the game.

In the grand scheme of things, it's not the trophies or medals that matter but the memories, experiences, and life skills that our children gain from participating in sports. Let's allow our kids to be kids, to play, to laugh, to lose, to win, and most importantly, to love the game they play. After all, these are the aspects of youth sports that they'll carry with them long after the final whistle has blown.
More articles from Ilovetowatchyouplay.com that you might like: My Daughter Quit Sports, And This Is What Youth Sports Parents Need To Know The 6th Man Is Actually The Parent Kids Tell Us The Truth About Sports Parents 9 Habits of Highly Effective Team Players Are We Doing Too Much For Our Athletes? Youth Sports Parents Come To Your Senses There's Something Different About High School Sports

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The Unseen Consequences of Parental Pressure in Youth Sports | I Love to Watch You Play

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Parental pressure in youth sports isn't in the best interest of the kids, too many of us have forgotten what sports should be about.

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Personal story of Former MLS Player Otto Loewy

His socioeconomic status and how he grew up being the only Black kid on his teams

Soccer long being acknowledged as the sport the "white kids up North" would play

His family and others telling him that sports such as basketball is the norm given his background

Instances of him struggling to pay so his mom would pain lines on the grass and he would play by himself for free

"From eighth grade onto my senior year, me and my mom would paint soccer fields ... because that was the only way I was gonna be able to play."

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This piece is part of our special 6/27/20 episode "Sports, Racism And The Myth Of Meritocracy." Check out the full show here.
When Otto Loewy was 8 or 9 years old, his mom signed him up for youth baseball. He had already been playing soccer, but why not try another sport?

That first season, Otto made the All-Star team. But that came at a cost - literally: Being an All-Star meant more travel and higher fees. So Otto's mom gave him an ultimatum.

"She was like, 'Listen, you're really good at both sports, but you've gotta pick one,' " Otto recalls. " 'Just pick a sport. Whatever you want. We'll make the most of it. And I think you'll be amazing at it.' "
The Cost Of Youth Sports
Otto chose soccer. But this issue of young athletes having to give up sports because of money? It happens all the time.

"Kids at really young ages get weeded out. And there's sort of this haves versus have-nots, depending on how much money you have," says Jon Solomon of the Aspen Institute, which gathers data on youth sports. "You know, we have research that shows that kids who are from lower-income households are far more likely to not be playing sports on a regular basis compared to higher-income households."

And for Otto, even sticking with just soccer was going to be tough. As he got older, the costs rose.

This was back in the late '90s, and Otto says he was paying around $2,000 a season as a middle schooler. When he got to high school, that number jumped closer to about $3,000.

"From eighth grade onto my senior year, me and my mom would paint soccer fields ... because that was the only way I was gonna be able to play."
Otto Loewy

Unlike a lot of kids facing rising costs, Otto was able to arrange another way to pay:

"From eighth grade onto my senior year, me and my mom would paint soccer fields Friday night prior to the Saturday/Sunday games," he says. "So that's, like, about six or seven fields. Just me and her. Because that was the only way I was gonna be able to play."

Otto's story represents a growing problem.

"Over the course of the past, say, 30 years, we've had a defunding of sports within our community and school systems," says Dr. Kirsten Hextrum, a professor at the University of Oklahoma who studies race and college sports. "But a parallel occurrence has happened alongside that, which is: We've had an increase of private sports clubs popping up to replace what once was done by low-cost, recreational or school sports."

And there's a reason families sometimes go to extreme lengths to try and give their kids an opportunity to participate in these programs.

"Even basketball and football, which are the two sports that still remain the most common sports sponsored across schools in America, you aren't becoming a college basketball star just by playing high school basketball," Hextrum says. "You have to be joining these travel teams, these AAU teams."

Even after Otto and his mom found a way to pay for high-level soccer, there were moments when people tried to make him feel like he didn't belong. One time ...

"I forgot my water bottle. And a teammate of mine, he was like, 'Hey, I'll get my extra bottle from my little brother,' " Otto recalls. "Like, 'Cool. Thank you so much. Really appreciate it.' So I'm just drinking the water, talking to, like, the 2-year-old kid, who's, like, helping me out. And as I'm walking away, I remember vividly the parent literally was like, 'Never drink from that Black boy again ever in your life.' To the 2-year-old kid, who has no idea what's going on. Wastes the water out completely. And I look back, and I watch it all unfold, and I'm just like, 'Wow.'

"And then, mind you, there are numerous occasions where little rich white kids - to try to get underneath my nerve - would just pull out the n-word as much as they can, to get me riled up. So that was just a normal occasion."
'A Form Of Internalized Oppression'
Growing up in a predominantly Black neighborhood in inner-city Atlanta, Otto didn't just get the sense that he didn't belong in soccer from white families. He also got it from the Black community.

"It was the Michael Jordan era," Otto says. "And, in my community, they were like, 'You don't have to play soccer. Like, that's not a sport for you. That's for the rich white kids up north. You can either play football or basketball with us.' "

The people saying this to Otto? They might've thought they had his best interest at heart. After all, in the U.S. there's more money in those sports.

And, in a society that's so stacked against them and their children, Black parents, according to an Aspen Institute study, are more likely than white parents to view youth sports as a means to an end.

"So, parents of African American youth rated the pursuit of a college scholarship as 23% more important than white parents, and a pro sports opportunity as 26% more important," Solomon says.

"That's a form of internalized oppression that Black families may not even be cognizant of, that they're engaging in," says Derrick Z. Jackson, who writes about sports and race for ESPN's The Undefeated. "So, Black families at some point end up, 'OK, this is what society's telling me my kid is going to have the best shot at doing.' Because, let's face it: In American society, the way our society is set up, the most 'positive' image we get of Black men is when they are playing ball."

Dr. Scott Brooks, of the Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University, says when young athletes make sports their main priority, that can have a much longer-term consequence.

"They've put everything else to the side," he says. "They're not as focused on school - or school, only as it pertains to keeping them eligible. They're not pursuing creative things like art, music ... so much. This is everything, and when that ends - and often not of your own volition - all of these things that are senses of your purpose, that goes away."
Years Of Dedication, A $42,000 Reward
Eventually, Otto did earn an athletic scholarship to play soccer at Winthrop University in South Carolina. And, in 2011, he signed an MLS contract with the New England Revolution.

Unlike the vast majority of kids who devote themselves to sports, Otto actually did make it to the pros. It looked like the years of investment might actually pay off. But then he injured his back.

"Kind of like a ruptured disk between my L4 and L5," Otto says. "And I was released."

Otto played one season in the MLS. He made just $42,000.

Later, Otto got a job as a marketing analyst. On top of that, he started coaching youth soccer.

In 2016, he became an assistant coach for the Atlanta United Academy. In a country where youth sports is dominated by the pay-to-play model, this was supposed to be different. MLS Academies cover most financial needs ... except transportation. Not travel - the bus rides and flights for out-of-town competition - but getting from home to the team facility in downtown Atlanta and back.

Otto says that some of the Academy's players didn't have easy access to public transportation or parents who have time to drive them to practice.

"I put my hand up," Otto recalls. "I said, 'I will go pick them up myself. And I will drive them there.' "

Another coach offered to drive them back.

Without Otto's help, some of the Academy's players would've had a much harder time staying with the team. But Penn State's Dr. Amira Rose Davis says individual volunteers are not a solution to the larger, systemic problems.

"To be fair, I think this happens a lot," she says. "Like, any time somebody shares a GoFundMe, and is like, 'This is such a feel-good story.' It's not a feel-good story. It's an indictment of the system. When we see a young Black boy get out of an under-resourced, overpoliced community by way of athletic scholarship, that's not a feel-good story, it's an indictment of the system.

"Some of these ready-made, digestible narratives - are they digestible because we swallowed what we were fed without paying attention to what the ingredients were?"
This story is part of our special episode "Sports, Racism And The Myth Of Meritocracy."

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The Widening Accessibility Gap In Youth Sports

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Former MLS player Otto Loewy's story represents a growing problem in youth sports.

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Sports are not fun anymore

"Perhaps more importantly, the underlying message that “I have to be the best or I’ve failed” is deeply harmful to kids. This is absolutely mirrored and reinforced in school, where the environment is increasingly test and outcome-driven."

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According to a poll from the National Alliance for Youth Sports, around 70 percent of kids in the United States stop playing organized sports by the age of 13 because "it's just not fun anymore." I have three kids, all of whom play sports, and my oldest is about to turn 13. I may not have understood why this was happening a few years ago, but sadly, knowing what I know now, the mass exodus of 13-year-olds from organized sports makes perfect sense to me.

"It's not fun anymore" isn't the problem; it's a consequence of a number of cultural, economic and systemic issues that result in our kids turning away from organized sports at a time when they could benefit from them the most. Playing sports offers everything from physical activity, experiencing success and bouncing back from failure to taking calculated risks and dealing with the consequences to working as a team and getting away from the ubiquitous presence of screens. Our middle-schoolers need sports now more than ever.

Here are the reasons I think it's become less fun for kids to play sports, and why they are taking an early retirement.

It's not fun anymore because it's not designed to be. As children get closer to high school, the system of youth sports is geared toward meeting the needs of more competitive players, and the expectations placed on them increase. Often the mentality is that most of the kids who quit at 13 are the ones who wouldn't make a varsity team in high school anyway. Those who stick around find that being on a team means a greater commitment of time and effort. It also means being surrounded by people who care very much about the outcome. This, consequently, brings with it the potential for experiencing disappointment or being the cause of it. There is nothing wrong with any of that, and it can teach incredibly important lessons about hard work, resiliency and character - but it's not for everyone.

Our culture no longer supports older kids playing for the fun of it. The pressure to raise "successful" kids means that we expect them to be the best. If they're not, they're encouraged to cut their losses and focus on areas where they can excel. We see it in middle school orchestra, where a kid who doesn't make first chair wonders if it's worth continuing to play. If a seventh-grader doesn't make a select team for soccer, she starts to wonder if maybe it's time to quit altogether, thinking that if she's not hitting that highest level, it might not be worth doing?

For the small minority of kids who are playing a sport at an elite level and loving it, the idea of quitting in middle school is probably unthinkable. But for everyone else, there are fewer opportunities to play, a more competitive and less developmental environment in which to participate, and lots of other things competing for their time after school.

There is a clear push for kids to specialize and achieve at the highest possible level. Increasingly kids are pressured to "find their passion" and excel in that area (be it music, arts, sports, etc.). There are certainly kids for whom this is true, but it is not the norm (despite the expectations of college admissions officers). For many, there's a strong argument against this trend, because the message is essentially to pick one thing and specialize in it (to the exclusion of pursuing other interests). For young athletes, early specialization can be harmful in terms of long-term injuries, and it does little to increase one's overall the chances of later collegiate or professional success.

Perhaps more importantly, the underlying message that "I have to be the best or I've failed" is deeply harmful to kids. This is absolutely mirrored and reinforced in school, where the environment is increasingly test and outcome-driven. Sports could be pivotal in teaching kids how to fail and recover, something that educators and parents see as being desperately needed. In privileged Washington, D.C., suburbs such as Fairfax and Montgomery counties (and in others like them, across the country), teenagers find themselves stressed to the point of developing anxiety and depression. We see unhealthy coping behaviors and increased rates of self-harm and suicide. This is not a sports problem, it's a culture problem.

There is a cost to be competitive and not everyone is willing or able to pay it. For kids, playing at a more competitive level can mean having to prioritize their commitments and interests and work tirelessly. It also means they have to be able to deal with the pressure of participating at a higher level. These can be positive things - provided the environment they're playing in is a healthy one. But there are other factors that contribute to a young athlete's ability not just to compete, but to be seen as competitive, and I question how healthy these things are for families.

Training year-round, expensive equipment, individual coaching, camps, tournaments and participation on travel and select teams in many places are no longer really considered "optional" for success in youth sports, at least not heading into high school. The investment of time and money that these things require is substantial. That contributes to an environment where kids of lower-income or single-parent families are simply shut out of the game.

And, of course, it's just the age. At 13, kids generally find themselves with more (and more challenging) school work. Most are also encouraged to start choosing what interests them the most and what they're best at. There's no longer time for them to do as much they did in elementary school.

Some of the major social and emotional changes that 13-year-olds experience also predispose them to making decisions such as quitting sports, especially as that environment becomes more competitive. The CDC describes it on its developmental milestones page as a "focus on themselves... going back and forth between high expectations and lack of confidence." Kids become more focused on - and influenced by - their friends, many of whom are also walking away from organized youth sports.

Any discussion about being 13 also needs to include social media, smartphones and the Internet. According to the Pew Center's Internet Research Study, most U.S. kids receive their first cellphone or wireless device by the age of 12. Between the ages of 13 and 17, 92 percent of teens report being online every day, and 24 percent are online "almost constantly." As kids become teenagers, their priorities change. How they socialize, study and spend their time changes with them.

These things collectively represent a perfect storm.There are no easy answers here. The system of youth sports is set up to cater to more elite players as they approach high school, leaving average kids with fewer opportunities. Our culture encourages specialization and achievement, which actively discourages kids from trying new things or just playing for fun. And all of this converges at a time when they're going through major physical, emotional and social changes as well as facing pressure to pare down their interests and focus on school.

So why do 70 percent of kids quit organized sports at 13 and what can we do about it? I would argue that most kids leave because we haven't given them a way to stay. And perhaps more importantly, until we dismantle the parenting culture that emphasizes achievement and success over healthy, happy kids, we don't stand a chance of solving this problem.
Julianna W. Miner has three kids and lives in suburban Washington, D.C. She teaches Public Health at a college she couldn't have gotten into because she made bad choices in high school. She writes the award-winning humor blog Rants from Mommyland and spends too much time on the Facebook. Like On Parenting on Facebook for more advice, essays and news. You might also be interested in: How to put the fun back in youth sports Sex ed, sixth grade, scary truths I send my kids to sleep-away camp to give them a competitive advantage in life

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Why 70 percent of kids quit sports by age 13

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A number of issues result in our kids turning away from organized sports at a time when they could benefit from them the most.

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Making sports more accessible for kids by lowering costs or getting rid of them entirely

Having to pay for club teams - almost like a social hierarchy

This makes it so that they are reserved for those that are financially affluent

“Many of the top academy teams in the U.S. require players to pay well over $3,000 to pay for only a season. A player could have all the talent in the world but struggled to pay the fees to play which prevents them from developing at the highest level.

^Connects back to Otto Loewy

High costs to play soccer in different countries, for this reason the US is not as good as soccer as other countries where you do not have to pay to play

Counterargument: Kids should pay because it decreases the budget for athletic programs

Problem is that not everyone can afford this and it is just making it harder for everyone to join

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On the Contrary: Should athletes pay to play?

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Across America, high school athletes are being forced to pay large amounts of money to play for their respective teams. The cost of paying for sports in the U.S. has caused some dissension among people in sports. The question that these people debate is whether or not athletes should have to pay to play sports....

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Lack of access to healthier foods in underserved communities

“In 2020, Black non-Hispanic households were over 2 times more likely to be food insecure than the national average (21.7 percent versus 10.5 percent, respectively). Among Hispanic households, the prevalence of food insecurity was 17.2 percent compared to the national average of 10.5 percent.2 Potential factors influencing these disparities may include neighborhood conditions, physical access to food, and lack of transportation.”

Without a stable diet, kids may not have an immune system strong enough to support an active body

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Food insecurity is defined as a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food. In 2020, 13.8 million households were food insecure at some time during the year. Food insecurity does not necessarily cause hunger, but hunger is a possible outcome of food insecurity.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) divides food insecurity into the following 2 categories:

Low food security: "Reports of reduced quality, variety, or desirability of diet. Little or no indication of reduced food intake."

Very low food security: "Reports of multiple indications of disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake."

Food insecurity may be long term or temporary. It may be influenced by a number of factors, including income, employment, race/ethnicity, and disability. The risk for food insecurity increases when money to buy food is limited or not available. In 2020, 28.6 percent of low-income households were food insecure, compared to the national average of 10.5 percent. Unemployment can also negatively affect a household's food security status. High unemployment rates among low-income populations make it more difficult to meet basic household food needs. In addition, children with unemployed parents have higher rates of food insecurity than children with employed parents. Disabled adults may be at a higher risk for food insecurity due to limited employment opportunities and health care-related expenses that reduce the income available to buy food. Racial and ethnic disparities exist related to food insecurity. In 2020, Black non-Hispanic households were over 2 times more likely to be food insecure than the national average (21.7 percent versus 10.5 percent, respectively). Among Hispanic households, the prevalence of food insecurity was 17.2 percent compared to the national average of 10.5 percent. Potential factors influencing these disparities may include neighborhood conditions, physical access to food, and lack of transportation.

Neighborhood conditions may affect physical access to food. For example, people living in some urban areas, rural areas, and low-income neighborhoods may have limited access to full-service supermarkets or grocery stores. Predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods may have fewer full-service supermarkets than predominantly White and non-Hispanic neighborhoods. Convenience stores may have higher food prices, lower-quality foods, and less variety of foods than supermarkets or grocery stores. Access to healthy foods is also affected by lack of transportation and long distances between residences and supermarkets or grocery stores.

Residents are at risk for food insecurity in neighborhoods where transportation options are limited, the travel distance to stores is greater, and there are fewer supermarkets. Lack of access to public transportation or a personal vehicle limits access to food. Groups who may lack transportation to healthy food sources include those with chronic diseases or disabilities, residents of rural areas, and some racial/ethnicity groups. A study in Detroit found that people living in low-income, predominantly Black neighborhoods travel an average of 1.1 miles farther to the closest supermarket than people living in low-income predominantly White neighborhoods.

Adults who are food insecure may be at an increased risk for a variety of negative health outcomes and health disparities. For example, a study found that food-insecure adults may be at an increased risk for obesity. Another study found higher rates of chronic disease in low-income, food-insecure adults between the ages of 18 years and 65 years. Food-insecure children may also be at an increased risk for a variety of negative health outcomes, including obesity. They also face a higher risk of developmental problems compared with food-secure children. In addition, reduced frequency, quality, variety, and quantity of consumed foods may have a negative effect on children's mental health.

Food assistance programs, such as the National School Lunch Program (NSLP); the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program; and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), address barriers to accessing healthy food. Studies show these programs may reduce food insecurity. More research is needed to understand food insecurity and its influence on health outcomes and disparities. Future studies should consider characteristics of communities and households that influence food insecurity. This additional evidence will facilitate public health efforts to address food insecurity as a social determinant of health.

Endnotes

i The term hunger refers to a potential consequence of food insecurity. Hunger is discomfort, illness, weakness, or pain caused by prolonged, involuntary lack of food.

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Food insecurity is defined as a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food.1 In 2020, 13.8 million households were food insecure at some time during the year.2 Food insecurity does not necessarily cause hunger,i but hunger is a possible outcome of food insecurity.3 The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) divides food insecurity into the following 2 categories:1

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Growing obesity problem in children

Part of successful sports participation is about healthy eating to optimize performance on the playing field

It is important that these athletes are well nourished so that they do not lose more calories than they should and experience excessive weight loss

Proper hydration and having access to clean drinking water (Flint, Michigan)

Avoiding dehydration and dizziness

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Sports Nutrition for Kids and Adolescents - By Dr. Anthony D. Elkins

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Let’s face it — most of us and our children have terrible diets. For many families, fast food or takeout, sugary drinks, and food “on the go” to keep up with our hectic lifestyles is the norm rather than the exception. For youth athletes, the basics of healthy eating that pertain to sports participa…

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Kamiya Vasquez, 12, looks back at a teammate during a recent basketball game. Kamiya loves the sport, but her family is struggling to handle the rising costs of competitive programs. (Evan Cobb for The Washington Post)

Kamiya Vasquez gathered with her seventh-grade basketball team before they tipped off a youth league game in a dimly lit gym. She nervously ran her hands through her red hair. Some of her teammates had never played the sport, and they tugged on their black jerseys. Kamiya looked over to the opposing huddle, an eighth-grade team stocked with some of the best players in Grand Rapids. Some had walked in with customized, matchingbackpacks and sporting uniforms that featured the logo of one of the area's top travel teams.

"Don't be scared - just go play," Kamiya's father and coach, Juoquin Vasquez, said before she took the floor.

Kamiya drove the lane once the game started, determined to prove she belonged. But she was quickly swarmed by two taller defenders and lost her footing and the ball. The other team cruised down the court for an easy score. Kamiya shrugged in frustration and glared at her father. He immediately turned to his bench and asked for a substitute. She ran to the sideline and sank into her seat. Juoquin knelt in front of her and lowered his voice. "Change your body language," he told her.

The other team wasa well-funded, well-oiled machine, setting defensive traps, launching three-pointers and finishing backdoor cuts with left-handed layups. For some of the girls on Kamiya's team, the frustration boiled over. "I don't f---ing get it!" one of them yelled, and Juoquin sat her down. They eventually lost by 52 points.

To Kamiya and her teammates, the differences between the teams could not have been clearer. It provided yet another reminder of the gulf between the haves and have-nots in youth sports, in which parents are spending between $30 billion and $40 billion annually on their children's sports activities, according to a recent report from the Aspen Institute, and rising participation costs have created an economic divide that has diminished opportunities for kids from impoverished and marginalized families.

Costly travel leagues and club programs have surged in popularity in recent years as families pursue high-level competition and college scholarships. While 58 percent of children who participate in sports played in community-based programs this fall, three of 10 parents said their child's community program had closed, merged with another organization or operated with less capacity than last year, according to the Aspen Institute.

The number of kids competing in travel clubs, meanwhile, doubled to 29 percent over the past year, a reflection of some parents not only believing that their children would receive better coaching, training, competition and ultimately more exposure to college recruiters but also an overall better experience for their children than community-based programs. (The Aspen Institute's results are based on a survey of 1,200 youth sport parents Sept. 22-Oct. 9, 2022. Participants were recruited using opt-in online panels and users of a team management service, which may not be representative of youth sports parents nationally.)

Travel leagues can run thousands of dollars just in registration fees but also often require costs for travel, equipment, camps and private coaching. Household income is a primary driver in early participation of sports, and only 24 percent of kids from low-income families, like many of those on Kamiya's team, have an opportunity to play, according to the Aspen Institute. The country's wealthiest households spend about four times as much as impoverished families on their child's sport.

"It definitely mirrors trends nationally in our society in which families in the highest income category have experiences and access to a sustained experience that peers in the lower end of the income category do not. And that only seems to be growing," said Tom Farrey, executive director of the Aspen Institute's Sports & Society Program. "When you look at the industry of youth sports, it is an industry. It is business interests first. . . . It's not interest of the child first, and so money chases money."

Young athletes such as Kamiya sit at a crossroads: Costly travel basketball is not an option and recreational opportunities are sparse in many communities, so they are in danger of being left behind by those who can afford specialized training in hopes of earning college scholarships. Girls' basketball has been particularly affected by the explosion of travel programs - the sport dropped to the fourth-most-popular high school sport last year as many athletes quit or simply aren't exposed enough to the sport before that level.

Billions flow through youth sports. And some of it keeps disappearing.

Kamiya often asks her father if she can try out for local travel teams, some of which charge more than $1,200 just for registration. He explains that the family can't afford it right now but that he and his wife, Summer, are saving as much as they can, putting away $20 or $30 each month from their paychecks.

"We could pay, but we would be hurting," Juoquin said. "It's like, 'We'll pay the fee, but can we attach the car payment to it?' "

Rising costs

After a full day of basketball, the Vasquez family returned to their home, which they bought last year with the help of their pandemic stimulus checks. Their 14-year-old daughter, Kiyana, blared her trumpet through the hallways. Their youngest daughter, 8-year-old Kendyll, danced to TikTok videos on Summer's phone. Kamiya and her friend used markers to decorate a purple wall in her bedroom, next to her athletic trophies and Michigan State basketball posters.

"I want to go to college and play there," she said.

They ate together as a family because sometimes that is difficult during the week. Juoquin cooked arroz con gandules in homage to his Puerto Rican roots. Sometimes he and his mother cook food on the weekends and advertise plates for sale on Facebook, with some of the proceeds going toward family expenses.

That night Juoquin, 34, called his friend to see if he could open an elementary school gym to hold a free clinic the next day. Despite limited coaching experience, this is how he helps develop Kamiya, a raw and gifted athlete with long limbs who excels in multiple sports. "Basketball is my favorite," she said, and her parents' conversations increasingly revolve around her future in the sport.

"If we don't get her into traveling ball, she's not going to get the visibility to do what she wants to do," said Summer,sitting in her living room. "We know we need to get her into it at some point, but, like, how do we figure that out?"

She looked at Juoquin.

"We also have the baby coming up," he said of Kendyll, also an aspiring athlete, and he began calculating the numbers in his head for both girls to play travel sports. It might cost several thousand dollars just for registration fees, he thought, and with inflation driving up gas prices and groceries, he didn't know how they would pay for equipment, camps or coaching - not to mention travel, which saw an industry-wide 19 percent spike last year, according to the Aspen Institute.

Massive sports complexes are latest front in war for visitors, dollars

Even if they could afford for one kid to play, the family probably wouldn't have enough for the other. Those are the decisions that often divide American families when it comes to youth sports. Last year, parents making at least $150,000 spent 83 percent more on travel for their child's sports activities than families earning under $50,000 and 65 percent more than middle income households. Natalie Hummel, executive director of Every Kid Sports, a nonprofit that helps low-income families play youth sports, estimates that as many as 6.8 million kids are effectively barred from youth sports by financial constraints.

"Even if you just take 50 percent of that, that's still 3 million kids that still aren't getting a chance to play," she said. "Unfortunately, in our country now, the model now is these highly competitive training programs, and we really believe that doesn't serve the kids."

One in three parents say their youth sports expenses increased last year because of inflation, according to the Aspen Institute's annual State of Play report, and the prospect of another recession could mean less money is invested in parks and recreation departments - and the gap between kids who can afford travel sports and those who can't widens as a result.

According to industry insiders, team sports participation declined following the Great Recession, when about 47,000 jobs were lost in the Grand Rapids area alone. Wyoming is an industrial town of 77,000, located just five miles south of Grand Rapids. It was hit especially hard by the recession and sits below the national household income average, with a poverty rate of 12 percent. Many middle-class kids here can't afford to pay the thousands of dollars per year it typically costs to play travel sports.

Between Juoquin's warehouse job and Summer's job as a branch manager at an employment service, budgeting has always been a challenge. After they bought their home, costs continued to pile up; Juoquin's truck was stolen last year, and he has been forced to drive a Chevrolet Express van he bought for $300 from his employer until the family can save enough for another car.

"You always think you're getting ahead," Summer said, "but then something happens."

Creative fundraising

The next morning, Summer, 37, sat on her couch and scrolled through her phone, searching for new softball cleats. She swiped past countless pairs that cost $60 or more. The family had just bought new cleats this spring, but because Kamiya is growing, her toes were already forming a hole in those cleats. Summer found a sale - $30 for a pair of Nikes - and seized the deal. But soon Kamiya also will need a new aluminum bat, which can cost several hundred dollars. "Those little things just add up," Summer said.

When Kamiya asked for new LeBron James basketball shoes this summer, her mother wondered how she would pay for the $125 sneakers, eventually doing so in four installments. "It's an expression for her," Summer said. "It makes her feel good."

On average, families spend $883 annually per child to play sports, according to the Aspen Institute, but in many activities that number often soars into the five figures. Basketball was the second-most-expensive sport for families in the fall of 2022, costing on average just over $1,000 per child, according to the organization's newly released report. (Soccer was the costliest sport; parents shell out an average of $1,188 annually per child.)

In August, with bills stacking up and another school year dawning, Juoquin and Summer asked for help to fund Kamiya's athletic expenses on GoFundMe, the site that relies on donation-based crowdfunding.

"We are a low-income family of 5 and want our daughter to have every opportunity to do what she loves and with that comes league fees, tournament fees, new equipment, camp fees and travel costs," Summer wrote.

The family has yet to receive any contributions. Summer has tried other avenues. She posted on Facebook last year that she would film Kamiya throwing 20 strikes in the backyard for any donations, and a couple of supporters chipped in. Kamiya has shoveled snow in their neighborhood for basketball money, and sometimes the family will buy a box of candy bars at Costco so Kamiya can sell them door-to-door in their neighborhood.

Sponsorship opportunities have already changed college athletics. Is youth sports next?

"It's become a business. There are kids that are better than her because they have parents who can put them in all of these trainings and travel teams," Summer said. "She also knows we're trying to work on it."

Kamiya has been invited to join that high-priced world of top-tier youth sports over the past year: AAU basketball teams have recognized herpotential and asked her to sign up, with registration costs ranging from $500 to $1,500; a trainer has offered to work with her for $75 per session; a softball program that cost $550 to join asked her to try out. Summer opted not to send Kamiya, knowing the family couldn't afford the costs.

"I was like, 'That's pretty awesome they want Kamiya,' " Summer said, "but, man, that's not even an option."

Summer has found affordable alternatives to keep Kamiya active: She plays with a school team in a grass-roots youth basketball league for $90, which sometimes means playing older travel teams with handpicked rosters. The family was able to place her on a local softball team that travels to a few tournaments in the area because the coach allowed them to pay the $250 registration fee in installments.

That softball coach, Kaitlin Failing, started her own affordable middle school program last summer because many of the kids she coaches come from families that are barely making it. She offers hitting lessons on the side for $10 per session.

"That's why we're doing this. ... [AAU] is big for more affluent communities. If you've got money, you're starting at 7, which is like just one step above T-ball," Failing said. "It's thousands of dollars that some of these girls spend to get recruited."

The family first got a taste of how cutthroat youth sports could be with their oldest daughter. Kiyana, whom the family nicknamed Kiki, was born three months premature and was on supplemental oxygen for the first months of her life. The family lived out of the Ronald McDonald House in Lansing, Mich., for months at the height of the Great Recession; Juoquin lost his job working for a poultry farm; and the family relied on Medicaid and Summer's disability benefits.

When Kiyana was 2, they found out she had mild cerebral palsy, which has affected her walking and balance. She still was adamant about playing sports and played on a school-based basketball team in fifth grade.

Even though the Vasquezes were thrilled Kiyana was part of a team, they didn't know how much she might play. During the final game of the season, Summer said, some players couldn't make it and replacements were brought in from another team. Kiyana played about 30 seconds at the end of the game. Summer cried on her way out of the gym.

"Other parents saw it and were like, 'This is ridiculous.' Their kids were playing. They saw [Kiyana], and they knew that this was not okay," Summer said.

"Especially when it's a youth program," Juoquin added. "If you're AAU playing, I get that. We're out here to win. But with a youth program, we're trying to develop kids that don't have the access to pay that money."

Juoquin was so angry that he opted not to talk to the coach. Instead, he decided to get into coaching himself.

"I'm going to make sure I do things the right way and let these kids play," he told himself, and even though Kiyana decided to stop playing, he took over Kamiya's team and began to hold free clinics on weekends for anyone who wants to participate. It has shaped Kamiya's experience in basketball. Even though she's not on a travel team, Kamiya will often tell them she is playing for something more.

"I'm going to play for Kiki," Kamiya tells her mother before games.

Family sacrifices

Kamiya laced up her purple LeBron sneakers in an empty elementary school gym on the west side of town. Only one other player showed up for her father's free clinic, but it didn't matter. Juoquin set up chairs and a trash can in the middle of the court as obstacles for a dribbling drill. When he put them through shooting tests, forcing the players to hit five three-pointers from five different spots, Summer and the rest of the family served as rebounders.

"Don't kill her arms. She has to pitch later," Summer told her husband.

"She's got to hit five from each spot," he responded, and after she did, Kamiya raced back to the house and eventually gathered her softball gear for her first practice of the season. Summer grabbed her own glove and was ready to help as a volunteer coach.

Juoquin stayed behind and cooked fried chicken for his other children. He was thinking of his practice schedule for the week, staring at the family's dry-erase calendar on the kitchen wall as the food sizzled on the stove. After his team lost the day before to the well-heeled team from Grand Rapids, he had been thinking about how he could get Kamiya into that higher level of competition.

An AAU director had approached him recently about Kamiya joining for several hundred dollars, which would be reduced if Juoquin served as a coach in the program. They decided to hold off.

He has been thinking about starting his own traveling program, maybe kick-starting it with a fundraiser such as a carwash. They could afford to play in only a few tournaments per year, he figured, but it would give his daughter a chance to be seen by college coaches. He started doing the math again.

"I just wish it wasn't so expensive. Say it's only $1,000 per session for three sessions a summer - that's three grand. And that doesn't include travel, hotel, food," Juoquin said.

Plates were piled up in the sink. He had to be at work in the morning. Bills were coming due again. The deck feels increasingly stacked against him. He shook his head.

"I'm going to have to sacrifice something," Juoquin said as he poked at chicken on the stove. "But I'm going to do it."

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In youth sports, talent helps but money rules

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Rising costs of travel leagues and club teams leave some young athletes at risk of being left behind.

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Study conducted by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research

Showed that approximately more than 1/3 (38%) of all adolescents enrolled in public schools do not have access to a form of physical activity

School cuts funds towards these programs

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Despite a state requirement that public middle and high school students get 400 minutes of physical education every 10 days, approximately 1.3 million - more than a third (38 percent) of all adolescents enrolled in California public schools - do not participate in any school-based physical education classes, according to a new policy brief from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.

Research has shown that a lack of physical activity is associated with obesity, diabetes and other chronic conditions, while regular physical activity is associated with increased mental alertness and higher academic achievement.

Cuts to physical education (PE) programs, as well as exemptions that allow high school students to skip up to two years of PE, have contributed to declining participation in these school-based programs, the brief's authors noted. The study found, for example, that the proportion of teens participating in PE drops precipitously with age, from 95 percent at age 12 to just 23 percent at age 17.

Using data from the 2007 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), the authors found that only 42 percent of California teens report participating in PE on a daily basis. And more than 80 percent of all teens fail to meet the current federal recommendations for physical activity.

"Physical activity doesn't just keep the body healthy and prevent diabetes and obesity," Diamant said, "it also feeds the mind. Exercise is an education tool."

Diamant noted that PE classes are especially important to urban teens who may lack access to parks or other safe recreational spaces.

"Kids need to move more, and PE class is often one of the few safe places to do so," she said.

Among the study's findings:
Boys exercise more than girls
Participation in PE is higher among boys than girls (66 percent vs. 59 percent). Yet just 25 percent of boys and 13 percent of girls meet the current federal recommendations for physical activity.
School PE linked to higher rates of physical activity
For California adolescents, participating in PE is associated with an additional 18 minutes of physical activity each week, the authors found.
PE participation varies by county
The average number of days that adolescents participate in PE each week varies considerably from county to county, ranging from 1.8 days in Santa Cruz County to 3.8 days in Madera County. The average number of days that teens engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity per week ranges from 3.1 days in San Mateo County to 4.7 days in Lake County.

The authors recommend maintenance of existing PE classes and increased funding to ensure that all schools meet statewide PE standards. And although they commend recently implemented legislation that requires students to pass five of the six standards of the California Physical Fitness Test before receiving an exemption from PE, they note that it is important for students to maintain physical activity, even if they do meet these standards.

"Physical fitness is an intrinsic part of the educational process, not something to be sidelined or avoided," said Dr. Robert K. Ross, M.D., president and CEO of the California Endowment, which funded the study. "Our educators need to understand that physical education is just as essential to a student's academic success as reading, writing and arithmetic."

The California Endowment, a private statewide health foundation, was established in 1996 to expand access to affordable, quality health care for underserved individuals and communities and to promote fundamental improvements in the health status of all Californians.

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More than one-third of California teens do not participate in school physical education

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Despite a state requirement that public middle and high school students get 400 minutes of physical education every 10 days, approximately 1.3 million - more than a third (38 percent) of all adolescents enrolled in California public schools - do not participate in any school-based physical education classes, according to a new policy brief from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.

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What's the point of playing a sport if you don't have the resources to make it big?

Privatized coaches and training

Extra time to practice and dedicate time to the sport/ time constraints

Some may have the connections necessary to play at the collegiate or professional level

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Does success in high school, college and professional athletics come from pure talent and hard work? Or does a parent's income and economic status give athletes an advantage or disadvantage?

When it comes to having the right resources to be successful in pursuing a career in the world of athletics, it is no secret that money plays a huge role. According to Jon Solomon, kids living in low-income circumstances are six times more likely to quit sports due to high costs. Additionally, Black and Hispanic people are consistently higher than any other race or ethnicity. Naturally, making it harder for these minority groups to thrive as athletes in America.

Children in low-income families are oftentimes ripped away from the opportunities to develop as athletes.

"Poorer kids quit sports (due to) time constraints," points out Solomon in his article. "Their parents were two times more likely to cite lack of time as why their child quit sports than wealthy parents."

This is completely reasonable considering that the responsibilities that fall on children can be drastically different depending on the economic status of the family. For example, kids in lower-income families are often tasked with caring for other siblings, working a job and/or facing transportation issues, according to Solomon. Participating in youth sports is undoubtedly a sign of a more privileged life.

"Low-income kids ... spend more time in pickup games and free play," Solomon interestingly points out. "High-income kids spent slightly more time on practices and training."

Although not explicitly mentioned in his article, private coaching and personalized training can certainly eat up more of a family's income, making kids with more resources better suited with skills needed when it comes to high school and eventually college sports. This is just one of many resources that children in higher-income families have that other children do not.

Things get more interesting when it comes to college admissions and recruiting athletes. Put simply, spots at some of the most elite universities are basically reserved for kids who grew up playing sports under more privileged circumstances thanks to the recruiting process we know today.

A Princeton University study by Thomas J. Espenshade points out that the advantage athletes have when it comes to admissions is comparable to having a 1400 versus a 1200 on the SAT. Furthermore, not only are student-athletes favored, but they are often held at lower academic standards by admissions; according to the NCAA the minimum GPA is a 2.3 in order to play at a D1 school, and for a D2 school the minimum GPA is a 2.0.

If that isn't enough to convince you that this system may need some remodeling, It's also worth noting that coaches at schools can get preferential slots for admission. It is why it is so common to see a high school junior "verbally committing" to a top institution when scrolling through your Instagram feed. No longer having to worry about writing any of the required essays or maintain a high GPA, among other things that come with applying for college.

That is not to say recruited student athletes don't earn the positions offered to them on university sport teams, but it's important to recognize that the resources granted to them play a huge role. If other children were given the same opportunity and privilege they could have been just as good, if not better. It is also important to not generalize all college-level student athletes as "privileged" because oftentimes there are a handful of exceptions within systems, even the most corrupt and broken.

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Success in college sports: A sign of a privileged childhood

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When it comes to having the right resources to be successful in pursuing a career in the world of athletics, it is no secret that money plays a huge role.

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Ways to help overcome not being able to play a sport due to costs

Scholarships

Free camps

Equipment Drives

Famous athletes have created programs of their own to help kids from a lower socioeconomic background be able to play sports

Steph Curry program (Ace Kids Golf)

Serves up to 900 underserved youth annually from the ages of 5-18

More representation of students of color in a sport that has been considered a “caucasian game” for so long

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How Sports Facilities Can Help Low-Income Families Gain Access to Sports - Sports Facilities Companies

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Nobody should be denied the opportunity to play sports. But some families just can't afford the equipment costs and registration fees.

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Lack of coaches= lack of teams

Kids on waitlists

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MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - Registration for youth recreational basketball is this Saturday, but due to a shortage of coaches, some athletes may be waitlisted.

As of Monday afternoon, there are between 40-50 volunteer coaches.

The city has enough practice space for around 650 athletes.

The recreational program allows ten kids for every coach and needs 65 head coaches to maximize the number of athletes.

"What I'll do at registration if I don't have a coach, then I won't open those spots," youth sports supervisor Kirk Gallion said.

With the current number of coaches close to 200 athletes that could otherwise play may be wait-listed.

"It's hard when you have kids on wait lists," Gallion said. "You really want to try to get everybody in."

Gallion said they are most in need of coaches for younger groups, specifically the 6 to 8-year-old co-ed group and the 9 to 10-year-old boys.

"What we hope for, and this was the case this fall is we were able to get additional coaching for our fall baseball and softball and we added teams," Gallion said.

Jordan Pacella leads youth sports at Pepper Geddings Recreation Center. He said coaching youth sports helps shape kids' lives.

"If you've ever thought about helping out, or if it's ever something you've given a little bit of an inclination, I'd say just reach out to us," Pacella said.

Pacella also helps organize the schedules for the referees. He said that while the city is set for this season, it is going to become an issue in the coming years because most of their referees are over 60 years old.

"It's not just going to be a problem locally, but I think a lot of administrators in athletics across all levels are seeing that we're kinda projected to have ref shortage," Pacella said. "And what that does, is it starts to hurt your lower levels."

If you're interested in becoming a volunteer coach or learning about the process of becoming a referee, contact the Pepper Geddings Recreation Center.

Volunteer coaches must be 18 years or older and pass a background check.

In-person registration is at the Pepper Geddings Recreation Center.

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Myrtle Beach youth sports facing possible coaching shortage

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Registration for youth recreational basketball is this Saturday, but due to a shortage of coaches, some athletes may be waitlisted.

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Food deserts

"...food deserts typically comprise older urban areas which may have many parks and street configurations that could facilitate more physical activity."

Case studies

Conducted a study that tries to determine the correlation between park activity in affluent neighborhoods vs parks where there are food deserts

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Abstract

Although food deserts are areas that lack easy access to food outlets and considered a barrier to a healthy diet and a healthy weight among residents, food deserts typically comprise older urban areas which may have many parks and street configurations that could facilitate more physical activity. However, other conditions may limit the use of available facilities in these areas. This paper assesses the use of parks in two Pittsburgh food desert neighborhoods by using systematic observation. We found that while the local parks were accessible, they were largely underutilized. We surveyed local residents and found that only a minority considered the parks unsafe for use during the day, but a substantial proportion suffered from health limitations that interfered with physical activity. Residents also felt that parks lacked programming and other amenities that could potentially draw more park users. Parks programming and equipment in food desert areas should be addressed to account for local preferences and adjusted to meet the needs and limitations of local residents, especially seniors.

Keywords: Parks, Physical activity, Food deserts, Health disparities

Introduction

Where someone lives is considered an important determinant of health because the ambient conditions can influence not only exposure to toxic substances and hazardous conditions but settings also provide opportunities for healthy behaviors, including easy access to healthy food and places to engage in physical activity. The presence of outlets to obtain fresh fruits and vegetables has been correlated with a healthier diet1 and access to parks and recreational facilities has been correlated with higher levels of physical activity in cross-sectional studies.2,3 However, previous studies of park access have often been based upon geographic information systems (GIS), self-report or lacked direct observation of the facilities and amenities available.

Even where consumer products, facilities, and amenities are available, individuals may not take advantage of them. For example, fewer than 2 % of Americans are now estimated to live in places that are more than 1 mile from a supermarket and lack access to a vehicle.4 Yet, an estimated 97 % of Americans do not meet the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans5 and two out of three adults are overweight or obese.6 Similarly, although most urban residents live within one half mile of a public park7, parks are often underutilized.8⁻10 Inner cities often have multiple parks and plazas in close proximity to people's homes, yet the presence of facilities alone may be insufficient to encourage people to spend time outdoors.

Other environmental factors play a role in influencing choices. For example, fear of crime has often been cited as a barrier to the use of local neighborhood parks. Neighborhood poverty levels are correlated with lower park use, as well as with crime rates.8 A study of parks in New York City documented that parks in low-income areas had more incivilities than parks in higher income areas, suggesting that the park's quality, rather than accessibility, may be a factor in park use.11 Understanding the degree to which geographic access is a barrier to physical activity versus other factors is critical to informing public policy.

In order to assess the use of parks in two low-income, low-resource, predominantly African-American urban neighborhoods (also designated as food deserts), we conducted systematic observations of all parks and also interviewed neighborhood residents about their physical activity, particularly with respect to their use of local parks. These observations were part of a larger study capitalizing on a natural experiment of a neighborhood undergoing greenspace and housing renovations; the study is examining the impact of transformations on residents' active transport and physical activity. All observations and interviews were part of the baseline data collection (i.e., "pre-change" to the greenspace improvements).

Methods

We observed all of the 19 publicly-accessible parks and playgrounds in Pittsburgh's Hill District and Homewood neighborhoods from August to October 2012 using the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC),12 a validated method using momentary time sampling to assess the characteristics of parks and their users, including their physical activity levels. We mapped each park, dividing it into distinct target areas. Field staff systematically rotated through all target areas in each of the parks and playgrounds on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, 4 scans a day, for a total of 16 scans at each location. Park scans were expected to last up to 1 h. If the scan took less than 30 min, data collectors were instructed to complete a second scan during that hour. Eight community-based data collectors were trained in the SOPARC methodology. All eight data collectors completed approximately 35 h of training, which included classroom training as well as field-based practice. Data collectors were tested and certified at the end of the training period before they were allowed to begin fieldwork.

Data collectors observed the parks and playgrounds in pairs. The field coordinator conducted at least four reliability checks for each location, where she conducted an observation alongside the data collection team. In the event of rain or other inclement weather, scheduled observations were canceled and rescheduled for the same time and day of the week. Field staff also observed the appearance of parks and documented incivilities like litter, graffiti, and evidence of vandalism.

Comparison data were obtained from the National Study of Neighborhood Parks where data were collected in the spring and summer of 2014 from a random sample of parks in a representative sample of cities greater than 100,000 population.13 Pittsburgh was included in the national sample, but none of the food desert parks were selected from the 67 eligible Pittsburgh neighborhood parks.

We estimated the weekly use of each park by multiplying the average hourly use for weekdays by 55 and adding the average weekend hourly use by 22, essentially considering use for 11 h/day 7 days per week, as these are the time frames during which the observations were made.

Staff also interviewed local residents about their use of the parks. Households were enrolled into the current study as part of a larger suite of studies following the same randomly selected cohort of residents over time. For the current study, data collectors administered an extensive interview on park use, active transportation, exercise, and other sociodemographic factors. The households were originally selected from a stratified random sample of 2900 addresses zoned as residential from a list of addresses obtained after merging Allegheny County Office of Property Investment data with the Pittsburgh Neighborhood and Community Information System (PNCIS). Of the 1514 resulting addresses, we were able to contact 1259 (83 %) of them. We found 1190 of these homes eligible for participation, and 1015 (88 %) households completed the survey with an incentive.

Eligibility for enrollment into the study required that the household member be the main food shopper. In addition to multiple questions about food, participants were asked where they go most often for physical activity, whether they visit various parks in their neighborhood (and how often), what they do at the parks, and their opinions of park accessibility. Participants were also weighed and had their height measured by the interviewers.

Results

There were a total of 95.9 acres of parks in the two neighborhoods for a total of 18,620 residents or 5.2 acres/1000 population, compared to the overall city average of 10.2 acres/1000 for Pittsburgh.14 However, the calculation for the city includes some very large parks, including one over 600 acres that inflates the accessible park acreage (NYC and Chicago have 4.6 acres/1000 population).14 Compared to eight parks that were randomly selected from all neighborhood parks between two and 20 acres in Pittsburgh, the 11 parks larger than 2 acres in the food desert neighborhoods had fewer facilities and amenities, including overall fewer play areas with equipment like swings and monkey bars, and a considerable deficit in sports fields, even among parks that apparently had the necessary acreage for such fields (See Table ​Table1 1 ).

TABLE 1

Acres

# of supervised activities observed (over enter week)

Total users observed

Playground

Basketball courts

Multi-purpose field

Other facilities

Mini-parks < 2 acres

Of the total 19 parks observed in the food desert neighborhoods, across 6825 observations of 290 target areas over 4-8 days per park, target areas were empty 92 % of the time versus 74 % in a nationally representative survey of neighborhood parks and 84 % in other Pittsburgh neighborhoods (Table ​(Table2). 2 ). The users comprised 69 % children and teens, 30 % adult and 2 % seniors, while population composition of the neighborhoods is 30.2 % children and teens ages 0-19, 56.4 % adults 20-64, and 18.5 % seniors 65 and older.15 Among park users, 70 % were male and 30 % female. Among park users, 58 % were sedentary, 22 % were in moderate physical activity, and 20 % engaged in vigorous activity. We estimated that on a typical week, the average food desert park over 2 acres received 599 person-visits. This compares with an average of 1533 person-visits nationally and 1112 person in non-food desert Pittsburgh parks. Parks less than 2 acres received an estimated average of 196 person-visits (range 22-395).

TABLE 2

National neighborhood parks > 2 acres

Pittsburgh representative sample

Food desert neighborhood parks > 2 acres

Food desert mini-parks < 2 acres

N = 174

N = 8

N = 11

N = 8

Average estimated weekly users per park

1533

1112

599

196

Of the 6825 observations, supervised or organized activities were observed 62 times-fewer than 1 % of all observations. This compares to 4 % in the national sample. Moderate to a lot of litter was observed in 25 % of all observations, less than the 32 % nationally. Graffiti was more likely to be seen in the smaller parks than those with less than 2 acres (12.5 % versus 9 %). All the target areas in all the parks were rated as usable. Other incivilities like broken glass, vandalism, and signs of alcohol and drug use were relatively uncommon. In no park were any of these rated as more than some, and the average was close to none to a little.

Household Interview Responses

Compared to the population characterized by the US Census, household respondents who were the main food shoppers much more likely to be female, older, and only 37 % reported working full or part time, versus 60 % for all local residents. In our sample, more than 63 % were retired or not working (Table ​(Table3 3 ).

TABLE 3

Respondents n = 1051

Respondents (%)

ACS 2012a (%)

Age (18+)

Have children <18 at home

27.6

22.1 b

Marital status

Employment

Full-time

23.3

39.6 c

BMI

Underweight/normal (<25 kg/m ²)

22.2

-

Overweight (25 kg/m ²- < 30 kg/m ²)

27.8

-

Obese (30 kg/m ² +)

50.0

-

Many of the respondents suffered from significant health problems: 29 % reported they could not walk a single block and 49 % reported could not walk several blocks or climb a flight a stairs without difficulty; 75 % said they could not engage in vigorous activity (Table ​(Table4 4 ).

TABLE 4

n = 1051 (%)

Health limits walking one block a little/a lot

28.8

Health limits walking several blocks a little/a lot

48.9

Health limits doing vigorous activities a little/a lot

75.0

Health limits climbing one flight of stairs a little/a lot

39.2

Location of physical activity in past month

Park

6.0

Trail/Path

13.4

Gym/Recreation Center/Exercise class

15.0

Home

20.4

Other

31.5

No physical activity

13.7

Disagree or strongly disagree that parks/playgrounds in the neighborhood are difficult to get to

76.0

Attended a physical activity class in past 6 months

20.8

I feel safe walking during the day (agree or strongly agree)

85.7

It is unpleasant to walk on the streets due to street traffic (agree or strongly agree)

30.7

Park closest to your home is unsafe or very unsafe

26.1

Reasons closest park is not safe (respondents could choose multiple reasons)

Violence

16.2

Using/Selling drugs

11.4

Loitering

9.4

Poor maintenance

8.1 %

Poor lighting

6.8

Too secluded

3.3

Other

3.0

Too crowded

2.5

Additional amenities/programs respondents would like to see (respondents could make multiple choices)

Park events/fairs

44.0

Park concerts

42.3

Outdoor fitness classes

41.2

Walking paths

40.8

Lighting

38.8

Playground equipment

33.9

Arts activities

33.0

Garden area

30.8

Adult dance classes

29.5

Adult sport leagues

27.4

Quiet spaces

27.1

Youth sport leagues

26.7

Bicycle paths

26.6

Organized adventure walks

25.2

More trees

23.0

Environment activities

16.4

Only 6 % said they usually exercise in the park although 76 % disagreed that it was difficult for them to get to the park. Nearly 21 % said they attended a physical activity class in the past 6 months.

While 86 % said they felt safe walking in their neighborhood during the day, 31 % found it unpleasant to walk on the streets and 26 % considered the park closest to their home as unsafe, primarily due to violence (16 %) and/or drugs (11 %). Another 8 % said poor maintenance of the park was also a concern. Many of the respondents indicated they would like to see improvements in the local parks. 41 % wanted walking paths, 41 % outdoor fitness classes, 44 % events and fairs, 42 % concerts, 39 % more lighting, 33 % arts activities, 27 % adult sports leagues and 31 % a garden area.

Discussion

Although multiple parks were available and accessible in these food desert neighborhoods, our study documented that the parks were mostly empty with their use significantly lower than other parks both locally and nationally. As a consequence, these neighborhoods could rightly be deemed "play deserts". Few people were observed using the facilities, even though the facilities were in fairly good condition and rated as usable.

Like other parks in low-income neighborhoods, we saw few organized or supervised activities. In some cases, this may be an indication of the lack of resources and/or ability of the city to invest in staff and programming and a policy of "pay to play". In higher income area parks, organized activities may be offered, but participants might have to pay fees to cover the costs. Furthermore, parks in food desert neighborhoods lacked the multi-purpose fields necessary for organized sports. These fields draw not just players, but families and other spectators, and offer a reason for many to come out and engage in active transport just to see the competitions and associated events.

We also noted a significant gender disparity in the use of food desert parks, with substantially more males than females. This could be a reflection of the perception that parks may not be safe, but could also indicate the lack of programming, facilities, and activities targeted to females, who often participate in group activities like aerobics, Zumba, and other dance, rather than pickup games of basketball or soccer, favored by males.

Although the household population surveyed was not a representative sample for the entire population because of a high percentage of older females, the households were geographically representative of the neighborhoods. Yet, the individuals appeared to be disproportionately disabled and limited in their physical activity. This could partly explain why so few seniors and adults were observed in the parks. Nationally, seniors are also underrepresented in public parks, but the difference for adults was considerably greater in Pittsburgh. As a result, children and teens, especially males, are over-represented, and in particular, we observed disproportionately more teens in these parks.

It would be hard to argue that neighborhoods in food deserts require more parks, when existing parks are largely unused. However, these parks do have fewer facilities and lack programming, which is known to attract park users.8,16 Because it appears that a considerable percentage of the population in these neighborhoods suffer from disabilities, it would be important to consider installing special facilities like universally accessible inter-generational playgrounds. Programming should be provided and tailored for local needs, such as low-impact aerobic exercises and other classes for the elderly. Although we did not assess the neighborhood streets and whether they comply with ADA requirements, care should be taken to ensure that the sidewalks have curb cuts and are not hazardous to the elderly and the disabled.

Although some residents voiced concern about crime-violence and drugs, the overwhelming majority 86 % considered the areas to be safe in the daylight hours. And, large numbers of residents were interested in the development of new facilities like walking paths as well as programming that would increase their use of the park. It is possible that small investments in park renovations and programming could make a substantial impact on population physical activity and health. Most parks are designed generically, but given different local needs, park administrators should do their utmost to ensure that park resources are not wasted and can truly serve the residents for whom they are intended.

Research Support

This paper was supported in part by NHLBI # R01HL114432 and NCI # R01CA164137.

References

2. Roemmich JN, Epstein LH, Raja S, Yin L, Robinson J, Winiewicz D. Association of access to parks and recreational facilities with the physical activity of young children. Prev Med. 2006;43(6):437-41. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2006.07.007. [[ PubMed] [ CrossRef] Google Scholar]

3. Gordon-Larsen P, Nelson MC, Page P, Popkin BM. Inequality in the built environment underlies key health disparities in physical activity and obesity. Pediatrics. 2006;117(2):417-24. doi: 10.1542/peds.2005-0058. [[ PubMed] [ CrossRef] Google Scholar]

12. McKenzie TL, Cohen DA, Sehgal A, Williamson S, Golinelli D. System for Observing Parks and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC): reliability and feasibility measures. J Phys Act Health. 2006;3(Suppl 1):S208-22. [[ PMC free article] [ PubMed] Google Scholar]

13. Cohen DA (2015). The National Study of Neighborhood Parks: preliminary results. Greater and Greener Conference. San Francisco.

Articles from Journal of Urban Health : Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine are provided here courtesy of New York Academy of Medicine

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Although food deserts are areas that lack easy access to food outlets and considered a barrier to a healthy diet and a healthy weight among residents, food deserts typically comprise older urban areas which may have many parks and street configurations ...

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Research will be presented during AAP 2022 National Conference & Exhibition

ANAHEIM, Calif.--High rates of depression and anxiety reported by adolescent athletes whose sports were cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic improved significantly a year later when they were able to resume playing sports, according to new research.

The author of an abstract, "The Influence of Return to Sport on Mental Health, Physical Activity and Quality of Life Among Adolescent Athletes During COVID-19," will present his findings during the AAP 2022 National Conference and Exhibition in Anaheim, CA.

"For decades, organized sport participation has been shown to have significant physical and mental health benefits for adolescents, but the COVID-19 pandemic really made this even more clear," said the author, Drew Watson, MD, MS, a team physician for the University of Wisconsin Athletics.

"The cancellation of sports in the early pandemic was accompanied by decreased physical activity and quality of life, as well as startlingly high levels of anxiety and depression. Although the return to sports has been associated with large improvements in physical activity levels, quality of life and mental health, we are still seeing higher levels of anxiety and depression than before COVID-19, suggesting that this will remain a vitally important priority for years to come."

A total 17,421 teens nationwide completed surveys including demographic and sport participation information in May 2020 following COVID-19 related sport cancellations and after returning to sports in May 2021, according to the abstract.

When sports were cancelled, adolescent athletes reported low levels of physical activity, poor quality of life and high rates of anxiety and depression. One year later, those athletes who were able to return to sports reported significant increases in physical activity and quality of life. The proportion of adolescents who reported moderate to severe anxiety or depression was reduced by about half.

Dr. Watson suggests that the opportunity to participate in organized sports can have dramatic benefits for adolescent quality of life and mental health.

Dr. Watson is scheduled to present an abstract of the study, available below, Saturday, Oct. 8 between 2:15 pm PT and 3:15 pm PT during the Council for Sports Medicine and Fitness H program at the Anaheim Marriott, Platinum Ballroom. To request an interview with the author, journalists may contact Gian Galassi at Galassi@uwhealth.org.

Please note: only the abstract is being presented at the meeting. In some cases, the researcher may have more data available to share with media, or may be preparing a longer article for submission to a journal.
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org. Reporters can access the meeting program and other relevant meeting information through the AAP meeting website at http://www.aapexperience.org/ ABSTRACT
Program Name: 2022 AAP National Conference & Exhibition

Abstract Title The Influence of Return to Sport on Mental Health, Physical Activity and Quality of Life Among Adolescent Athletes During COVID-19

Drew Watson

Madison, WI, United States

COVID-19 has had profound detrimental impacts on the mental health of children and adolescents. Among youth athletes, the loss of sports was associated with dramatic increases in anxiety and depression and significant reductions in quality of life (QOL) and physical activity (PA). Although PA and organized sport participation have historically been associated with improved mental health and well-being among adolescents, the impact of the return to sports on psychosocial outcomes in young athletes during COVID-19 is poorly defined. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes in mental health, QOL and PA among adolescent athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic as organized sports resumed.

Adolescent athletes from throughout the United States completed surveys including demographic and sport participation information, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 Item (PHQ-9), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 item (GAD-7), and the Hospital for Special Surgery Physical Function and Activity Brief Scale (PFABS) in May 2020 following COVID-19 related sport cancelations (Spring20) and after returning to sports in May 2021 (Spring21). The groups were balanced by inverse propensity score weighting using age, geographic region, school enrollment, socioeconomic status, number of sports played, and sport type. Thereafter, continuous variables were compared using ANOVA models, and categorical outcomes were compared using age and sex-adjusted ordinal regression models.

A total of 17,421 participants were included (Spring20=13,002; Spring21=4,419; 16.2 +/- 1.2 years; 53% female). Anxiety was significantly lower (better) in Spring21 than Spring20 with respect to GAD-7 total scores (Spring20 = 7.0 [6.9,7.1], Spring21 = 4.9 [4.8,5.0], p< 0.001) as well as the prevalence of moderate to severe anxiety (Spring20 = 29.4%, Spring21 = 17.1%, p< 0.001; see Figure 1). Similarly, depression was significantly improved in Spring21 with respect to PHQ-9 total scores (Spring20 = 7.6 [7.5,7.7], Spring21 = 4.6 [4.5,4.8], p< 0.001) as well as the prevalence of moderate to severe depression (Spring20 = 32.2%, Spring21 = 15.4%, p< 0.001; see Figure 2). Lastly, athletes in Spring21 reported higher levels of PA (Spring20 = 13.8 [13.6,13.9], Spring21 = 22.7 [22.6,22.9], p< 0.001) and QOL (Spring20 = 79.6 [79.3,79.9], Spring21 = 84.7 [84.4,85.0], p< 0.001).

Adolescent athletes reported significant impairments in mental health, QOL and PA during the early pandemic when sports were canceled. In 2021, after returning to sports, athletes report significant improvements in mental health, PA and QOL. Unfortunately, the reported levels of anxiety, depression and QOL remain worse than previously reported values among adolescents before COVID-19. This suggests that while sport participation may have a significant and beneficial impact on psychosocial outcomes, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and well-being of young athletes will remain an important consideration into the future.

Figure 10

Proportions of adolescent athletes reporting different levels of anxiety early in the COVID-19 pandemic following sport cancelation (2020) and after returning to sport participation (2021).

Figure 2

Proportions of adolescent athletes reporting different levels of depression early in the COVID-19 pandemic following sport cancelation (2020) and after returning to sport participation (2021).

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COVID-19 Pandemic Cancellations Took Harsh Toll on Teen Athletes, Whose Mental and Physical Health Improved Significantly After Sports Resumed

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Research will be presented during AAP 2022 National Conference & Exhibition

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On the Contrary: Should athletes pay to play?

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Across America, high school athletes are being forced to pay large amounts of money to play for their respective teams. The cost of paying for sports in the U.S. has caused some dissension among people in sports. The question that these people debate is whether or not athletes should have to pay to play sports....

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Junior Golf | United States | Ace Kids Golf

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Ace Kids Golf is the premier east bay junior golf program. Our mission is to create positive and productive citizens through youth development,life skills and educational opportunities using the game of golf.

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Early this morning, 17-year-old Hope Hall hopped a flight with her family from their home in Florida bound for San Francisco on a trip that marks a first on several fronts.

It's Hope's first visit to Northern California for her first round at TPC Harding Park, the historic muni and major-championship host. It is also her first chance to meet Steph Curry, at a gathering in advance of the Curry Cup, the final event in the inaugural season of the NBA star's passion project: the Underrated Golf Tour.

"I'm excited for all of it," Hope says.

True to its name, the Underrated Tour has bootstrapping ambitions. High among them is to expand golf's reach by providing equal opportunity and access to young players from communities that the game has often overlooked.

How this woman's work is changing lives, one injured veteran at a time

The goal, to borrow Curry's words, is to help golf live up to its promise as "a game for everyone."

As a Black female golfer, Hope is just the sort of student-athlete Underrated has in mind. But her beat-the-odds story runs deeper than that. Hope was an underdog before she ever swung a club.

The second of three children of Marvin and Pam Hall, she was born 28 weeks prematurely, when, according to health-care data, infant survival rates are a shade better than 50/50. Hope was barely a pound when she went from the womb to the incubator, and so scrawny that her leg could fit inside her father's wedding ring.

By age 3, Hope was well out of danger, but her fine motor skills were undeveloped. To help her progress, her parents, neither of whom played golf, put a plastic club in her hands and allowed her to start swinging in the safety of their home. The smile on her face told mom and dad that they were onto something.

At 6, Hope played her first tournament round, firing a 72.

"People are always impressed when they hear that," she says. "Until I tell them it was only nine holes."

In Maryland, where her family lived, joining a private club was out of the question. But a public facility called Mitchell's Golf Complex offered ready access. It also proved a gateway to invaluable instruction when a teaching pro named Nancy Row noticed Hope and offered to take her under her wing.

In those early years, Hope approached golf with the joyful innocence of youth, focused on the shots, not the surroundings. But as her game matured and her perspective broadened, there's was no ignoring the obvious: golf's demographics did not reflect the diversity of the world she knew.

"I can get lonely out there sometimes as a person of color," Hope says. "You're definitely aware that not a lot of people look like you."

Courtesy of Hope Hall

On the junior circuit, that awareness often came with an added burden. Hope felt pressure to represent.

"I was worried that if I played badly, some might see it as evidence that people like me didn't really belong in golf," she says.

More often than not, though, Hope played well. After her parents' work took the family overseas, first to Nigeria and then South Africa, the Halls settled in Florida, where Hope starred on the high school team at the St. Andrew's School, in Boca Raton, the alma mater of the former LPGA stalwart Morgan Pressel. Hope's team won the district championship three times.

It was during her senior season, this past spring, that Hope first caught wind of the Underrated Golf Tour. The concept struck a chord with her, and not only for the golf. The circuit offers an array of off-course programs, including a guest-speaker series and networking events with leading brands and corporations: golf as a portal to greater opportunity.

So far this season, the Underrated Tour has staged four 36-hole tournaments, in Chicago, Phoenix, Tampa and Houston. Hope competed in three of those events, missing only Phoenix so she could play in the Florida Girls' Junior Championship, where she finished T-3.

This fall, Hope will enroll at Dartmouth College, where she plans to study bio-medical engineering while playing on the golf team. She's chomping at the bit to get that going.

But first things first. On the Underrated Tour, this week's grand finale is also known as the Tour Championship, and like the other Tour Championship, currently unfolding in Atlanta, it will showcase a limited field: the top 12 season-long point earners in the boys' and girls' division. Hope is not the only Hall who made the cut. Her younger sister, Alana, will peg it at Harding, too.

"(This Tour) is so brilliant and amazing because it removes a lot of the pressure minority golfers often feel in predominantly white spaces," Hope says. "Even though it's a competition, it's less stressful because you're not the only person of color out there. It feels easier to be yourself."

Also like the Tour Championship at East Lake, the Curry Cup features a staggered start. Hope will step up to the first tee at three-under, two shots behind the leaders.

In the grand scheme, that's not much to overcome.

The Curry Cup runs Aug. 28-30, at TPC Harding Park, in San Francisco. For more information, visit stayunderrated.com.

Golf.com Contributor

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How Steph Curry's golf tour is helping make the sport 'a game for everyone'

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Thanks to Steph Curry's Underrated Golf Tour, underrepresented demographics are getting a chance to shine on the golf course.

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If I may name-drop for moment, a number of years ago I was chatting with Tom Farrey, ESPN reporter and executive director of the Aspen Institute's Sports & Society program, about youth sports issues, which he has covered well, in particular with his essential book of How We Got Here in Youth Sports, "Game On."

I'm 47, and he's a few years older than I am but essentially of the same generation, and we agreed on this as one of the biggest changes we saw in attitudes toward youth sports from our childhood: the very much increased emphasis by parents of means to get their children into college or pro sports, rather than assuming only poor kids who had no other options would even try to conceive of such goals.

Since that conversion, if I may speak for Tom Farrey, as writers and sports parents we have only seen this trend increase. And this is borne out in statistics provided by the NCAA in its Goals Study, which examines the youth sports experiences of its college athletes. In 2016, I noted the study's finding that college athletes tend to start their sporting "careers" early, and specialize in one sport early, usually by the age of 12.

Recently, Farrey had the NCAA break out its numbers some more, and in a probably related note to the early participation and specialization of athletes, found what he called "gentrification" in many college sports, particularly NCAA Division men's basketball, the previous poster child for opportunities sought by poor kids who appeared to have no other options. Farrey, writing on ESPN's The Undefeated site, uses gentrification to note the decline of first-generation college students in intercollegiate athletics:

Fewer than 1 in 5 students playing Division 1 hoops, and 1 in 7 in all Division 1 sports, come from families in which neither parent went to college. And their numbers are declining.

Educators call such students "first gens," or members of the first generation of their family to attend college. It is a closely tracked figure because it's a key measure of socioeconomic opportunity. First gens are typically from poor and working-class families that have difficulty paying for college without scholarships. For first gen athletes who don't go onto the pros - the vast majority - an athletic scholarship is their ticket not just to a degree, but also for entry into the middle class. ...

Surprisingly, the data revealed that most Division 1 sports experienced steep drops in first gen students [between 2010 and 2015]. The falloff was dramatic even in the sports most associated with tales of uplift: In men's basketball, the sport that used to have the highest percentage of first gens, the number plummeted by a third in just five years. Women's basketball experienced a similar drop. Football fell by more than 10 percent. ...

And the bottom line - that only 14.2 percent of all Division 1 athletes are first gens - most likely overstates their presence. The NCAA did not survey athletes in 10 smaller sports, several of which can be expensive to play and thus less accessible to families that lack resources: equestrian, fencing, men's gymnastics, bowling, rifle, rugby, sailing, sand volleyball, skiing and squash.

In fact, the first-generation athlete percentage in Division I, the highest level, is lower than it is for Division III, which nominally does not award athletic scholarships. How to explain the decline in big-time, first-generation athletes? Farrey explains:

1. Rising academic standards at the NCAA and its member colleges.

2. The increasing importance and cost of early training to being recruited for Division 1 sports.

3. A growing black middle class that can afford the early training and educational advantages that open the door to college sports opportunities.

Points numbers one and three don't seem like inherently bad things. What's wrong with students being better prepared academically for college? Certainly, nobody also would -- or should -- argue that a growing black middle class that can offer greater opportunities to its children is a problem.

Regarding grades, as Farrey explains in his article, the other side of the NCAA tightening academic requirements is that it squeezes out athletes from poorer backgrounds who, with some guidance at the college level, could improve their status and become products students and athletes.

But the bigger issues for those athletes is points No. 2 and 3. With parents of means wiling to spend more money, earlier, on their children's athletic development, that raises the price for everyone else who wants to participate, and creates a more professionalized youth sports environment where being developed and discovered early becomes more critical. As for point No. 3, the growing black middle class is only doing what anyone else with sports ambitions for their children are trying to do in order to keep up. And I don't mean necessarily for college sports. I've had parents tell me they do to make sure their kid can make a high school team.

The result, too, is that kids who aren't in this system early can get discouraged from participating, particularly as they see the reality: if you want to win a state high school championship in any sport, your chances increase significantly if you're at a "rich" school. Farrey's story opens with an athlete from a poorer background who will be a first-generation college student, but it notes later how his family, thanks to their savviness and his basketball talent, was able to place him in a more elite private school to further his development and exposure.

So how does this problem get solved? Farrey doesn't offer solutions, and I'm not sure I can offer any either. You're not going to stop parents who want to spend money from spending it, and for that reason you're sure not going to diminish the youth sports-industrial complex that has developed as a result.

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Using Sports To Get Out of Poverty Doesn't Work When You Have To Be Rich To Play

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Increasingly, big-time college athletes are the children of those who already have gone to college.

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Stereotypes
When I think back to my childhood, our local community center comes to mind. Sports programs were offered at this center which positively affected the social communication skills of black kids, and encouraged a wide-range of experiences and opportunities. For example, their programs helped to develop social interaction and social skills development, (i.e., teamwork, nonverbal communication, sportsmanship, team building, communication under pressure, conflict resolution, and empathy). Sports had a positive impact on black kids and many achieved greatness in their respective sports in high school and even college. The challenge is that many black kids also had a unique set of talents, interests, and potential in other aspects of life that were hidden by their interest in sports. Black kids were not limited to being athletes when I was a child, nor are they now. However, the problem is that society tends to support black athletes yet fails to recognize their diverse aspirations beyond sports.
Why Does This Happen?
It happens because of the overrepresentation of black athletes in certain sports, particularly in professional basketball and football. This visibility in sports media and popular culture can contribute to the perception that all black individuals excel primarily in athletics. Additionally, historical factors such as racial segregation and limited opportunities for black individuals in certain areas, including education and professional careers, may have contributed to a focus on sports as a means of social mobility and success. This, in turn, can reinforce the stereotype that black individuals are predominantly athletes.​ These perceptions, however, are not accurate representations of the diverse talents, interests, and abilities of black kids. Just like kids of any other race or ethnicity, black kids have a wide range of passions and skills that extend beyond sports.

Why are Black Kids Only Considered Exceptional as Athletes?
The notion that black kids are only considered exceptional as athletes can be influenced by a variety of factors, including historical patterns, cultural influences, limited exposure to diverse experiences and achievements, and representation in sports media. It is also the social construct that black athletes possess a physical and natural ability that allows them to overcome their perceived cognitive deficits by playing sports. That is called racism friends, compared to white kids who are seen as possessing a special knowledge or intellectual skillset (i.e., being witty or gifted), that allows for greater athleticism. Of course this, more than likely, derived from slavery. You may not want to hear this fact, but it is true. In other words, the fittest and strongest survived and passed athletic skills down throughout generations. I know, antiquated but,
Scientists had to justify it somehow because black athletes were not clever enough to use their intelligence to understand their chosen sport, right?
The notion of black kids only being exceptional as athletes continues today and here are a few reasons why this behavior persists:

Representation in professional sports: Black athlete's achievements have garnered considerable attention and media coverage, reinforcing the perception that black kids are primarily exceptional in athletics. Get a backup plan!

Socioeconomic factors: Limited access to quality education or fewer resources in certain communities, may influence the types of opportunities available to black kids. This creates barriers in areas other than athletics, potentially leading to a narrower focus on sports as a viable path for success

Media portrayal: Media representation plays a significant role in shaping public perceptions. The media often highlights stories of black athletes' accomplishments, while other achievements in academics, arts, sciences, and various professional fields may receive less coverage. This can reinforce the idea that black kids can only excel primarily in athletics

How To Overcome This Stereotype
To teach black kids that their dreams matter, foster an environment that promotes inclusivity, provides support, and encourages of their aspirations. Here are some ways to accomplish this:

See Black Kids As Being More Than Athletes: Becoming a professional athlete can be a challenging and competitive journey that requires a combination of talent, dedication, hard work, perseverance, and a bit of luck. The likelihood of becoming a professional athlete is relatively low compared to the number of individuals who participate in sports at the youth and amateur levels. Black kids need to know this fact and learn how to pursue other career opportunities and not just athletics

Representation and Role Models: Show diverse role models. Highlight and celebrate the accomplishments of successful black people, (including black athletes), across different careers and sports

Mentorship and Guidance: Connect black kids with mentors who can provide guidance, advice, and support. Mentors can share their own experiences, offer encouragement, and help navigate the challenges that arise on the path to achieving their dreams

Belief and Encouragement: Show unwavering belief in the potential and academic and cognitive abilities of black kids. Provide consistent positive reinforcement and constructive feedback can help build their confidence and self-belief to learn that there are opportunities. Promote a well-rounded approach that values both intellectual and athletic growth

Empowerment and Advocacy: Empower black kids to advocate for themselves and others. Teach them about their rights, help them develop their voices, and encourage them to address any instances of discrimination or inequality they may encounter.

Black Kids Can Teach Us More Than Sports
Please do not to view black kids solely through the lens of athletics. Reducing black kids' identities or potential to a single aspect, such as their athletic ability, is unfair and limits their opportunities for growth and success in other areas. Black kids possess skills and talents needed in our society in academics, arts, sciences, entrepreneurship, leadership, and other academic opportunities. Promote a holistic approach to their development to help them realize their full potential and pursue their dreams in various areas of life. We can learn a lot from black kids by active listening, engaging in dialogue, and being open to learning to gain valuable insight and to broaden our understanding of their career aspirations and goals. Valuing and supporting black kids in all aspects of their lives helps to break down stereotypes, promotes inclusivity, and recognizes their talents and abilities beyond the realm of athletics. This approach fosters a more balanced and empowering environment that respects and appreciates their diverse strengths and aspirations.

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Q30: Why Are Black Kids Only Considered Exceptional As Athletes?

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Stereotypes When I think back to my childhood, our local community center comes to mind. Sports programs were offered at this center which positively affected the social communication skills of black...

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LFG Marketing | June 2019
Have you noticed that some parents see Little League games and tennis lessons as college-fund investments?

As competitive youth sports have become a full-blown industry requiring more of a family's time and money, one of the rationalizations for continued participation is the tantalizing possibility that your child could receive a college scholarship for

their athletic prowess. "Scholarship assistance" companies actively market this dream, saying their expert training and/or marketing services can turn your child's athletic ability into free money for college.

But counting on an athletic scholarship is arguably the most unrealistic and expensive way to pay for higher education. If you think otherwise, a reality check is in order.
The Tough Numbers on Athletic Scholarships
The percentage of scholarship-worthy athletes is very low - and parents tend to wildly over-estimate their child's ability. Although the numbers vary slightly by sport (see Fig. 1), the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) reports that only 2% of high-school athletes will receive college scholarships in their sport. In other words: out of 50 high-school athletes, only one is good enough to merit an athletic scholarship.

But when it comes to their child's athletic ability, many parents feel the numbers don't apply. In a 2019 survey on the cost of youth sports by TD Ameritrade, 40% of parents with children in competitive youth sports said they felt confident their child would get an athletic scholarship. One-third of these parents saw either Olympic or professional athletic careers as a real possibility, and 15 percent said they were "counting on it." When the difference between expectations and reality is this great, it reflects a serious disconnect.

Most athletic scholarships do not cover all expenses. When parents and young athletes dream about athletic scholarships, they usually talk about a "full ride" that covers all costs. But with the exception of high-revenue Division I glamor sports like football and basketball, most athletic scholarships aren't full rides; many are less than $5,000.

An athletic department's budget gives each team a specific number of scholarships, to be divided at the coach's discretion. If a tennis team is allocated 7 scholarships, the coach might give one highly-coveted athlete a full ride. But most likely, each scholarship will be divided amongst several prospective student-athletes, depending on their financial circumstances and perceived value to the program. If six scholarships are spread across 20 players, the scholarship will be a fraction of the cost of attendance, with the student-athlete and the parents required to make up the difference.

The development costs are steep. To improve their chances of becoming scholarship-worthy, many parents and young athletes commit extra time and resources to becoming better players. One-on-one coaching, summer camps, specialized equipment, out-of-season training and travel teams are seen as essential to maximizing talent and getting the attention of college coaches.

It is expensive. Parents in the TDA survey reported spending between $100-$499/mo. per child on elite youth sports; 20 percent of families spent $1,000 or more. For some sports, the costs are even higher: Wintergreen Research found families with children playing elite level youth hockey typically spent over $25,000 annually. "(Youth sports) is a machine. To be part of the machine, you have to buy in early and often," said Travis Dorsch, a former NFL player and Assistant Professor at Utah State University.

These costs strain household finances. Sixty percent of the parents surveyed said the cost of youth sports has them concerned about their ability to save for the future. Over 70 percent said they cut out extras, saved less, tapped college funds, or delayed retirement to pay for sports. Does this sound like good financial management?

Injuries and burn-out are wild cards. Even if a child is blessed with great athletic ability, and even if the family can afford the best training and opportunities for exposure, a scholarship is far from certain.

There can be career-ending injuries: recurring concussions, broken bones, torn ligaments can diminish skills or preclude participation.

And some young athletes burn out; they lose interest, discover other passions. The pressure of using sports to pay for college may actually increase the likelihood of burn-out. Dorsch found that:
"The more money families spend on sports, the less their children enjoy it. We would have expected that kids of means are going to have more fun and be more committed because their parents can afford all the best equipment and coaches, but we found the exact opposite...Kids perceive the emotional and financial investment in their extracurricular activities as unwanted pressure." Get Real About Athletic Scholarships
Good parenting often involves financial sacrifices, and only you can truly weigh the value of those sacrifices. But in general, sacrificing to pursue an athletic scholarship isn't realistic.

Participation in youth sports offers many positives for kids. But when the purpose of participation is a scholarship, sometimes playing becomes a job instead of a joy - for both the athlete and the parents.

Lifetime Financial Growth, LLC is an Agency of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian), New York, NY. Securities products and advisory services offered through Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS), member FINRA, SIPC. OSJ: 244 Blvd of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 (412) 391-6700. PAS is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Guardian. This firm is not an affiliate or subsidiary of PAS. 2019-80670 EXP 05/2021

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Reality Check: The Delusion of an Athletic Scholarship

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LFG Marketing | June 2019 Have you noticed that some parents see Little League games and tennis lessons as college-fund investments? As competitive youth sports have become a full-blown industry requiring more of a family's time and money, one of the rationalizations for continued participation is the tantalizing possibility that your child could receive a college scholarship for their athletic prowess.

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Children who eat more ultra-processed food gain weight more quickly, study suggests | CNN

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The researchers also found that ultra-processed foods - including frozen pizzas, fizzy drinks, mass-produced bread and some ready-to-eat meals - accounted for a very high proportion of children's diets.

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Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.

A paper by Cornell researchers published Thursday in the journal Obesity Science & Practice, suggests that foods heavy in sugar, salt, and calories are not likely to be the leading causes of obesity, according to the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab, but rather, it's overeating and lack of exercise.

"Simply put, just because those things can lead you to get fat doesn't mean that's what is making us fat," co-author David Just told the Cornell Chronicle. "By targeting just these vilified foods, we are creating policies that are not just highly ineffective, but may be self-defeating as it distracts from the real underlying causes of obesity."

Researchers analyzed the results of the 2007-08 National Household and Nutrition Examination Survey, a CDC program that surveys the health of adults and children in the United States, looking at a sample of about 5,000 American adults. They found no link between the consumption of fast food or sugary snacks and weight gain for 95 percent of the subjects. The exceptions, they said, were either severely underweight or morbidly obese.

Multiple studies suggest that calorie-dense food can create health problems, including an increased risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and the study's authors said their findings do not mean that junk food is harmless.

"One must be careful not to misinterpret the findings of this study to mean that eating fast food, candy, and soft drinks does not affect the health of children and adults," Samantha Heller, a senior clinical nutritionist at New York University Medical Center, told the Chicago Tribune. "Anecdotally, the diets of the patients I see who are struggling with being overweight or obese are often high in fast and junk foods and sugar."

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Study: Junk Food's Not to Blame for Obesity

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Foods heavy in sugar, salt, and calories are not likely to be the leading cause of obesity. Overconsumption and lack of exercise are to blame.

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Monthly Issue Rediscovering America's Pastime

Drake Lewis, a recent graduate of Maret School in Washington, D.C., noticed something peculiar as he played travel baseball for many years. He struggled to find stores where he could buy baseball equipment in his predominantly Black neighborhood.

"Baseball isn't valued where I live," said Lewis, who is Black.

Among Black youth living in urban areas, Lewis' story isn't unique. While Black and White students report playing high school baseball at the same rate - 10 percent - research from the Aspen Institute's Reimagining School Sports initiative has identified stark differences based on where those students live.

Only 6 percent of Black students at urban public schools have played high school baseball, a lower percentage than for Black students at rural (14 percent) and suburban (11 percent) schools. By contrast, 10 percent of White students from urban schools have played baseball, nearly the same rate as rural (11 percent) and suburban (13 percent) students who are White.

That gap both reinforces and helps to explain the growing disconnect between baseball and Black America. And it largely stems from a parallel crisis of affordability and accessibility, generated by the highly commercialized youth sports industry.

"When you see people who look like you, that makes you enjoy playing even more, and it feels like you belong."

Years ago, Black kids in America's cities could play baseball with friends on neighborhood fields. They could compete in community-driven local leagues, receiving quality coaching and instruction.

But those days are long gone. In the here and now, travel ball dominates the youth baseball culture. Most of those teams are based in White communities, not Black ones. They are expensive, too: Lewis' team, DC Dynasty, charges $1,850 to play on its 16U Gold team - and that's before equipment and travel fees.

The result? Many Black children are left behind, simply because they can't afford to participate.

"Unfortunately, now you don't see access to fields. You see chain-linked [fenced] fields," former Major League Baseball player Jeffrey Hammonds, associate director of player programs at the MLB Players Association, said at the Aspen Institute's Project Play Summit in 2020. "Understand that the growth and the profit that has been generated through youth and travel sports, they're putting a lot of money on these fields. These fields are not for the public to go practice and just play on.

"I don't understand how you have to pay $10, $15, or $25 just to go out there and play, or you're being pushed off the field because you don't have parental supervision or didn't sign up on a website for that block of time. We're reducing kids from organically playing."

Consider the state of baseball in Oakland, California. For decades, Oakland produced many elite Black MLB players, such as Frank Robinson, Rickey Henderson, Dave Stewart, Joe Morgan, Curt Flood, Jimmy Rollins, and many more. They honed their skills with long-running organizations like the Babe Ruth League.

At its peak from the mid-1980s to mid-1990s, Oakland's Babe Ruth League had 1,200 players and 92 percent of them were Black, according to KTVU Fox 2 in Oakland. Today, the league has fewer than 250 players and has 40 percent Black representation, mirroring the community's changing demographics. Many Black families moved out of once-predominantly Black neighborhoods due to rising home prices and gentrification.

Recently, Oakland-based Coaching Corps launched its Racial Equity and Access in Youth Sports Task Force to help level the playing field in Oakland. In addition, the Aspen Institute's Project Play will produce in 2022 a State of Play Oakland report, in partnership with Stephen and Ayesha Curry's Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation, that will offer recommendations on how to get more quality sports access to underserved youth.

Then there's the reality that too many Black kids don't see themselves in baseball. That's true in the major leagues, where Black players accounted for just 8 percent of the players on Opening Day rosters in 2020, down from a 1981 peak of 19 percent, according to the Society for American Baseball Research. And it's true at the lower levels of the sport..

"What's weird about Dynasty is we have a decent number of minority baseball players on the team even though we played a lot of all-White teams," said Lewis, the young Washington, D.C., baseball player. "When you see people who look like you, that makes you enjoy playing even more, and it feels like you belong."

Baseball is not the only sport with accessibility problems. Across the flawed U.S. youth sport development system, children are ejected at young ages based on their playing ability and/or ability to pay. It's the up-or-out model of management consulting firms, applied to America's kids: Either you're talented or wealthy enough to keep moving up in your sport, or you're discarded and forgotten.

For a child to enjoy what many parents view as a quality sports experience, their family must possess certain luxuries: the financial luxury to spend thousands of dollars a year on equipment and team fees as well as the luxuries of time and transportation to ferry their child to countless practices, games, and tournaments.

Black kids in low-income areas often lack all three. "We need parks and recs to know we need them," Hammonds said. "Hold free clinics, give out free equipment and gloves."

The White-Black divide in baseball is hardly new. In 2003, a Gallup poll found that 5 percent of Black Americans said baseball was their favorite sport to watch, down from 43 percent in 1960. And while economic disparities play a major role, there are other driving factors.

In 1986, Bo Jackson was the No. 1 overall pick in the National Football League Draft and a fourth-round selection in the MLB Draft. He played both sports professionally, something almost unheard of today. Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson, Kyler Murray, Jameis Winston, and Colin Kaepernick were all drafted or pursued by MLB teams before choosing football, even though football has a shorter career shelf life and higher injury risk.

In the eyes of many Black youngsters, there are two paths to professional sports fortune and fame: football and basketball. Baseball is an afterthought.

"These kids don't feel sometimes that they can be seen [in baseball]," Baseball Hall of Fame member and current MLB advisor Ken Griffey Jr. recently told The Washington Post. "Nick Saban, John Calipari - all these great [college football and basketball] coaches can come to a kid's house and have dinner with them. The [National Collegiate Athletic Association] allows that.

"But the NCAA doesn't allow a professional [baseball] team to go visit a kid they may or may not draft. If Nick Saban shows up at your house, everybody in the neighborhood knows it, so the notoriety is there. We don't have that."

Research shows that Black children start in organized sports nearly a year later than their White peers, after age 8. Once they begin, their parents are more motivated to keep them in sports to realize long-term rewards. According to 2019 research by the Aspen Institute and Utah State University, Black parents rated the pursuit of a college scholarship as 23 percent more important than White parents did, and Black parents rated a pro sports opportunity as 26 percent more important.

Similarly, Aspen Institute research has found that 50 percent of Black high school students list college scholarships as a motivation for their choice to play sports, compared to 36 percent of White students.

As such, it's hardly surprising that Black youth have migrated away from baseball and toward football and basketball. In a given season, NCAA Division I baseball teams can offer up to 11.7 scholarships split among 27 to 35 players. Football teams can offer 85 scholarships and basketball teams 13.

The upstream result? College sports look a lot like professional sports: In Division I, football and basketball players are majority Black, while baseball players are 79 percent White.

"Baseball has become too White," University of Michigan baseball coach Erik Bakich said at the Aspen Institute's Project Play Summit in 2019. "There's a lot of great athletes out there, and I think it's ridiculous the costs of travel ball and some of these showcases. It negates opportunities for a lot of kids."

Michigan is trying to change that dynamic - not only for racial equity but also to win games. Bakich intentionally recruits from inner cities, and in 2019, the Wolverines reached the College World Series with a roster of 20 percent minority players. Bakich talks often about how he wants a team that looks like America, a country in which more than two-fifths of the population now identify as people of color.

Michigan built a pipeline from the Amateur City Elite program sponsored by the Chicago White Sox and MLB's regional prospect development events. These events, such as the Hank Aaron Invitational, invite some of the nation's top Black youth players to learn the game from retired major league coaches and players. Pro and college scouts are also invited to attend.

This year, MLB announced it would donate up to $150 million to the Players Alliance, a nonprofit formed in 2020 by more than 100 Black current and former players in the wake of George Floyd's death. That money is intended to boost Black participation in baseball by funding leagues, equipment, tournaments, clinics, playground activities, and educational grants and scholarships, as well as programs to help support baseball in city and public schools.

MLB also has urban youth academies in Cincinnati, Compton, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, New Orleans, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. In New Orleans, Xavier University of Louisiana, a historically Black institution, is playing college baseball for the first time since 1960 - and using MLB's Urban Youth Academy at Wesley Barrow Stadium for practices and games.

In February, 10 of the school's 43 players were alumni of the academy. "Kids can now see the whole pipeline," Eddie Davis, academy's director, told The New York Times. "The younger kids can see former academy kids playing high school on the same field and now playing college on the same field. It's tangible. Before, it was kind of grayish; you really can't touch it. But now, you can."

The lesson? Accessibility matters. So does representation. Children are more likely to play a sport when it's affordable to do so - and when they see people who look like them playing and coaching. If you want to grow Black youth participation in baseball, then show kids like Lewis that they are truly valued.
Jon Solomon is editorial director of the Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program, whose main initiative is Project Play. Learn more about Project Play

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How Youth Baseball Excludes Kids of Color - Global Sport Matters

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High participation costs and a lack of representation at all levels of the sport discourage participation in youth baseball.

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Language: English | French

Laura K Purcell and Canadian Paediatric Society, Paediatric Sports and Exercise Medicine Section

Abstract

Nutrition is an important part of sport performance for young athletes, in addition to allowing for optimal growth and development. Macronutrients, micronutrients and fluids in the proper amounts are essential to provide energy for growth and activity. To optimize performance, young athletes need to learn what, when and how to eat and drink before, during and after activity.

Keywords: Adolescents, Athletes, Children, Nutrition, Sports

Résumé

La nutrition est une partie importante de la performance sportive des jeunes athlètes, sans compter qu'elle favorise une croissance et un développement optimaux. Il est essentiel de consommer la bonne quantité de macronutriments, de micronutriments et de liquides pour fournir l'énergie nécessaire à la croissance et aux activités. Pour optimiser leur performance, les jeunes athlètes doivent apprendre quoi, quand et comment manger et boire avant, pendant et après l'activité.

Français en page 203
Proper nutrition is vital for child and adolescent athletes to attain proper growth and perform optimally in sports. Young athletes need to learn what foods are good for energy, when to eat certain foods, how to eat during an event, and when and what to eat to replenish after activity. A well-balanced diet containing appropriate amounts of macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fat) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) is essential to provide enough energy for growth and activity. Fluids are also essential for hydration to support growth and athletic performance.

ENERGY REQUIREMENTS

Basic nutrition is important for growth, achieving good health and scholastic achievement, and providing energy ( 1). Sports nutrition enhances athletic performance by decreasing fatigue and the risk of disease and injury; it also enables athletes to optimize training and recover faster ( 1). Balancing energy intake with energy expenditure is crucial to prevent an energy deficit or excess. Energy deficits can cause short stature, delayed puberty, menstrual dysfunction, loss of muscle mass and increased susceptibility for fatigue, injury or illness ( 2, 3). Energy excess can result in overweight and obesity ( 4).

Before puberty, minimum nutritional and energy requirements (caloric needs) are similar for boys and girls. Energy requirements for adolescents are more variable, depending on age, activity level, growth rate and stage of physical maturity ( Table 1 ) ( 1). These recommended energy allowances are the minimum necessary to ensure proper growth and bodily functions. Extra calories are needed during growth spurts and to replenish energy expended during athletic endeavours ( 1, 5, 6). For example, a 30 kg girl playing soccer for 60 min would expend an average of 270 calories, or a 60 kg boy playing ice hockey for 60 min would expend an average of 936 calories ( 6).

MACRONUTRIENTS

Macronutrients, such as carbohydrates, protein and fats, provide the fuel for physical activity and sports participation.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the most important fuel source for athletes because they provide the glucose used for energy. One gram of carbohydrate contains approximately four kilocalories of energy. Glucose is stored as glycogen in muscles and liver. Muscle glycogen is the most readily available energy source for working muscle and can be released more quickly than other energy sources ( 1). Carbohydrates should comprise 45% to 65% of total caloric intake for four- to 18-year-olds ( 1, 7). Good sources of carbohydrates include whole grains, vegetables, fruits, milk and yogurt.

Protein

Proteins build and repair muscle, hair, nails and skin. For mild exercise and exercise of short duration, proteins do not act as a primary source of energy. However, as exercise duration increases, proteins help to maintain blood glucose through liver gluconeogenesis ( 2). One gram of protein provides four kilocalories of energy. Protein should comprise approximately 10% to 30% of total energy intake for four- to 18-year-olds (7). Good sources of protein include lean meat and poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, beans and nuts, including peanuts.

Fats

Fat is necessary to absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), to provide essential fatty acids, protect vital organs and provide insulation. Fat also provides the feeling of satiety. It is a calorie-dense source of energy (one gram provides nine kilocalories) but is more difficult to use. Fats should comprise 25% to 35% of total energy intake for four- to 18-year-olds ( 7). Saturated fats should comprise no more than 10% of total energy intake ( 1, 3). Good sources of fat include lean meat and poultry, fish, nuts, seeds, dairy products, and olive and canola oils. Fat from chips, candy, fried foods and baked goods should be minimized.

MICRONUTRIENTS

Although there are many vitamins and minerals required for good health, particular attention should be devoted to ensuring that athletes consume proper amounts of calcium, vitamin D and iron. Calcium is important for bone health, normal enzyme activity and muscle contraction. The daily recommended intake of calcium is 1000 mg/day for four- to eight-year-olds and 1300 mg/day for nine- to 18-year-olds ( 7, 8). Calcium is contained in a variety of foods and beverages, including milk, yogurt, cheese, broccoli, spinach and fortified grain products.

Vitamin D is necessary for bone health and is involved in the absorption and regulation of calcium. Current recommendations suggest 600 IU/day for four- to 18-year-olds ( 8). Normal values of vitamin D also vary depending on geographical location and race. Athletes living in northern latitudes or who train indoors (eg, figure skaters, gymnasts, dancers) are more likely to be vitamin D deficient ( 2). Sources of vitamin D include fortified foods, such as milk, and sun exposure. Dairy products other than milk, such as yogurt, do not contain vitamin D.

Iron is important for oxygen delivery to body tissues. During adolescence, more iron is required to support growth as well as increases in blood volume and lean muscle mass ( 1). Boys and girls nine to 13 years of age should ingest 8 mg/day to avoid depletion of iron stores and iron-deficiency anemia ( 7). Adolescents 14 to 18 years of age require more iron, up to 11 mg/day for males and 15 mg/day for females ( 7). Iron depletion is common in athletes because of diets poor in meat, fish and poultry, or increased iron losses in urine, feces, sweat or menstrual blood ( 2). Therefore, athletes, particularly female athletes, vegetarians and distance runners should be screened periodically for iron status ( 2). Iron-rich foods include eggs, leafy green vegetables, fortified whole grains and lean meat.

FLUIDS

Fluids, particularly water, are important nutrients for athletes. Athletic performance can be affected by what, how much and when an athlete drinks. Fluids help to regulate body temperature and replace sweat losses during exercise ( 8, 9). Environmental temperature and humidity can affect how much an athlete sweats and how much fluid intake is required ( 1, 9, 10). Hotter temperatures and higher humidity make a person sweat more, and more fluid is needed to maintain hydration. Dehydration can decrease performance and put athletes at risk for heat exhaustion or heat stroke ( 1, 9, 10).

Proper hydration requires fluid intake before, during and after exercise or activity. The amount of fluid required depends on many factors, including age and body size ( 9, 10) ( Table 2 ). Before activity, athletes should consume 400 mL to 600 mL of cold water 2 h to 3 h before their event ( 1, 2, 10). During sporting activities, athletes should consume 150 mL to 300 mL of fluid every 15 min to 20 min ( 1, 2, 10). For events lasting less than 1 h, water is sufficient ( 4). For events lasting longer than 60 min, and/or taking place in hot, humid weather, sports drinks containing 6% carbohydrates and 20 mEq/L to 30 mEq/L of sodium chloride are recommended to replace energy stores and fluid/electrolyte losses ( 3, 4, 5, 9). Following activity, athletes should drink enough fluid to replace sweat losses ( Table 2 ). This usually requires consuming approximately 1.5 L of fluid/kg of body weight lost ( 1, 10). The consumption of sodium-containing fluids and snacks after exercise helps with rehydration by stimulating thirst and fluid retention ( 1, 2, 10). For non-athletes, routine ingestion of carbohydrate-containing sports drinks can result in consumption of excessive calories, increasing the risks of overweight and obesity, as well as dental caries and, therefore, should be avoided ( 4).

TABLE 2

Body weight, kg

Fluid replacement during exercise, mL/h

Fluid replacement after exercise, mL/h

RECOVERY FOODS

Recovery foods should be consumed within 30 min of exercise, and again within 1 h to 2 h of exercise, to help reload muscles with glycogen and allow for proper recovery. These foods should include protein and carbohydrates ( 2, 6). Examples include graham crackers with peanut butter and juice, yogurt with fruit, or a sports drink with fruit and cheese ( 6).

MEAL PLANNING

One of the trickiest things to manage is meal planning around athletic events. The timing of meals is very important and needs to be individualized. It is important for athletes to discover which foods they like that also help to maximize performance. They should not experiment with new foods or new routines on the day of competition.

General guidelines include eating meals a minimum of 3 h before an event to allow for proper digestion and to minimize incidence of gastrointestinal upset during exercise. Meals should include carbohydrates, protein and fat. Fibre should be limited. High-fat meals should be avoided before exercise because they can delay gastric-emptying, make athletes feel sluggish and thereby adversely affect performance ( 2, 6). For early morning practices or events, having a snack or liquid meal 1 h to 2 h before exercise, followed by a full breakfast after the event, will help ensure sufficient energy to maximize performance ( 2, 6).

Pre-game snacks or liquid meals should be ingested 1 h to 2 h before an event to allow for digestion before start of exercise ( 2, 6). Snacks can include fresh fruit, dried fruit, a bowl of cereal with milk, juice or fruit-based smoothies. During an event, sports drinks, fruit or granola bars can be ingested to help refuel and keep energy levels high.

REACHING THE FINISH LINE

A well-balanced diet is essential for growing athletes to maintain proper growth and optimize performance in athletic endeavours. An ideal diet comprises 45% to 65% carbohydrates, 10% to 30% protein and 25% to 35% fat. Fluids are very important for maintaining hydration and should be consumed before, during and after athletic events to prevent dehydration. Timing of food consumption is important to optimize performance. Meals should be eaten a minimum of 3 h before exercise and snacks should be eaten 1 h to 2 h before activity. Recovery foods should be consumed within 30 min of exercise and again within 1 h to 2 h of activity to allow muscles to rebuild and ensure proper recovery.

Acknowledgments

This practice point has been reviewed by the Canadian Paediatric Society's Nutrition and Gastroenterology Committee.

Footnotes

CPS PAEDIATRIC SPORTS AND EXERCISE MEDICINE EXECUTIVE
Neil Cooper MD (Member at large); David Fecteau MD (Secretary-treasurer); Erika Persson MD (Member at large); John F Philpott MD (President-elect); Laura K Purcell MD (President); Eric Koelink MD (Liaison, CPS Residents Section); David W Warren MD (former Liaison, CPS Emergency Medicine Section)

Principal author: Laura K Purcell MD

The recommendations in this document do not indicate an exclusive course of treatment or procedure to be followed. Variations, taking into account individual circumstances, may be appropriate. All Canadian Paediatric Society position statements and practice points are reviewed on a regular basis. Retired statements are removed from the website. Please consult the Position Statements section of the CPS website ( www.cps.ca) for the full-text, current version.

REFERENCES

6. Litt A. Fuel for young athletes: Essential foods and fluids for future champions. Windsor: Human Kinetics; 2004. [ Google Scholar]

Articles from Paediatrics & Child Health are provided here courtesy of Oxford University Press

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Nutrition is an important part of sport performance for young athletes, in addition to allowing for optimal growth and development. Macronutrients, micronutrients and fluids in the proper amounts are essential to provide energy for growth and activity. ...

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Survey: 31% of parks departments already cut 2020-21 budgets - Project Play

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When the coronavirus pandemic ends and community sports return, parks and rec departments will be asked to serve a critical need. But whether they can capitalize on the demand is very much in doubt.

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Sports team participation has been associated with increased levels of physical activity ( 1) and improved physical and mental health among children and adolescents ( 2, 3). Disparities in sports participation have been found across age, sex, race, disability, and socioeconomic subgroups ( 4-6). This report describes national estimates of parent-reported organized sports participation during the past 12 months among children aged 6-17 years. Data from the 2020 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) are analyzed by sociodemographic characteristics.
Keywords: physical activity, adolescents, team sports, National Health Interview Survey
Participation in sports varied by race, but not significantly by sex or age group.

In 2020, just over one-half of children aged 6-17 years (54.1%) participated in sports during the past 12 months ( Figure 1). While the percentage of children that participated in sports was higher for boys (56.1%) compared with girls (52.0%) and for children aged 12-17 years (55.6%) compared with children aged 6-11 (52.5%), these observed differences were not significant. Non-Hispanic White children (60.4%) were more likely to have participated in sports compared with non-Hispanic Black (42.1%), Hispanic (46.9%), and non-Hispanic Asian (51.4%) children. All other observed differences by race and Hispanic origin were not significant.

Figure 1. Percentage of children aged 6-17 years that participated in sports in the past 12 months, by sex, age group, and race and Hispanic origin: United States, 2020

¹Significantly different from non-Hispanic White children ( p < 0.05).
NOTES: Estimates are based on household interviews of a sample of the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population. Access data table for Figure 1.
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, 2020.

Participation in sports varied by parental education.

The percentage of children and adolescents that participated in sports increased with increasing parental education, from 36.8% of children who lived in households with parents who had a high school education or less to 67.6% of children who lived in households with parents who had a bachelor's degree or higher ( Figure 2).

Figure 2. Percentage of children aged 6-17 years that participated in sports in the past 12 months, by parental education: United States, 2020

¹Significant linear trend by parent's highest education ( p < 0.05).
NOTES: Estimates are based on household interviews of a sample of the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population. Access data table for Figure 2.
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, 2020.

The percentage of children that participated in sports varied by family income and social vulnerability of county.

Sports participation increased with increasing family income, from 31.2% among children with a family income of less than 100% of the federal poverty level (FPL) to 70.2% among children with a family income of 400% or more of FPL ( Figure 3). The percentage of children aged 6-17 years that participated in sports during the past 12 months decreased as the social vulnerability of the county they lived in increased. This ranged from 61.4% among those living in counties with little to no social vulnerability to 44.5% for those living in counties with high social vulnerability.

Figure 3. Percentage of children aged 6-17 years that participated in sports in the past 12 months, by family income as percentage of federal poverty level and social vulnerability of county: United States, 2020

¹Significant linear trend by family income ( p < 0.05).
²Significant linear trend by social vulnerability index score ( p < 0.05).
NOTES: FPL is federal poverty level, which is based on the ratio of the family's income in the previous calendar year to the appropriate poverty threshold defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates are based on household interviews of a sample of the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population. Access data table for Figure 3.
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, 2020.

Participation in sports varied by U.S. region.

Children were significantly less likely to participate in sports during the past 12 months if they lived in the South (48.7%) compared with those living in the Northeast (58.4%), Midwest (58.6%), and West (56.0%) ( Figure 4). Children's sports participation was similar by urbanicity, ranging from 51.2% in medium and small metropolitan areas to 56.7% in large central metropolitan areas.

Figure 4. Percentage of children aged 6-17 years that participated in sports in the past 12 months, by region and urbanicity: United States, 2020

¹1Significantly different from the South region ( p < 0.05).
NOTES: Estimates are based on household interviews of a sample of the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population. Access data table for Figure 4.
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, 2020.

Summary

In 2020, 54.1% of children aged 6-17 years participated in sports in the past 12 months. However, differences in participation were reported across select demographic, socioeconomic, and geographic characteristics. Participation levels were lower among children from a racial and ethnic minority group, children whose parents had lower education levels and family income, children who lived in counties with higher social vulnerability, and children who lived in the South. Lack of participation in sports has been associated in other studies with lower levels of physical activity ( 1) and reduced physical and mental health among children and adolescents ( 2, 3).

This measure of sports participation is based on a 12-month reference period and, as a result, cannot be used to determine if participation was before or during the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, the results of this report should not be interpreted as describing the percentage of children participating in sports during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from the 2022 NHIS may provide an opportunity to further examine children's sports participation as social distancing guidelines lessened and vaccination for COVID-19 became available among school-age children.

Definitions

Family income as a percentage of federal poverty level (FPL): Based on the ratio of a family's income in the previous calendar year to the appropriate poverty threshold (given the family's size and number of children) defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. The 2020 NHIS imputed income files were used to allow for imputed values when family income was not provided.

Race and Hispanic origin: Children categorized as Hispanic may be of any race or combination of races. Children categorized as non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, or non-Hispanic Asian indicated one race only. Estimates for non-Hispanic children of other races are not shown.

Region: In the geographic classification of the U.S. population, states are grouped into four regions defined by the U.S. Census Bureau:

Northeast: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont

Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin

South: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia

West: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming

Social vulnerability: Based on the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), which uses U.S. Census Bureau data to determine the social vulnerability of every census tract. The index was developed at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by the Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry's (ATSDR) Geospatial Research, Analysis, and Services Program (GRASP). SVI ranks each U.S. census tract on 15 social factors, which are then grouped into four related themes: socioeconomic status, household composition and disability, racial and ethnic minority status and language, and housing type and transportation. SVI indicates the relative vulnerability of every census tract as a percentile ranking ranging from 0 to 1, with higher values indicating greater vulnerability. The overall tract summary ranking variable for 2018 was used to categorize four quartiles of vulnerability: Scores from 0 to 0.2500 are categorized as "little to no social vulnerability," 0.2501-0.500 are "low social vulnerability," 0.5001-0.7500 are "medium social vulnerability," and 0.7501-1.0 are "high social vulnerability." For more information on SVI, visit the CDC/ATSDR GRASP website.

Sports participation: Based on an affirmative response to the survey question, "In the past 12 months, did [Sample Child] play or participate on a sports team or club or take sports lessons either at school or in the community?"

Urbanicity: Categorized by collapsing the 2013 National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) urban-rural classification scheme for counties ( 7) into four categories: large central metropolitan, large fringe metropolitan, medium and small metropolitan, and nonmetropolitan (counties in micropolitan statistical areas and nonmetropolitan counties).

Data sources and methods

Data from the 2020 NHIS were used for this analysis. NHIS is a nationally representative household survey of the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population. It is conducted continuously throughout the year by NCHS. Interviews are typically conducted in respondents' homes, but follow-ups to complete interviews may be held over the telephone. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, data collection procedures in 2020 were disrupted: From April to June, interviews were conducted by telephone only, and from July to December, interviews were attempted by telephone first, with follow-ups to complete interviews by personal visit. For more information about NHIS, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.

Point estimates and corresponding confidence intervals for this analysis were calculated using SAS-callable SUDAAN software ( 8) to account for the complex sample design of NHIS. All estimates are based on parent or guardian report and meet NCHS data presentation standards for proportions ( 9). Differences between percentages were evaluated using two-sided significance tests at the 0.05 level. Trends by parental education, family income, social vulnerability, and urbanicity were evaluated using orthogonal polynomials in logistic regression.

About the authors

Lindsey I. Black, Emily P. Terlizzi, and Anjel Vahratian are with the NCHS Division of Health Interview Statistics.

References

1. Loprinzi PD, Cardinal BJ, Cardinal MK, Corbin CB. Physical education and sport: Does participation relate to physical activity patterns, observed fitness, and personal attitudes and beliefs? Am J Health Promot 32(3):613-20. 2018.

2. Ortega FB, Ruize JR, Castillo MJ, Sjöström M. Physical fitness in childhood and adolescence: A powerful marker of health. Int J Obes 32(1):1-11. 2008.

3. Li X, Chi G, Taylor A, Chen ST, Memon AR, Zhang Y, et al. Lifestyle behaviors and suicide-related behaviors in adolescents: Cross-sectional study using the 2019 YRBS data. Front Public Health 9:766972. 2021.

4. Owen KB, Nau T, Reece LJ, Bellew W, Rose C, Bauman A, et al. Fair play? Participation equity in organised sport and physical activity among children and adolescents in high income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 19(1):27. 2022.

5. Ross SM, Smit E, Yun J, Bogart K, Hatfield B, Logan SW. Updated national estimates of disparities in physical activity and sports participation experienced by children and adolescents with disabilities: NSCH 2016-2017. J Phys Act Health 17(4):443-55. 2020.

6. Pate RR, Saunders RP, Taverno Ross SE, Dowda M. Patterns of age-related change in physical activity during the transition from elementary to high school. Prev Med Rep 26:101712. 2022.

7. Ingram DD, Franco SJ. 2013 NCHS urban-rural classification scheme for counties. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 2(166). 2014.

8. RTI International. SUDAAN (Release 11.0.3) [computer software]. 2018.

9. Parker JD, Talih M, Malec DJ, Beresovsky V, Carroll M, Gonzalez JF Jr, et al. National Center for Health Statistics data presentation standards for proportions. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 2(175). 2017.

Suggested citation

Black LI, Terlizzi EP, Vahratian A. Organized sports participation among children aged 6-17 years: United States, 2020. NCHS Data Brief, no 441. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2022. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc:119026.

Copyright information

All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.

National Center for Health Statistics

Brian C. Moyer, Ph.D., Director
Amy M. Branum, Ph.D., Associate Director for Science

Division of Health Interview Statistics

Stephen J. Blumberg, Ph.D., Director
Anjel Vahratian, Ph.D., M.P.H., Associate Director for Science

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Products - Data Briefs - Number 441 - August 2022