Youth Sports in the US
Soccer. Baseball. Basketball. Football. Here in the US, kids are lucky enough to be able to choose from many different sports programs. Many kids and teens value their time playing on a school sports team, and the memories that they make during practices and games will last for years.
Here’s what you should know about today’s youth sports programs.
What are the Most Popular Youth Sports in the US?
The most popular sports for kids include:
- Basketball – Basketball is hugely popular among both boys and girls. It can become competitive as kids age, with many schools offering varsity teams.
- Baseball, Softball, and Tee Ball – Many young kids start off in this sport by playing tee ball, then taking up softball or baseball as they get older. Baseball is America’s favorite pastime, after all!
- Football – Football is a popular sport for boys and male teens. It’s a high-contact sport, and the potential for concussions often concerns parents.
- Soccer – Because soccer is easy to learn and play, it’s accessible to young kids, who often become lifelong fans of the sport. As players age, they learn additional skills and strategies, which gives them a whole new appreciation of the game.
- Volleyball – Volleyball is unique in that it provides both team and individual competition opportunities, and it’s a popular choice for girls. Like soccer, volleyball is easy enough to learn that kids can start playing quickly, developing and refining their skills as they age.
What is the Importance of Youth Sports?
Youth sports offer children and teens many valuable benefits. Not only do the sports help kids to develop sportsmanship and learn to work as a part of a team, but they set kids up for healthier lives, overall. Studies have found that kids and teens who are physically active in their youth are more likely to stay physically active and fit as adults.
In fact, a 2014 study of World War II veterans identified that playing varsity sports in high school could predict a teen’s well-being later in life. Veterans who had played varsity sports reported having fewer doctor’s appointments during their lives.
These benefits indicate the importance of youth sports. While few teens may be lucky enough to land college sports scholarships, the other benefits that kids sports programs provide are hard to ignore.
What are the Current Trends in Youth Sports?
When it comes to kids’ sports leagues, youth sports programs, and the future of athletics, here are 3 important trends to be aware of.
- Organization is becoming mobile – Thanks to technology, coaches, officials, and even players and parents who are using mobile apps to stay connected and to send schedules such as TeamSnap or Sportsengine. Apps such as GoKid can help families to organize carpools and transportation to practices and games, too. If you’re new to GoKid we’d like to offer you a special gift so you can experience all of GoKid’s great features: 3 months of GoKid Pro for free. Simply sign up here and in your profile choose “upgrade to GoKid pro,” enter the promo code “MOVE3MONTHS” (only available on web) and you’ll be upgraded instantly.
- A costly activity – Over the past decade, sports participation in kids ages 6 through 12 has decreased, and the cost of sports may be to blame. Children from low-income households are half as likely to play team sports than children from households with incomes of at least $100,000 are.
- More flag football – In 2015, the participation levels in flag football increased. It’s possible that flag football is seen as a safer alternative to tackle football, especially given the recent studies on concussions.
How Many Children Play Youth Sports in the US?
Participation in youth sports has actually decreased over the past few years. As of 2008, about 45% of students aged 6 through 12 participated in sports. But as of 2017, only 35% of kids ages 6 to 12 participated in youth sports.
When it comes to high schoolers, though, the number of students participating in sports has increased every year during the last 28 years. As of the 2016-17 school year, 7,963,535 high schoolers participated in sports. This figure marked an increase of 94,635 over the number of high schoolers that participated in sports during the 2015-2016 year. Many students may view sports as a way to gain entry into a college, or to get a college scholarship.
Which Youth Sports Are the Most Dangerous for Kids?
Sports can be dangerous by nature, but some sports tend to be more dangerous than others. According to an analysis of 5 years of data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, 11 most dangerous youth sports are:
- Football
- Bicycling
- Basketball
- Baseball/softball
- Soccer
- Swimming
- Trampoline
- Skating
- Skateboarding
- Hockey
- Volleyball
What Are Some of the Biggest Problems in Youth Sports?
Youth sports offer children countless benefits, but sports teams aren’t without problems. Both cost and accessibility create significant barriers for many students. The Aspen Institute’s Project Play 2020 highlights some of the major challenges facing youth sports today.
Casual pick-up play for kids has dramatically changed over the generations with more youth primarily playing sports in organized, team settings and the average youth only playing 1.8 sports during the year. According to the Aspen Institute, its 8 “Plays,” reintroducing free play and encouraging kids to sample a variety of sports, are two ways to get and keep kids active and interested in sports.
Accessibility
Depending on where a child lives or which school he or she goes to, children are missing out on opportunities to participate in sports. This is particularly true of kids in urban settings, with only 39% of boys and 28% of girls in urban setting playing sports, as compared to the 50% of boys and 63% of girls in rural settings who played sports. Regional studies in Western New York and South East Michigan revealed even more dramatic findings: only 16% of all kids in these regions are getting an adequate amount of sports.
Coach Issues
Finding trained coaches to coach teams can be a challenge, and kids may find themselves working with coaches who lack training. In fact, only 1 in 5 youth sports team coaches working with kids under age 14 had received training in effective motivational techniques. Additionally, only 1 in 3 of the coaches of youth teams of students under age 14 had received training in the skills and tactics of that particular sport.
Choices in Sports
The sports highlighted above are just some of the opportunities available to kids and teens today. Other sports, like track and field, swimming, cheerleading, and lacrosse mean that kids can explore different options until they find the sport that they truly enjoy and wish to pursue.
