scholarly journals COVID-19 and Youth Sports: Psychological, Developmental, and Economic Impacts

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 313-323
Author(s):  
Jimmy Sanderson ◽  
Katie Brown

COVID-19 has dramatically altered and disrupted sport in unprecedented ways, and youth sports is one sector that has been profoundly impacted. In the United States, the youth sports industry generates $19 billion dollars annually, while youth sport tourism is estimated at $9 billion annually. With youth sports at a standstill, the effect on the youth sports infrastructure is significant. The purpose of this scholarly commentary was to discuss the psychological, developmental, and economic fallout from the stoppage of youth sports that has touched millions of participants, their families, and a substantial youth sports structural system. This work also addresses the potential restructuring of youth sport megacomplexes, cascading effects of canceled seasons, likely sponsorship losses, and potential growing socioeconomic divide in participation that could result from the pandemic. Thus, there is still much uncertainty about the future of youth sport participation and subsequent adjustments that may impact established participation and consumption norms.

2019 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 349-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brad D. Endres ◽  
Zachary Y. Kerr ◽  
Rebecca L. Stearns ◽  
William M. Adams ◽  
Yuri Hosokawa ◽  
...  

Context Sudden death in sport at the high school and collegiate levels has been described extensively in the literature. However, few epidemiologic data exist on the incidence of sudden death specifically in American youth sport before secondary school athletics. Objective To describe the epidemiology of sudden death in organized youth sports in the United States from 2007 through 2015. Design Descriptive epidemiology study. Setting Organized American youth sports. Patients or Other Participants Cases of sudden death that occurred in youth athletes 17 years of age and younger in non-high school organized sports were included. Data Collection and Analysis Information on sudden deaths between August 1, 2007, and December 31, 2015, was obtained via LexisNexis and other publicly available news or media reports. Total youth sport participation rates from 2007 to 2015 were provided by the Sport & Fitness Industry Association. Athlete age, sex, sport, level of play, event type, date of death, setting, and official and speculated causes of death were examined. Data are presented as deaths per year, percentage of total sudden deaths, and deaths per 10 million participants. Results From 2007 to 2015, 45 sudden deaths were reported in American youth sports. The mean age of patients was 13 ± 2 years. The overall incidence rate was 1.83 deaths/10 million athlete-years. Males experienced a greater number of sudden deaths than females (n = 36/45, 80%). Basketball had the highest number of sudden deaths from 2007 to 2015, with a total of 16 occurrences. The most frequent cause of sudden death was cardiac related (n = 34/45, 76%). Most sudden deaths occurred during practices (n = 32/45, 71%). Conclusions Sudden deaths in organized youth sports in the United States from 2007 through 2015 were most often experienced during practices by males, were cardiac related, and occurred while playing basketball. These findings are similar to those in high school and collegiate sports. This study affirms the need for further epidemiologic research into sudden deaths at the organized youth sport level.


2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin K. Howie ◽  
Bryce T. Daniels ◽  
Justin M. Guagliano

Youth sport is a key physical activity opportunity for children and adolescents. Several factors influence youth sport participation, including social factors, but this has not to date been clearly delineated. This study is a scoping review to survey the literature on the influence of family and peers on youth sports participation. The review identified 111 articles of which the majority were cross-sectional, included boys and girls, and were conducted primarily in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The articles were grouped into 8 research themes: (1) reasons for participation, (2) social norms, (3) achievement goal theory, 4) family structure, (5) sports participation by family members, (6) parental support and barriers, (7) value of friendship, and (8) influence of teammates. Friendships were key to both initiation and maintenance of participation, parents facilitated participation, and children with more active parents were more likely to participate in sport. Less is known on how family structure, sibling participation, extended family, and other theoretical frameworks may influence youth sport. The review suggests that social influences are important factors for ensuring participation, maximizing the quality of the experience, and capitalizing on the benefits of youth sport. Future research studies, programs, and policies promoting and developing evidence-based youth sporting experiences should consider social influences on youth sport participation.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
David K. Wiggins

This essay examines the evolution of highly organized youth sports in the United States. Through an examination of both secondary and primary source material, an analysis is made of children's participation in sport from the turn of the twentieth century to the present day. Particular attention is paid to the types of sports programs established for children as well as the various discussions involving the supposed benefits and negative aspects of youth sports. Included is information on Progressive Reformers, youth sport programs outside of educational institutions, and guidelines, reports, assessments, and scholarly evaluation of children and their involvement in sport.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (7_suppl3) ◽  
pp. 2325967121S0009
Author(s):  
Amanda Arnold ◽  
Ryan Zarzycki ◽  
Mathew Failla

Background: Two billion U.S. healthcare dollars are spent on youth sports injuries each year. This staggering figure is projected to increase as athletes are sustaining more sport-related injuries and are specializing in a single sport at younger ages than ever before. Sport specialization is a modifiable injury risk factor unique to youth athlete populations. Parents are a group of key stakeholders whose knowledge and beliefs likely impact youth sport participation, however a paucity of research exists in this area. Purpose: To assess the differences in perceptions of parents on youth sport participation and specialization based on geographical region. Methods: Parents of children, ages 8-18 years, who participate in organized sports were surveyed for this study. Electronic surveys with a total of 40 questions were circulated via team/organization mailing lists and social media. Geographic regions were described as either South or North based on divisions from the U.S. Census Bureau. Sport specialization was defined as an athlete meeting >2 of the following 3 criteria: participates in one sport to the exclusion of other sports, participates in sport-specific lessons, participates on >2 teams in a single sport. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analyses were used to compare perceptions of parents with specialized and non-specialized athletes across different geographical regions. Results: Three-hundred and seventy-one responses were collected (South=204, North=167). Parents from the South reported a higher number of specialized athletes as compared to parents from the North (54% vs 38%; P=0.003). Regardless of geographical region, most parents did not think specialization had a positive impact on a youth athlete’s development ( P=0.307) or their future in that sport ( P=0.086) (Figures 1 & 2). Parents from the South did select ‘Potential to earn a college scholarship’ as a motivator for youth sport specialization more often when compared to parents from the North (30% vs 17%; P=0.002). Conclusion: Regional differences exist in the percentage of specialized youth athletes participating in organized sport. Parental knowledge of the risks and benefits of youth sport specialization does not appear to drive these observed differences. Earning a college scholarship was selected more frequently as a reason for specialization in the South, indicating that societal or socioeconomic factors may be present. Further research is needed to determine the underlying factors driving youth sport specialization in the U.S. Figures: [Figure: see text][Figure: see text] References: Bell DR PE, Trigsted SM, Hetzel S, McGuine TA and Brooks MA. Prevalence of Sport Specialization in High School Athletics: A 1-Year Observational Study. Am J Sports Med. 2016;44(6):1469-1474. Bell DR, Post EG, Trigsted SM, Schaefer DA, McGuine TA, Brooks MA. Parents’ Awareness and Perceptions of Sport Specialization and Injury Prevention Recommendations. Clin J Sport Med. 2018. Brooks MA, Post EG, Trigsted SM, et al. Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs of Youth Club Athletes Toward Sport Specialization and Sport Participation. Orthop J Sports Med. 2018;6(5). Gregory S. How Kids’ Sports became a $15 Billion Industry. TIME. 2017;190(9). Jayanthi NA, LaBella CR, Fischer D, Pasulka J, Dugas LR. Sports-specialized intensive training and the risk of injury in young athletes: a clinical case-control study. Am J Sports Med. 2015;43(4):794-801. LaPrade RF, Agel J, Baker J, et al. AOSSM Early Sport Specialization Consensus Statement. Orthop J Sports Med. 2016;4(4). Malina RM. Early sport specialization: roots, effectiveness, risks. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2010;9(6):364-371. McGuine TA, Post EG, Hetzel SJ, Brooks MA, Trigsted S, Bell DR. A Prospective Study on the Effect of Sport Specialization on Lower Extremity Injury Rates in High School Athletes. Am J Sports Med. 2017;45(12): 2706-2712. Myer GD, Jayanthi N, Difiori JP, et al. Sport Specialization, Part I: Does Early Sports Specialization Increase Negative Outcomes and Reduce the Opportunity for Success in Young Athletes? Sports Health.2015;7(5):437-442. Pasulka J, Jayanthi N, McCann A, Dugas LR, LaBella C. Specialization patterns across various youth sports and relationship to injury risk. Phys Sportsmed. 2017;45(3):344-352. Post EG, Trigsted SM, Riekena JW, et al. The Association of Sport Specialization and Training Volume With Injury History in Youth Athletes. Am J Sports Med. 2017;45(6):1405-1412. U.S. Census Bureau. Census Bureau Regions and Divisions with State FIPS Codes. https://www2.census.gov/geo/pdfs/maps-data/maps/reference/us_regdiv.pdf . Accessed June 26, 2020.


1999 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 28-30
Author(s):  
Carol L. PHILLIPS

LANGUAGE NOTE | Document text in English; abstract also in Chinese.Youth sport has much to offer children and society when it is organized and conducted in the best interest or children. While more than 20 million children are involved in youth sport through sport agencies and local service organizations in the United States, educators, physicians, and psychologists have been hesitant to encourage competitive opportunities for children younger than 12. This article addresses youth sport reviewing the purpose of organized, formal sport opportunities for young children, problems associated with young children's sport as it is promoted by parents and interested laypersons, and potential modifications in sport for youth age 5-12 provided by community sponsored organizations. Studies in youth sport indicates that the handling of early sport participation by parents and coaches, rather than the participation experience itself, determines the outcome of organized youth sport experiences.在美國有兩千多萬少年兒童參加地方體育服務組織和社會代理機構組織的體育活動。當敎育家、醫生和心理學家還在猶豫是否應該為十二歲以下兒童提供競賽機會的時候,他們的父母和一些感興趣的外行人就一直在為此積極奔走。本文總結回顧了美國的少年體育、競賽活動的組織及組織形式的問題,以及探討在贊助圑體提供的五至十二歲兒童的競賽活動中進行改進的可行性。


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Taylor Breann Moore Casey

Youth sport has continued to grow in attraction, particularly in the United States. Many youth, at younger and younger ages, are entering the confines of sport yet expansive research is still lacking in fully exploring the many facets that are a part of youth sport participation. It is of the upmost importance that research in this area is conducted, as youth are participating in sport at a significant time in their growth and development. Youth development is not only impacted by internal processes but also through experiences, such as sport. This analysis explores the positive, neutral, or negative relationship of identity development with sport participation in the hopes of bringing awareness and understanding to the relationship of youth sport participation on the development of youth.


2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erica C. Force ◽  
Dustin Johnson ◽  
Matthew Atkins ◽  
Trent A. Petrie

2021 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Debra K. Kellstedt ◽  
Michaela A. Schenkelberg ◽  
Ann M. Essay ◽  
Mary J. Von Seggern ◽  
Richard R. Rosenkranz ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Physical activity, a high-frequency health behavior, varies by where children live, learn, and play. Children accumulate physical activity in adult-led in-school and out-of-school settings. Youth sport is a potential setting for physical activity, but there are differences in youth sport participation based on age, sex, and socioeconomic status. There is a gap in understanding demographic influences on youth sport participation and how these factors interact to influence physical activity. This study examines influences of grade, sex, and family income on youth sport participation and these factors and youth sport participation on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity of children in rural communities. Methods Children (n = 418 3rd–6th graders) living in two rural communities completed the online Youth Activity Profile as part of Wellscapes, a type 3 hybrid implementation-effectiveness community randomized trial. Mixed models with community as a random effect examined main effects and interactions of grade, sex, and family income on youth sport participation and these factors and youth sport participation on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Results About 80% of children engaged in youth sport, and full-pay lunch students were almost four times more likely to have youth sport participation than students with free/reduced lunch (OR = 3.91, 95% CI = 1.95, 7.8). Females and 6th graders (p < 0.05) had lower physical activity than comparison groups. Males with higher family income had greater physical activity; females with higher family income had less physical activity. For 6th graders, high family income had less effect on physical activity than similar 3rd-5th graders (p < 0.01). Conclusions While a fairly high percentage of children participate in youth sports, there are disparities in rural communities on youth sport participation and physical activity outcomes based on age, sex, and family income.


1992 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda M. Petlichkoff

In 1990 the Athletic Footwear Association (AFA) (1) released a report entitled “American Youth and Sports Participation” that examined teenagers’ (ages 10-18 years) feelings about their sport involvement. This report was the culmination of an extensive study of more than 10,000 young people from 11 cities across the U.S. in which issues related to why teenagers participate, why they quit, and their feelings about winning were addressed.1 The results highlighted in the AFA report indicate that (a) participation in organized sports declines sharply as youngsters get older, (b) “fun” is the key reason for involvement and “lack of fun” is one of the primary reasons for discontinuing, (c) winning plays less of a role than most adults would think, and (d) not all athletes have the same motivations for their involvement.


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