As of 2023, an estimated 27.3 million American children from age 6-17, or about 55 percent of children, participated on a sports team or took sports lessons outside of school.
A study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2024 showed a staggering 70 percent of children quit organized sports by the age of 13.
This episode of What's The Frequency digs into some topics involved with youth sports, including how young people best learn sports skills, the growth of organized sports leagues for participants as young as in first grade, and more.
Earlier this year, What's The Frequency started what will be a periodic look at the broader world of college, high school, and other sports with a Sioux City native who has her hands in lots of facets of sports, including working as a basketball analyst.
For the second time this year, Kalin joins What’s The Frequency for a discussion on some of the biggest trends and happenings in sports.
It used to be that many school students would take part in many sports, perhaps pretty much every sport that arrived as a year played out. Kalin discusses the trend of increasing specialization by players in youth sports, and assesses some of the reasons why that is happening.
Another discussion point is the impact of travel teams and AAU type leagues, and how those impact the skills and readiness of young athletes.
Kalin said she's troubled by the demise of free play outside with friends, as opposed to parents, coaches and leagues having oversight of what they do.
As for the lessening of school teens in going out for many sports, one upshot is that some teams in high schools don’t have enough players to field full squads. The Waterloo Courier earlier this year did a deep dive on that trend heavilly impacting Iowa high school girls basketball teams.
There were several teams in Iowa, including two Siouixland teams in Sibley-Ocheyedan and West Sioux, who only played a non-varsity schedule last winter.
*Click on the audio link above to hear the entire show.
What's The Frequency, Episode 72.
