Thirty-five million kids play organized sports each year. About 60% participate in programs outside their schools.
This includes club sports, leagues, and programs at YMCAs, churches, and recreation centers.
About two-thirds of boys and 52% of girls play organized sports.
The Women’s Sports Foundation has conducted extensive research on the importance of sports programs for female high school athletes. Those findings show that:
• Female high school athletes are 92% less likely to get involved with drugs.
• Female high school athletes are 80% less likely to get pregnant.
• Female high school athletes are 3 time more likely to graduate than non-athletes.
A nationwide study of youth sports (10,000 kids ages 5-14) by Michigan State University produced the following results:
• 15% were reluctant to play sports.
• 65% participate in sports to be with friends.
• 37% said they wished no parents would watch them play.
• 71% said they wouldn’t care if no score was kept in their games.
• 51% said they have seen other kids act like poor sports frequently.
• 45% said they had been called names or insulted by coaches.
• 90% would prefer to be on a losing team if they could play rather than warm the bench on a winning team.
The most damning statistic from the study was that 35% said they planned to stop playing their sport next year.
The message is clear, youth sports are an important part of our society.
Source: http://www.statisticbrain.com.
