Troubling Decline in Youth Sports Participation
by Kamil Skwarek on Sep 30, 2014 | Views: 192 | Score: 2
| 2008 | 2012 | |
|---|---|---|
| Tackle Football | 3.26 | 3.08 |
| Soccer | 7.11 | 6.61 |
| Baseball | 6.04 | 5.61 |
| Basketball | 7.59 | 6.95 |
| Ice Hockey | 0.33 | 0.55 |
| Lacrosse | 0.3 | 0.77 |
Sports
Number of Participants (Millions)
Sources:
online.wsj.com
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Between 2008 and 2012 youth sports participation among 6 to 18 year olds declined. Only hockey and lacrosse saw increases, but the number of participants are very small compared to the major sports. A number of factors are responsible for the decline including the rising cost of sports and the growing concerns about injuries, especially football.