How to bet on the future of youth sports

One of the things we try to do at the Aspen Institute is pump big ideas into the bloodstream, and see what takes. Three years ago, we introduced one not yet ready for playing time, at least in the United States: Use proceeds from legalized sports betting to fund community-based recreation. Take from the treetops — enhanced interest in the results of professional and college sports — to replenish the grassroots and address widening gaps in our sport ecosystem for youth.

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How park and recreation agencies can empower coaches in the return to play

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When local conditions allow for a safe return to play, we must prioritize kids’ gradual return to physical activity during and after the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic — which requires knowledgeable coaches focused on health and safety as kids resume youth sports.

Ohio State AD: Eliminate tackle football for kids until age 13

Tackle football becomes embedded culturally with many children in the Central Ohio region at young ages. They practice and play during the week – it’s not hard to find tackle leagues as young as kindergarten – and then join their parents to watch the pageantry of major college football on fall Saturdays at Ohio State University.

But if Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith had his way, football would dramatically shift to flag as the only option until age 13, in order to protect children from brain injuries.

Time to rebuild youth sports in America

Over the past generation, youth sports in America has become increasingly privatized and exclusionary. Families with resources often move children into club programs costing hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year, chasing college athletic scholarships and preferential admission to universities. What we currently lack is equitable youth sports programming that serves children at scale.