How to keep youth sports fun

This just in: Kids like to have fun.  

It shouldn’t be news, but in the current competition-crazy culture of youth sports, it is. “Fun” is the key idea parents should remember from the new State of Play Kansas City, a report and study by the Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program and a broad group of KC-area youth sports advocates (including Children’s Mercy Kansas City).  

In every single city the Aspen Insitute has studied, they've heard the same thing: Kids play sports because they want to have fun, and they want to be with their friends. Competition, winning and college scholarships aren’t their priorities — even if they are important to some parents.  

Benefits to play 

Fun can be easy to lose track of when so many youth sports programs are parent-driven and fee-based. The State of Play Kansas City report has a vision that goes beyond trophies and traveling teams to the big benefits of play. 

One of the best low-cost and straightforward things you can do for your child is get them moving and having fun. Formalized sports programs, noncompetitive rec leagues and/or neighborhood play are all great for kids. 

Research shows youth sports can help reduce pediatric obesity and cancer rates, but we were excited to get real data on how sports impact local young athletes’ mental health. Our study found physically active kids were twice as likely to say they feel happy nearly every day than inactive kids. And inactive kids were twice as likely to say they feel depressed or hopeless nearly every day. 

Barriers to play 

When delivered well, youth sports are a powerful tool for both individual health and tackling systemic challenges, including improving gender and disability equity and fighting racial bias. But those existing systems can also create barriers to participation.  

There are local organizations working hard to improve infrastructure to allow youth with disabilities to play youth sports, but we still have a long way to go to make play accessible to all. 

Transportation to youth sports programs is another barrier for many families in Kansas City. Public transportation often doesn’t extend to fields in the suburbs, and work schedules can make after-school pick-ups difficult.  

If transportation isn’t available, families look for alternatives close to home. But many under-resourced neighborhoods don’t have enough school or rec league opportunities and/or safe green spaces for informal play. The study describes Kansas City’s highly commercialized youth sports culture and calls for more fun, affordable options that prioritize play over prestige.  

What parents can do 

How can parents help more kids get more play out of youth sports?  

• Ask your child what they want. Ask them if they are having fun, if there are other sports they want to try, and why they want to play. Try out new activities together as a family. Archery and basketball were popular answers when State of Play Kansas City asked kids what sports they wanted to try.  
• Look for programs that emphasize fun over competition. Watch for signs of burnout if your child participates in traveling/elite leagues and find alternatives with more play and less pressure. 
• If your family doesn’t experience barriers to participation, ask team/program organizers what accommodations are in place for people who do. Just asking the question can lead to conversations that open access to more kids.  
• If your family is having trouble accessing youth sports, there are growing resources to help. Area organizers are working to create a list of youth sports resources on LiftUpKC. Until that’s ready, your Children’s Mercy provider can help connect you to local assistance.    

Learn more about the State of Play Kansas City report and its recommendations for action from communities, schools, cities/counties and states.