Game of inches: America’s uphill battle for equitable, accessible youth sports programs
Poster Number
63
Session Title
Poster Session 3
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Mass Communication
Faculty Mentor
William Schulte, Ph.D.
Abstract
Physical activity provides youth with access to promote healthy leisure and lifestyles. As youth sports continue to evolve, in reference to skill level, development, and opportunity, the field becomes more susceptible to inefficiency and inequality. The President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, currently faces a crossroad as it must simultaneously promote advanced programming while making those programs available to youth populations across varying demographics. This enterprise journalism explored open records, government documents, and academic works and discovered that youth sports programs are facing a crisis as prices increase and the number of participants decreases. Research shows that representations of communities, mental and physical health advocacy, robust quality of life, and financial management should be prioritized in order to increase effectiveness and maintain interests and participation. This investigation drew upon empirical and statistical data and shows how structural amendments can advance the ideal youth sports experience. To better understand the youth sports crisis, interviews were conducted with youth sports participants, parents, sports program coordinators, sports psychology experts, and a physical education teacher. Respondents were asked a series of questions related to their own ideas and experiences in regard to the youth sports crisis. In relation to the current PCSFN data and other national youth sports survey data, this project shows that with a greater deal of uniform consistency within the structure of youth sports programs, children can have a more ideal experience that helps sustain their quality of life.
Course Assignment
MCOM 441 - Schulte
Type of Presentation
Poster presentation
Game of inches: America’s uphill battle for equitable, accessible youth sports programs
Physical activity provides youth with access to promote healthy leisure and lifestyles. As youth sports continue to evolve, in reference to skill level, development, and opportunity, the field becomes more susceptible to inefficiency and inequality. The President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, currently faces a crossroad as it must simultaneously promote advanced programming while making those programs available to youth populations across varying demographics. This enterprise journalism explored open records, government documents, and academic works and discovered that youth sports programs are facing a crisis as prices increase and the number of participants decreases. Research shows that representations of communities, mental and physical health advocacy, robust quality of life, and financial management should be prioritized in order to increase effectiveness and maintain interests and participation. This investigation drew upon empirical and statistical data and shows how structural amendments can advance the ideal youth sports experience. To better understand the youth sports crisis, interviews were conducted with youth sports participants, parents, sports program coordinators, sports psychology experts, and a physical education teacher. Respondents were asked a series of questions related to their own ideas and experiences in regard to the youth sports crisis. In relation to the current PCSFN data and other national youth sports survey data, this project shows that with a greater deal of uniform consistency within the structure of youth sports programs, children can have a more ideal experience that helps sustain their quality of life.
