Team Sports Participation Up Among 13-, 14-Year-Olds

The growth in youth team sports since 2009 is now being fueled by America's 13- and 14-year-olds. That's just one of the key findings of the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association's annual participation study on team sports, "U.S. Trends in Team Sports." In 2010, sports participation among 13- and 14-year olds increased 22 percent and 14 percent, respectively, versus 2009.

The National Alliance for Youth Sports, which for years reported that 13 was the age most-cited at which kids stopped playing sports, concurs with SGMA's new findings. John Engh, chief operating officer of the West Palm Beach, Fla.-based organization, credits the change to a dynamic shift in the way team sports are presented to kids. "It is encouraging to see that more youngsters are playing team sports these days compared to what we were seeing just a decade ago, where the 13- and 14-year-old age range was when they typically started dropping out," Engh says. "I think this recent upswing can be attributed to the outstanding efforts of recreation professionals around the country who are overseeing youth sports programs and making sure that their volunteer coaches are well prepared for their roles and responsibilities. And the success of these programs has led to the emergence of club or travel teams and leagues that offer this age group many more opportunities that weren't available just a couple years ago."

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