WHY [SPORTS] ACCESS MATTERS
Sports participation is a golden opportunity to equip youth with tools to help them have positive experiences and successful futures.
UNFORTUNATELY SYSTEMIC BARRIERS EXIST
Systemic barriers limit access to the benefits of youth sports and create an opportunity gap that disproportionately impacts underserved kids. As a result, many children in communities facing economic barriers have fewer chances to participate in and benefit from youth sports than their more affluent peers.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES?
- Black and Latinx youth are 2x as likely to reside in areas with subpar park space per capita.
- Kids from households below $25k are 5x less likely to participate in sports.
- 80 percent of young people, many living in households below the federal poverty level, do not meet federal guidelines for daily physical activity.
- Kids in low-income communities have an obesity rate that is nearly 2x higher than kids from affluent communities.
- Youth ages 6-18 from low-income homes quit sports because of the financial costs at 6x the rate of kids from high-income homes.
(Source: Project Play)​ - Latina girls have the lowest participation rates.
Source: The LA84 Foundation
OUR OUTCOMES?
When PCA talks about increasing access to youth sports, we’re focused on making sure kids not only have the chance to play, but also have a positive experience when they do. Our goal is to see progress in areas such as:Â
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Equal opportunities to take the field, court, pool, etc.
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Long-term participation
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Youth feel their participation experience has been positive
Giving kids the chance to sign up is important, but it’s only the first step. We want every child to have the opportunity to participate, stay involved, and enjoy the benefits of youth sports.Â
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