The Sad Decline In Sports

Growing up in a small town, in a small school district, and then coaching in that school district, I have become accustomed to small sport teams. In high school, the wrestling team had 12-15 kids on it. The football team was in the 40s, and some other schools were even worse then that. Fast forward a few years to when I began coaching and it all got even worse. The school where I coached wrestling would show up with 20+ kids for a meet, and the opposition would bring only 3 kids. Or how about a few years ago when a Varsity football team ended the season with 28 kids on the roster. Participation is down it is getting quite scary.

​When we look at youth sports participation numbers in the US, we see a decline in sport participation. In 2008, 58.6% of children age 6-11 played a team sport at least once a year, but by 2013 that was down to 52.2%. That translates to over 2.6 million fewer kids age 6-11 participating in sports. That, my friends, is a problem!

So how do we solve this issue? I wish I knew but one area we can work on is the adults that are involved with these young kids. Coaches are the gatekeepers of sports. The coach of a team has the ability to make each experience a positive experience...or a negative one. We entrust a child's love of sport and participation in a healthy activity to a coach. As a parent, it is important to look for a few things in a coach. They are as follows:

1. Respect and Encouragement
2. Positive role model
3. Clear, consistent communication
4. Knowledge of the sport
5. A good listener

If a coach doesn't have all, or most, of these qualities, it could hamper your child's enjoyment. If they aren't able to acquire an interest and understanding of the sport at a young age, it is going to be hard to convince them to give the sport another try as they grow up. If we want to put an end to this decline in participation, we as coaches need to provide a better experience. Be a role model. Respect your athletes. Motivate them to be the best they can be. 

Chris Fluck