Youth Sports: Issues & Progress
Many children take up a sport from a young age, whether they enjoy the game, they want to make friends, or they aim to go pro. However, many student athletes undergo serious amounts of pressure from their parents, coaches, and society.
About the project
Youth Sports: Issues and Progress is a collaborative, investigative report written and produced by graduate students at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Youth sports invest in early, advance training
PHOENIX - Youth sports is an ever-growing industry. With that comes an endless supply of competition for youth athletes. Parents want their children to stand out in the crowd and perform at a higher level. With that, private training is an option, and it can help athletes improve. However, it can be pricey with some trainers charging anywhere from $40-$50 per hour or around $140 per month depending on the type of plan. Is it worth the cost?
Club sports provide access to recruiters, but are costly to families
PHOENIX - Every February, hundreds of teams and thousands of spectators from around the United State converge on the Reach 11 Sports Complex in northern Phoenix to compete in one of the largest soccer tournaments in the country.
Youth sports by the numbers
PHOENIX - Youth sports are booming in the US today. Almost 22 million children between ages 6 and 17 play team sports, according to Sports and Fitness Industry Association research.
Presidents’ fitness councils make slow progress against childhood obesity
WASHINGTON - When a study showed American youth were significantly more obese than their European peers, it shocked the president into creating a council aimed at combating the childhood obesity epidemic and increasing physical fitness throughout the country.
Poor nutrition can hurt young athletes as they grow
PHOENIX - When Christina Barth was a dietitian for an elite youth soccer team, she encountered many different eating patterns among, what she described as, the “mini-professional athletes”.
Sports specialization can lead to overuse injuries in young athletes
PHOENIX - Every morning, Blaise Becker wakes up just after 4 a.m., packs his hockey bag and heads off to Arcadia Ice Arena.
Valley sports hazing incidents put spotlight on coaches and culture
PHOENIX - Twice in the past year, high-profile hazing incidents have hit Valley high schools, requiring coaches and administrators to examine the culture and monitoring of their teams, according to interviews with coaches and experts.
At-risk youth find greater mental strength, spiritual transformation in community sports
PHOENIX - In the rising heat of a recent summer morning, teenage boys congregated on Phoenix Christian School’s football field, waiting to take turns going long for passes.
