The Biggest Challenges in Youth Sports and The Solution

Youth sports should create fun opportunities for children to grow, learn, and develop essential life skills. The youth sports landscape currently faces criticism from many for being too competitive. Youth sports face significant challenges, including the pressure to win at all costs and being centered around the adults rather than the kids. At i9 Sports^®, we’re committed to putting the focus back on the kids. 

Let’s explore the challenges parents are seeing in youth sports and our solution to help your kids grow a love for sports again. 

The Challenge For Parents: Your Kids Want To Quit.

Quitting sports is a big decision for youth athletes, yet 70% of kids quit organized sports by age 13. They like sports and typically want to succeed, so why are they quitting sports so young? Studies have shown that the pressure to win is a primary reason kids quit sports. 

Overemphasis on competition and overly competitive supporters overshadows the joy of the game, turning sports into a source of stress rather than fun. The reason kids start playing sports is because they think it’s fun. The earlier they become exposed to the pressure to win or be the best player on the team, the sooner they lose interest in the sport.

The i9 Sports^® Solution:

At i9 Sports^®, we put the focus back on the reason kids play- fun. 

Youth sports can be fun while still introducing kids to the thrilling nature of competition. We love seeing kids improve and succeed, so we prioritize teaching skills, promoting teamwork, and fostering an overall love for the game. 

We also have a unique way of motivating kids that you won’t find in other leagues. When you play with i9 Sports^®, one player is rewarded with a sportsmanship medal after every game to help teach kids the value of sportsmanship and positive player attributes such as teamwork, respect, and leadership. This serves as a source of motivation outside of winning that helps your kids develop into well-rounded individuals- not just great athletes. The extra source of motivation helps take the pressure to win off the table at a young age, and encourages them to keep playing sports longer.

The Challenge For Parents: Your youth athlete is experiencing burnout.

Many people believe that because kids have an abundance of energy, they could never be burnt out from playing a sport they love. However, studies show that playing one sport at a high level for a long period of time increases the risk for burnout and overuse injuries. 

Burnout can occur at any age. Kids can get bored of doing the same thing over and over, especially if they have a desire to try something new, but don’t have the opportunity to explore that desire. 

Similarly, overuse injuries occur when the same movements happen repeatedly for a long period of time. For example, if a 13-year-old boy has played soccer year round since he was 3-years-old, his body has been doing the same motions over and over in that sport for 10 years. This can lead to overuse injuries in the parts of the body used most in that sport. In soccer, it’s common to see overuse injuries such as ACL tears; whereas in baseball, there is more focus on the upper body and you’re more likely to see arm or shoulder injuries such as a rotator cuff tear. 

The i9 Sports^® Solution:

Sport exploration at a young age helps curb burnout and overuse injuries. It is recommended that children diversify their athletic experiences to build a broad skill set and reduce overuse injuries. By playing multiple sports, you encourage the development of a more diverse athlete and help avoid overuse injuries by switching up the types of movements being used in each sport.

i9 Sports^® offers a variety of sports including flag football, soccer, t-ball/baseball, basketball, and volleyball. This gives more kids the opportunity to explore different sports at a young age.

Many i9 Sports^® locations also offer camps and clinics that allow kids to try different sports without the pressure of immediately joining a team and winning games. Your baseball player can learn flag football in an environment with less pressure to immediately succeed and keep up with a team.

The Challenge For Parents: Lack of Time

Many parents have multiple kids with multiple afterschool activities and hobbies. This doesn’t always allow for multiple practices and games per week. Competitive teams and club organizations require your full time commitment every week and every weekend, limiting your child’s options. 

The i9 Sports^® Solution:

At i9 Sports^®, many sports are offered every season and are held just once a week. This means you may choose to play soccer in any season and not just the fall. Our once-a week- programs include practice for about 45 minutes prior to the game, so you’re still getting in that valuable practice time but you only have to dedicate one day a week instead of three or four. If you have the time to dedicate, we also have programs that take place multiple times a week. 

Choose The Solution That’s Best For Your Family

i9 Sports^® provides a solution for families who are struggling to find a youth sports program for their kids that isn’t overly competitive or time consuming. For parents who want their kids to learn and improve, but still have fun and be a kid, i9 Sports^® offers multiple options for ages 3-14. 

We believe that youth sports should be about the kids. Sports are about building memories and skills that will last a lifetime. We are dedicated to making sports a fun, enriching, and inclusive experience for children of all ages and skill levels.  

Find a program near you and join the thousands of families who have discovered the i9 Sports^® difference.