Nine out of ten kids say “fun” is the main reason they want to play sports. So, there’s really only one question: “What sounds like fun?”

Children who spend more time in less structured activities are generally better equipped to set their own goals and take action on them. Those children also display higher levels of academic creativity as college students.

By providing more athletic opportunities to children, we can increase the probability they will find a sport they enjoy. That improves the chances they will continue to play sports throughout their lives.

Travel teams often add complexity and cost to sports. That doesn’t translate to success or satisfaction for the children who participate in them. The answer? In-town leagues.

Huge mega-sports complexes are popular in suburbia, but quality play spaces can also be simple and cost-effective. One solution is developing modest, easier-to-find spaces into mini-fields for as little as $15,000 versus full-sized turf fields that can cost as much as $1 million.

Kids deserve experiences that recognize and build on their mental, emotional, and physical stages of development, such as games and drills with small teams that lead to more individual chances to develop key skills as they develop in their bodies.

A coach can nurture or destroy a child’s love for sports. In one study, 5% of kids with trained coaches quit the next year versus 26% for untrained coaches.

All coaches need training in:

• Coaching philosophy for kids
• Physical literacy and sport skills
• Basic safety

Nine out of ten parents have safety concerns, especially regarding concussions. Youth sports should produce positive health outcomes. Therefore, policies and rule changes that eliminate or greatly reduce head contact for kids 12 and under should be introduced.