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Save Youth Sport
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THE CRISIS

It's not a budget cut, it's a life sentence.

Over $2 billion has been cut from youth sports programs in the past year. This has created an epidemic of program closures. Here are some current numbers we expect to sharply rise:

  • 33% of U.S. children are obese by the 3rd grade
  • the national dropout rate is 30% (50% in low income areas)
  • 750,000 kids belong to gangs

    • 41 of 50 states have implemented pay-to-play programs to compensate for crippling monetary losses. For low-income areas, pay-to-play is essentially the same as eliminating the program entirely.

    And yet, every piece of data points to the profound and lifelong benefits of youth sports programs. Children who play sports:

  • complete homework more often and have stronger connections to school
  • are less likely to become pregnant
  • are less likely to use drugs and alcohol
  • are more likely to graduate high school
  • are more likely to become active adults
  • are less likely to suffer from diabetes and asthma

    • The most compelling piece of data is this: when you factor in the monetary burden the government shoulders every time someone drops out of school or is incarcerated, youth sports programs actually save money.

    Need Proof?

    Download fact sheet one
    Download fact sheet two