Youth sport refers to children and teenagers under 18 participate in sports skill development sessions and competitive events (Vealey & Chase, 2016). This includes a wide range of individual, partner, and team sports, with varying amounts of adult involvement, level and intensity of competition, and reasons for participation (Knight & Holt, 2011). While youth sport can involve many different activities, it is often associated with adult-structured and organized competitive events like races, matches, or games between two or more participants. These events are governed by specific rules, require specific equipment, and are often modified based on the age and developmental stage of the participants. Youth sport competitions are generally organized by chronological age and skill level, although some youth sports group children based on their physical growth and maturation. It is the regulated, structured, and competitive nature of youth sport that makes it different from physical education (gym class) or other general physical activity (Vealey & Chase, 2016).
Participation in youth sport has been linked to a range of benefits including positive physical, psychological, intellectual, and social development (Holt, 2008). However, it has also been linked to negative outcomes like sport-related injuries, body image concerns, eating disorders, low confidence and self-esteem, aggression, violence, poor sportsmanship, performance-enhancing drug use, and dropout/burnout. These negative outcomes are more likely when there is an overemphasis on winning from an early age. The role of adult involvement (i.e., parenting, coaching), the prevailing culture, and the design of youth sport programs largely determine whether youth sport leads to positive or negative experiences and outcome (Harwood, 2019).
Organized youth sport programs can be provided by the public, private, and commercial sectors. Youth sport programs can be school-based or nonschool-based, with different goals and standards for being included (Vealey & Chase, 2016). For example, some programs focus on fun and enjoyment and are open to all participants, while others have the goal of targeting specific “at-risk” populations and using sport as a way to encourage positive behaviors. Additionally, there are some programs aim to use sport to develop life skills and promote positive youth development outcomes while others focus on selecting and developing talented young athletes towards reaching an elite level at their sport (Harwood, 2019).
References
Harwood, C. G. (2019) In D. Hackfort, R. J. Schinke, & B. Strauss (Eds.), Dictionary of sport psychology: Sport, exercise, and performing arts. Academic Press, 317.
Holt, N. L. (2008). Positive youth development through sport. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.
Knight, C. J., & Holt, N. L. (2011). Sport participation during childhood and adolescence. In N. L. Holt, & M. Talbot (Eds.), Lifelong engagement in sport and physical activity: Participation and performance across the lifespan. Routledge.
Vealey, R. S., & Chase, M. A. (2016). Best practice for youth sport. Champaign: IL: Human Kinetics.
