Investigates

Youth sports no fun? Some kids call it quits by age 11

Fewer kids are playing organized sports than a decade ago and adults might shoulder much of the blame, according to national surveys, as well as interviews conducted by Action News Jax sister station Boston 25 News.

In its annual State of Play report, the Aspen Institute states that about 38% of kids aged 6 to 12 played team sports on a regular basis in 2018, compared to 45% in 2008. The average child spends less than three years playing a sport, quitting by the time they’re 11 years old, the non-profit said.

“The number one reason kids leave youth sports is they’re not having fun," said Chris Fay, partnership manager and trainer with the New England Chapter of the Positive Coaching Alliance, a separate non-profit that emphasizes more than just the physical aspects of youth sports.

Click here to read the full article on Boston25News.com.