Diversity and demographics in American youth sports

Diversity is a focal point and leading indicator in many aspects of America life, including youth sports. In a country as diverse as the United States, youth sports seem to lack a certain level of diversity that one would expect.

Ability
One in every one hundred families in the country have a child with a disability that can interfere with their ability to pursue sports. Similarly, these parents also report that their local schools do not have any disability-based sports programmes for their children to enjoy.

Age/gender
The mean age of entry into a team or organised sports is earlier for boys than for girls. The average sports entry age for boys is 6.8 years old, while the average entry age for girls is 7.4, with 6.6 the average age for white children, 8.2 for Hispanic children, and 7.7 for black children. Is there less opportunity for females or minorities to join organised sports? According to recent studies, only 18 states have enough roster slots for only half of the girls enrolled in high school.

Race

Only 16% of all boys and 15% of all girls who participate in youth sports are African-American

Only 15% of male athletes and 17% of female athletes are Hispanic

Only 12% of Asian boys and 8% of Asian girls play sports

Location
Children who live in urban areas will often have fewer opportunities to enjoy sports in an organised environment as well. Twenty five percent of all teenage girls who live in cities have reported that they have not had the chance to participate in any type of organised sport.

Income
For families that generate less income, the entry age for most children into any organised sporting activity is usually much lower, compared to an average of 6.3 years old in households that generate over one hundred thousand dollars, to 8.1 years old in households that make under thirty thousand.

Visit the Ohio University Master's in Coaching Education website to view the infographic

[This article has been edited by the Operating Team]