Participation in sports by children and adolescents is associated with a range of documented physical, emotional, social, educational and other benefits that can last into adulthood. But increasingly, many young people opt out of a sustained experience, while others are locked out due to a lack of resources or access to community programs that meet their needs.

The most robust data tracking the sport participation patterns of Americans on an annual basis is produced through a household survey conducted by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA). In 2007, according to SFIA, 44.7% of youth ages 13-17 were active three times a week in any sport activity, organized or unstructured; by 2014 that number had dropped to 39.8%. The trend was more pronounced among 6-12 year olds, falling from 34.7% to 26.9%, with most sports seeing a dropoff in total participants.