On the Now at Ohio State podcast, we talk with researchers, innovators and bold thinkers who look at our world, see what the real challenges are, and create the solutions that people need now.
Why kids quit sports, and how to keep them playing
More kids are leaving youth sports than ever before — between 60 and 70 percent drop out before adulthood. That’s a problem, because youth sports aren’t just about competition. They build confidence, friendships and lifelong skills. In this episode, two Ohio State experts explain why so many kids are quitting, what the data reveals and how new approaches can help keep their heads and hearts in the game.
Dawn is a professor in the College of Social Work and affiliate faculty member in Human Sciences at Ohio State. She serves as the Executive Director for Teaching/Research for LiFEsports. She is known nationally for her research in sport-based positive youth development, afterschool programming, and school mental health practice. She is a licensed independent social work (with supervision designation) in Ohio. Dawn was a college athlete and also has coached soccer at the high school, Club and community levels.
Chris is a Professor of Sociology. His research has traditionally focused on the effects of children on parents’ lives and on the patterns and implications of fathering, specifically. He is the principal investigator of the National Sports and Society Survey (NSASS), a landmark survey that focuses on patterns of sports involvement and their links to well-being. He is the Research Chair for the Ohio State Sports and Society Initiative and is also a North American Society for the Sociology of Sport Research Fellow.
