Today, the Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee held a hearing to address concerns about declining participation in American youth sports. Chairman Kevin Kiley (R-CA) led the session titled "Benched: The Crisis in American Youth Sports and Its Cost to Our Future."
Kiley opened by noting the traditional importance of sports in teaching young people perseverance, discipline, and teamwork. He stated that fewer children are now gaining these skills through organized athletics.
"Seventy percent of children now quit organized sports by age 13. This decline will have a negative effect on children’s long-term development and broader economic and societal consequences for the nation," said Kiley.
He attributed part of this trend to rising commercialization within youth sports. According to Kiley, average family spending on a child's primary sport increased by 46 percent since 2019, with families paying over $1,000 annually as of 2024. He highlighted that private equity investment is contributing to higher costs for facilities and tournaments.
"Parents are told that only year-round travel teams, private coaching, and early specialization will keep their child competitive—and maybe even earn them a scholarship. That false promise has created a spending surge that prices out the average family while pushing kids as young as eight into high-cost, high-pressure programs that simply aren’t necessary for long-term development. Private equity firms are now pouring billions into youth sports facilities, tournaments, and leagues, further fueling exorbitant spending," he said.
Kiley warned that increasing costs reduce access for many families: "As programs get more expensive, fewer kids have access to affordable opportunities in their own communities to learn important life skills and try new things. This leaves millions of kids losing the very benefits sports are supposed to deliver."
He cited health data showing one-third of U.S. youth aged 10–17 are overweight or obese—a situation with significant medical expenses estimated at $173 billion per year for obesity alone.
Kiley also addressed how screen time affects children's well-being: "Meanwhile, on average children spend nearly 8 hours a day on screens and for kids who do not participate in extracurricular activities it is roughly 2 additional hours every day. Excessive screen time is linked to obesity, depression, anxiety, and reduced self-esteem."
He argued that falling participation means children lose key opportunities for social connection: "What we are witnessing is more than a drop in sports participation—it is the loss of one of the most effective tools we have to combat rising isolation and mental health challenges in our children."
Kiley pointed out there is an existing federal goal—Healthy People 2030 from the Department of Health and Human Services—which aims for 63 percent youth participation in sports by 2030. Achieving this would require about three million more participants nationwide and could result in significant cost savings due to better health outcomes.
"That is why we are here today: to shine a national spotlight on youth sports, the critical role they play in America’s future, and how increasing participation can save billions in health care costs and improve millions of lives," he concluded.
