The Price of Play: How Rising Costs Are Leaving Kids on the Sidelines
Put Me In! dismantles economic barriers for participation in sports by children of incarcerated parents. In this post, we explore the challenges for making sports accessible to all.
The recently released 2024 United States Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth paints a troubling picture: the grade for Organized Sport Participation has been lowered to a C-. This shift reflects the reality that fewer children are participating in sports, and the disparities between who can access these opportunities are widening. Organized sports, a crucial component of childhood physical and social development, are increasingly becoming inaccessible for many families, especially those facing economic hardship.
Participation in sports has declined significantly among youth aged 6-17, dropping from 58% in 2016-2017 to just 51% in 2021-2022. High school sports participation has similarly trended downward, with only 55.7% of males and 48.1% of females reporting they played on a sports team in the past year. For many families, these numbers tell a familiar story—one of rising costs, shrinking opportunities, and the exclusion of children from the benefits of organized sports.
These challenges are even more acute for families coming from difficult situations. For children of incarcerated parents, or those living in low-income households, the barriers to joining organized sports can be insurmountable. The State of Play 2023 report highlights that only 25.8% of children from households earning less than $25,000 per year participate in sports regularly, compared to 42.7% of children from households earning more than $100,000. This stark divide is a direct result of a system increasingly shifting towards a "pay-to-play" model, where the costs of league fees, equipment, and travel create financial barriers that many families simply cannot overcome.
This is why our mission at Put Me In! is more important than ever. We're here to bridge the gap and make sports accessible for children who need it most. Our program provides financial aid grants that cover the direct costs of sports participation—things like registration fees, equipment, and travel expenses—ensuring that children, regardless of their family's financial circumstances, can be part of a team, build friendships, and gain the many life lessons that sports provide.
One of our caregivers shared her story with us: “Before Put Me In!, I couldn’t even consider putting my granddaughter in sports. We were already stretched thin trying to pay bills, and there was no way we could afford the fees and the gear she needed. Put Me In! made it possible, and now I see how happy and confident she is when she’s out there on the field.”
The U.S. Report Card also highlights racial disparities in sports participation. Among children aged 6-12, 38.0% of non-Hispanic White children participate in sports regularly compared to just 31% of Black children. This disparity lessens for older children, but it underscores the need for early intervention and targeted initiatives to ensure equitable access from a young age. Programs like ours are striving to fill this gap, ensuring that all children—regardless of race or income—have the chance to experience the benefits of sports participation.
Youth sports are more than just games. They provide children with critical opportunities to stay active, make friends, and develop skills like teamwork and resilience. But as youth sports become increasingly out of reach for many families, we risk losing these benefits for an entire generation of children—particularly those who are already facing significant challenges.
Put Me In! is committed to breaking down these barriers. We know that when children are given the chance to participate, they thrive—physically, mentally, and socially. As we continue our work, we call on others to join us in making youth sports accessible to all children, not just those who can afford it.
The time for change is now. Let’s work together to ensure that every child, no matter their background, has the opportunity to play, grow, and succeed through sports.
If you believe in our mission and want to help make a difference, please consider supporting Put Me In! today. Together, we can help ensure that youth sports are accessible for every child—because every kid deserves a chance to play.