2020 LA84 Foundation Youth Sports Participation Survey for the Play Equity Fund
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
2020 LA84 FOUNDATION YOUTH SPORTS PARTICIPATION SURVEY for the ©2020 LA84 Foundation 1 Table of Contents 4 Executive Summary 9 Background & Methodology 12 Sports Participation Trends 35 Physical Activity/Inactivity Among LA County Youth 41 Sports Participation Rates & Profiles 44 BASEBALL 46 BASKETBALL 48 CHEER/DRILL/DANCE TEAM 50 CYCLING 52 FOOTBALL (FLAG) 54 FOOTBALL (TACKLE) 56 GYMNASTICS 58 HOCKEY (ICE/ROLLER) 60 MARTIAL ARTS (e.g. KARATE, TAEKWONDO, etc.) 62 RUGBY 64 RUNNING 66 SKATEBOARDING 68 SNOWBOARDING 70 SOCCER/FUTSAL 72 SOFTBALL (FAST/SLOW PITCH) 74 SURFING 76 SWIMMING 78 TENNIS 80 TRACK & FIELD 82 VOLLEYBALL (COURT) 84 VOLLEYBALL (SAND/BEACH) 86 WATER POLO 88 WRESTLING 90 Website Usage 93 P.E. / Physical Activity Classes 98 Inequity 104 Household Profile ©2020 LA84 Foundation 2 Introduction The LA84 Foundation is pleased to present the 2020 Los Angeles County Youth Sports Participation Survey. This is the latest in a biennial report on an assessment of youth sports that began in 2016. This comprehensive study provides both aggregated and sport-by-sport data about the more than 1.2 million youngsters – ages 6 through 17 – who play sports in Los Angeles County. This report offers an opportunity to view youth sports through several lenses including race, gender, age, ability, facility type, type of participation and family income. The 2020 report traces the evolution of youth sports in Los Angeles over the past half-decade. While there are encouraging trends, some of the In the decade between the 2008 economic downturn and findings will concern anyone who is committed to Play Equity. 2018, youth sports participation dropped for kids ages 6 to However, for all who are committed to Play Equity there is data 12, according to data from the Sports & Fitness Industry that raises concerns. Association. And, budget deficits in public education resulted in the elimination of enrichment programs, including sports and There has been an increase in girls’ sport participation, with after-school structured play programs. 82% of girls now taking part. This compares to 73% in the 2016 survey. Similarly, the percentage of all young people The LA84 Foundation and Play Equity Fund, leaders in the Play playing sports has increased slightly from 2016 and now stands Equity Movement, are committed to facing these challenges and at 82.7%. Also, the participation rate in 17 of the 23 sports reversing these trends. Youth sports advocates do not have to surveyed is higher in Los Angeles County than in the nation as a accept a landscape characterized by restricted sports access. whole. We must work together to change the way that the public and Unfortunately, there are also signs that we must intensify our policy makers understand the value of youth sports. Sports are efforts to close the Play Equity gap. The percentage of active not a luxury; they are a central component of positive youth kids from low-income families dropped, while the percentage development. of parents voicing concerns about the cost of youth sports participation has increased. We look forward to working with the many excellent youth sports organizations in Los Angeles County that share our vision that There is also the prospect of these discouraging trends every young person has a right to experience the physical, increasing. The COVID-19 crisis and the related financial social and psychological benefits of sport regardless of zip code, hardships will likely combine to widen the Play Equity gap. family income, race, gender or ability. ©2020 LA84 Foundation 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ©2020 LA84 Foundation 4 Executive Summary SPORTS PARTICIPATION TRENDS • 82.7% of Los Angeles County youth, ages 6-17, participate From 2016 to 2020, lower-income households have in a sport, a slight improvement over the 2018 activity rate of decreased their average play frequency, while the average 82.3%. More than 1.2 million young people, ages 6-17, play for the most affluent households increased. sports in Los Angeles County. • Swimming has the highest participation rate among youth • Family income remains a key indicator of youth sport ages 6-17 in Los Angeles County, with 25% reporting participation. Kids from households with annual incomes participation in the 2019 year. Basketball (24.3%), soccer/ greater than $150k participate at a rate of 93%, while only futsal (24.2%), running (18.3%), and baseball (14.6%) follow. 68% of kids from households earning below $35k play sports. Running, flag football, tackle football, beach/sand volleyball Youth physical activity decreased slightly for households with were the activities with the highest growth in LA County youth <$75k while increasingly for those $75k+. participation rate from 2018 to 2020. • Girls’ participation indicates an increase from 73% in 2016 • Since the first 2016 survey, running, football, and rugby have to 82% in 2020. While girls’ physical activity has increased, the largest gains in participation rate. On the other hand, male youth have decreased from 88% in 2016 to 84% in 2020. soccer, softball, and baseball are the sports with the lowest However, girls’ participation rate still slightly trails that of boys, growth since first measured in 2016. with 84% of boys participating in sport compared to 82% of girls. • The sports with the highest number of participants in “organized” activities, including school or non-school settings, • Cheer/Drill/Dance Team is the sport with the highest are soccer/futsal, basketball, swimming, running and baseball. concentration of female participants (92%), followed by gymnastics (74%), volleyball (sand) and softball (71% each), • The average number of sports played by active LA County volleyball (court) (67%). The highest concentrations of boys youth is 2.3, similar to the 2.2 average in 2018 and slightly are in tackle football (96%), wrestling (92%), flag football below the average of 2.7 in 2016. Active youth in households (85%), hockey (83%) and baseball (80%). with higher incomes once again average a higher number of sports played compared to lower-income households. • The youngest age group of boys and girls, 6-8-year-olds, has a higher participation rate than in 2016 & 2018, reflecting • Los Angeles County youth who are active played sports an an increase from 72% in 2016 and 81% in 2018 to 83% for average of 115 times, up slightly from the 2018 average of the 2020 survey. While the youngest age group has grown 112. Younger teenagers ages 12-17 have steadily increased steadily, physical activity for teenagers ages 15-17 has their average play frequency since the 2016 survey. From declined. Despite this, younger children ages 6-11 remain 2016 to 2020, lower-income households have decreased slightly less active than older kids. their average play frequency, while the average for the most affluent households increased. ©2020 LA84 Foundation 5 Executive Summary • Cheer/Dance/Drill Team (66 times) and skateboarding (65 • For those aspiring to play another sport in the next 12 months, times) are the sports with the highest average participation the sport most frequently mentioned was basketball. frequency in 2019, followed by martial arts (61), soccer/futsal (56), and softball (55). • When asked what sport/activity their child was most looking forward to playing when normal activities resume after COVID, • Among youth sports participants, casual pickup play (40% soccer and basketball were the most frequently cited sports. playing) was at similar levels to 2018. There is a slight increase in school-organized participation and a minor • Parents of the 17.3% of LA County youth who are physically decrease in organized play outside of school. inactive were asked for reasons why their child didn’t play; the most frequently cited reason is a general lack of interest • Casual participation is more likely to be done by males and (34%), followed by a dislike of sports (18%) and financial cost higher-income households, while a higher-percentage of (13%). The percentage of parents mentioning cost is higher females and lower-income households are taking part in than in 2016 & 2018. school-organized activities. • Inactive LA County youth are relatively more likely to be • 56% of LA County youth most often participate in sports at female, ages 15 to 17, Hispanic/Latino, and from lower-income public facilities (fields/pools, gyms), a similar percentage households; those who are active are relatively more likely to to 2018. Playing at school is associated with age – the be ages 6 to 14, White or Asian/Pacific Islander, and from a percentage increasing as youth get older, while play at public household income of $75k+. facilities is highest for younger kids then steadily declines with age. P.E. / PHYSICAL ACTIVITY CLASSES • 82% of youth are enrolled in P.E. / physical activity classes, • Active youth in households with $35k or less increased their up from 79% in 2018. For those enrolled, the average number participation at schools from 2016 (36%) to 2020 (43%). This of classes per week is 3.6, similar to the average of 3.7 first continues to emphasize the importance of schools as a source measured in the 2018 survey. of physical activity for children from lower-income households. ©2020 LA84 Foundation 6 Executive Summary INEQUITY • Like 2018, “I wish more sports were available at my child/ children’s school” is the most agreed with statement in the survey among parents of youth in Los Angeles County. • The statement with the biggest change in agreement was “Youth sports are becoming too specialized at an early age,” with a mean agreement rating up to 3.24 in 2020 from 3.06 in 2018. Concern grew particularly among parents of youth ages 6 to 11 years old. • Lower-income households tend to agree that youth sports in Los Angeles are too expensive, as first shown in the 2018 results.