There is a growing divide in youth sports with participation booming, but with costs growing as well. Some families will spend upwards of $10,000 per year to keep their children involved. However, the prices growing makes many families struggle to keep their kids involved.
While wealthier families can afford private coaching, elite travel teams and state-of-the-art facilities to give their children a significant advantage. Meanwhile, lower income families are left behind, as free and community-based programs are shrinking due to budget cuts. Local parks and recreation systems have had to cut back on what they can provide. The gap not only impacts access to sports, but also has serious health consequences with kids not being able to participate in the sports we used to grow up playing.
Check out this story from Real Sports w/ Bryant Gumbel from a years ago showing how things have boomed in the last decade for better or worse.
This is where the Under the Lights Foundation comes in, to try and help kids still have the chance to participate in the sports they love playing.
For more information about how you can support extracurricular opportunities in our community, contact Under the Lights Foundation today to discover how you can help ensure every child finds their spotlight.