Youth sports in the wake of COVID-19: a call for change
Andrew Watson, Jennifer Scott Koontz
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on virtually every facet of life throughout the world. Among youth athletes, the cancellation of school and sports was accompanied by decreases in physical activity and significant mental health consequences. The reintroduction of sports has varied considerably, with the full return of sports in some regions and continued restriction in others. Given that youth sports faced serious problems prior to the pandemic including high costs, professionalisation, decreased participation and barriers to access,1 we should consider more than just returning to ‘normal’. This unexpected pause provides an opportunity to not only guide the return to youth sport participation but invest in programmes and organisations that increase physical activity and increase access to sports for all children. Physical activity and sports participation have a wide range of physical and mental health benefits in children.2 Unfortunately, the restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in significant reductions in physical activity and worrisome increases in anxiety and depression in young athletes. For example, in a survey of over 13 000 adolescent athletes throughout the …