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Articles on Youth Sports

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Youth flag football players run drills with their coach before a game in Dayton, Ohio, on Oct. 8, 2023. Megan Jelinger/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Could flag football one day leapfrog tackle football in popularity?

The NFL’s embrace of the sport points to a promising future. But gender and political divides could stand in the way.
Nashville Predators and Vancouver Canucks players and spectators stand for a moment of silence for Adam Johnson, before an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, on Oct. 31, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Hockey organizations need to address the psychological impacts of team trauma, not just the physical ones

Hockey culture’s tendency to prefer attributes like mental toughness over emotional vulnerability can damage athletes when they’re confronted with traumatic events. This needs to change.
Women compete in the 20-kilometre race walk at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in August 2016. (Shutterstock)

How sport transformed the lives of young Colombians

A Colombian program to help disadvantaged youth used sport to help them steer clear of the dangers they faced on a daily basis, including violence, prostitution, drug addiction, vandalism and gangs.
Grand Park, a multi-use sporting facility in Westfield, Ind., was built to lure youth sports competitions and tourists to the region. AP Photo/Michael Conroy

Why massive new youth sports facilities may not lead to the tourist boom many communities hope for when they build them

New research suggests parents are too focused on their children’s competition to spend time or money on things that don’t involve the tournament, hotel stays or quick dining.
A high school football game in Kapaa, Hawaii on the island of Kauai. Marco Garcia/AP Photo

Is youth football past its prime?

After decades of continuous growth, participation rates have started to decline. What does it mean for the future of the sport?
Youngsters leave a football field in 2015 after playing at halftime at a game between the Buffalo Bills and the Carolina Panthers. AP Photo/Bill Wippert

Concussions and CTE: More complicated than even the experts know

A recent study that showed that 110 of 111 brains of deceased NFL players had a serious brain disease raised concerns once again about concussions. But there’s a lot we still need to know.
Michelle Vansickle, center, of Flowery Branch, Ga., during a youth football safety clinic March 18, 2014, in Alpharetta, Ga. AP Photo/Jason Getz

Concerned about concussions and brain injuries? 4 essential reads

A study of the brains of 111 NFL players after their deaths showed that 110 had degenerative brain disease. Here are some expert analyses of what can be done to stop brain injury from sports.
Members of the grounds crew spray the field before the Opening Day game between the Washington Nationals and the Miami Marlins. AP Photo/Alex Brandon

Baseball season begins: Five essential reads

The national pastime is more than just a sport. In this roundup, we feature stories about baseball’s relationship to race, politics, the media and health.
Soccer player on artificial turf. From www.shutterstock.com

Why artificial turf may truly be bad for kids

Artificial turf has become popular for kids’ sports as well as for professional players. The little black crumbs that help support the blades of fake grass may not be so harmless.

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