Game Over: Why Kids Quit Youth Sports

Episode 12

In this episode of The Healthy Youth Sports Podcast, we welcome Stephen Borelli, the sports parenting columnist for USA Today, to delve into the pressing issue of high dropout rates in youth sports. Join us as we discuss the factors contributing to this trend and explore practical solutions to keep kids engaged and active.

Our conversation is inspired by Borelli’s recent insightful USA Today article, which sheds light on why 70% of kids drop out of organized sports by age 13. We’ll explore his 10 points of advice for managing these challenges, emphasizing the importance of promoting athletics for healthy habits and ensuring that sports remain enjoyable, rather than solely a pathway to scholarships or professional careers.

Whether you’re a parent, coach, or sports administrator, this episode offers valuable perspectives on how to create a positive and sustainable youth sports environment. Tune in for expert insights and actionable strategies to address the youth sports dropout dilemma.

Read more of Stephen’s articles here.

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GSSI Pre-Conference

The Physiology of Hydration: More Than Water Alone

This session explores the physiology of hydration through an integrated lens—examining how carbohydrate, sodium, flavor, and fluid interact to influence intake, absorption, retention, and performance. We’ll review current research on fluid balance, osmotic drivers, and palatability, highlighting mechanisms that underpin voluntary intake and thermoregulation. Attendees will gain insight into individualized strategies, including sweat profiling and timing approaches, to optimize euhydration and mitigate performance decrements associated with >2% body-mass loss. Practical applications will be linked to laboratory- and field-based research, ensuring translation from bench to field. This pre-conference equips you with evidence-based tools to support athlete hydration across diverse environments and sporting contexts. 

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  • Session 1: Sweating the detail: New insights on hydration considerations for athlete performance
    • Lewis James, PhD, Associate Professor in Human Nutrition in the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University
  • Session 2: Functional ingredients in fluid replacement beverages for athletes
    • Lindsay Baker, PhD, Director at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute
  • Session 3: The hydration toolkit: Practical approaches to athlete support
    • Floris Wardenaar, PhD, Associate Professor at the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University