The Relative Frequencies of Playing Sports Informally Versus Formally, While Growing Up: An Analysis of Generational and Socioeconomic Status Differences in the U.S

Abstract

Using large-scale national data (n = 3,845), this study employed multiple regressions to analyze U.S. adults’ reports of their relative frequencies playing informal versus formally organized sports generally, and when playing their most played sport, while growing up. As anticipated, we found generational and socioeconomic status differences such that playing more formally organized sports has become more of a hallmark of youth sports participation among the youngest generation and among those from higher socioeconomic status families. Also, more invested and passionate family, community, and individual sports contexts seemingly encouraged more formally organized sports participation for the sport one played the most. Overall, the results indicate that youth sports participation in the U.S. has generally contained a healthy mix of both informal and formal sports– but there have been increasing tilts toward more formal sports, understood to be aided by youth sports commercialization, intensive parenting pressures and cultural reproduction processes.