The National Youth Sports Strategy aims to unite U.S. youth sports culture around a shared vision: that one day, all youth will have the opportunity, motivation, and access to play sports.
The Strategy is based on research and best practices from the scientific community and successful youth sports programs across the United States. It offers actionable ideas for parents, coaches, organizations, communities, and policymakers to support youth sports participation for all.
Read the Top 10 Things to Know About the National Youth Sports Strategy.
Explore the National Youth Sports Strategy and Related Resources
Download the complete National Youth Sports Strategy [PDF - 5.7 MB].
For an overview of what’s in the Strategy, check out the Executive Summary [PDF - 3.2 MB].
Discover successful youth sports programs in the National Youth Sports Strategy Bright Spots:
- Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy: Going to Bat for Inner-City Youth [PDF - 2.6MB]
- OSU LiFEsports: Reaching Vulnerable Youth Through Summer Sports [PDF - 1.5MB]
- Girls on the Run: Helping Girls Find Their Path [PDF - 842.1KB]
- The YMCA: Engaging Youth Across the Nation [PDF - 457.1KB]
- Saturday Night Lights: Lighting the Way for Young Athletes [PDF - 3.1MB]
- Special Olympics Unified Sports®: Promoting Social Inclusion Through Sports [PDF - 839.2KB]
Learn more about how to support youth through sports:
- 2020-2021 PCSFN Science Board Report on Youth Sports [PDF - 3.7 MB]
- 2020-2021 PCSFN Science Board Benefits of Youth Sports Fact Sheet [PDF - 1.9 MB]
- 10 Actionable Tips: Support Youth Mental Health Through Sports [PDF - 2.19 MB]
Promote Physical Activity and Youth Sports in Your Community
Playing sports is a great way for kids to meet the Physical Activity Guidelines. Check out these Move Your Way® campaign materials — in English and Spanish — that are focused on youth sports and designed to reach parent audiences:
Fact Sheets
- Sports Fact Sheet for Parents [PDF - 1.79 MB]
- Hoja informativa para los padres sobre los deportes [PDF - 977.25 KB]
Posters
- “Focus on Fun” poster [PDF - 5.04 MB]
- Afiche “Concéntrense en la diversión” [PDF - 4.47 MB]
- “Find Your Own Way to Play” poster [PDF - 3.21 MB]
- Afiche “Encuentra tu propia forma de jugar” [PDF – 2.71 MB]
- “More Than Just a Workout” poster [PDF - 4.9 MB]
- Afiche “Más que un simple ejercio” [PDF - 4.42 MB]
Videos
- Play for Fun, Build Skills for Life video
- Juega para divertirte y crear habilidades para toda la vida
The Move Your Way campaign goes beyond sports. Explore all of the Move Your Way campaign materials for parents and encourage families in your community to find ways to stay active that work for them.