Adults who continuously played organized sports through their youth have fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression than those who never played or those who dropped out, a new study finds.But many more people drop out of youth sports than play continuously until they are 18, said Chris Knoester, senior author of the study and professor of sociology at The Ohio State University.
Results showed 35% of the participants did not play organized sports at all, 41% participated and dropped out and 24% participated continuously until age 18. By far the most common reason cited for dropping out was"not having fun," which nearly half of respondents identified. The next most common reason was feeling like they were not a good player . Other reasons for dropping out were wanting to focus on grades , having a health problem or injury , not being able to afford sports , having an issue with team members and having an interest in other clubs and activities .
"The longer that youth are exposed to a positive and encouraging sporting environment, the more likely they are to develop habits that are conducive to long-term mental well-being, such as a commitment to regular exercise and collaborating with others as part of a team," she said. "We need to improve youth sports so that it supports positive experiences for everyone and makes it more enjoyable," he said.