Be a Better Sports Parent, Coach or Athlete—Quick Takeaways From Our Conversation With Tom Farrey
The Big Idea
How did we get here?
One generation ago, youth sports were dominated by community leagues, open fields and kids playing until the streetlights came on. Today, they’re structured, expensive and often exclusionary—and that shift wasn’t random.
In this Youth Inc. episode, Aspen Institute's Tom Farrey breaks down how we lost our way, what we can learn from other countries and why solving this mess isn’t about blaming parents—it’s about building a better system around them.
Whether you're wondering how we fix youth sports—or how to survive them—this is a must-listen.
What Stuck With Us
“In one generation, we went from unstructured play to four seasons a year.”
Farrey talks about watching his daughter join a team where 6-year-olds were already playing in their ninth season of soccer. It was a wake-up call—and the beginning of his mission to fix the system.
“Most parents aren’t crazy. They’re just reacting to a broken model.”
Farrey isn’t here to blame parents. He’s here to explain why they feel trapped. Most are doing the best they can in a youth sports landscape that tells them: do more, spend more or fall behind.
“America gets a C.”
Farrey helped lead a global study comparing youth sports systems in 12 countries. The U.S. ranked near the bottom in accessibility and participation. Despite being the biggest sports market in the world, we’re shutting too many kids out.
“Norway has no national championships before age 14.”
Instead of chasing wins, Norway focuses on love of the game. They build a wide base—late specialization, no early ranking, and a youth sports Bill of Rights focused on inclusion and joy. It works. They lead the world in Olympic medal production
