In this revealing conversation, freelance journalist and former coach Linda Flanagan describes how youth sports have transformed from neighborhood fun into a $30 billion industry that's reshaping American families. Drawing from her book "Take Back the Game: How Money and Mania Are Ruining Kids' Sports and Why It Matters," Flanagan explores the cultural shifts since the 1970s that have turned children's athletics into high-stakes enterprises demanding extraordinary parental sacrifice.
The Parental Pressure Paradox
Parents now spend an average of 202 minutes (over 3 hours) daily on their children's athletics
36% of families reduce family vacations and struggle to save money due to sports expenses
The College Myth
Only 6-7% of high school athletes go on to play in college, and just 2% of these receive any athletic scholarship money.
Red Flags to Watch For in Youth Sports
Family life revolving entirely around one child's sports schedule
Siblings feeling resentful or left behind
Parents' emotional wellbeing tied to their child's athletic performance
Pressure to specialize in one sport before adolescence
Sacrificing family relationships, activities, friendships, and personal interests
Flanagan's controversial but liberating advice: "Flee the bleachers at the middle school gym, skip the tournament at school across town, resuscitate your own interests and relationships instead."
This isn't about not caring for your children—it's about showing them that:
Their activities belong to them, not you
Adult life has purpose and joy beyond child-serving
Independence and resilience are valuable life skills
Your wellbeing matters too
The Bottom Line
Youth sports can be wonderful for children when kept in proper perspective. The key is resisting cultural pressures that turn childhood athletics into family-consuming enterprises. By maintaining balance, protecting family relationships, and modeling fulfilling adult lives, parents can help their children enjoy sports without sacrificing everything else that makes life meaningful.
Website: lindaflanaganauthor.com
Resources Mentioned
"Take Back the Game" by Linda Flanagan
Aspen Institute Sports and Society Program research
Beyond Stigma Documentary on Women in Collegiate Sports
About Linda Flanagan
Linda Flanagan is a freelance journalist, former cross-country and track coach, and author of "Take Back the Game: How Money and Mania Are Ruining Kids' Sports and Why It Matters." A graduate of Lehigh University with master's degrees from Oxford University and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, she was an analyst for the National Security Program at Harvard University. She is a founding board member of the New York City chapter of the Positive Coaching Alliance, a contributor to Project Play at the Aspen Institute, and a regular writer for NPR’s education site MindShift. Her columns on sports have appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, and Runner’s World, and she is currently co-producing a documentary series on mental health in collegiate women athletes. (A mother of three and a lifelong athlete, Flanagan lives in Summit with her husband and a small menagerie of pets. She is still floating over Malcolm Gladwell’s recent claim that Take Back the Game was one of his favorite books last year.)
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