Youth sports shift from pickup play to organized travel teams
Feb 23rd 2026
A national survey of 3,845 adults finds people born in the 1990s spent more recreational time in adult-coached, uniformed sports than in informal neighborhood play, with wealthier and college-educated families driving the change.
- NSASS data from 3,845 respondents aged 21 to 65 show a generational move toward formal sports among those born in the 1990s.
- Higher social class and parental college education were linked to greater participation in formal sports for the 1990s cohort.
- Project Play data indicate youths now spend less than 25% of their sports time in informal settings.
- Researchers link the shift to more intensive parenting and higher parental spending on travel teams and private coaching.
- Authors recommend strengthening community-based programs and urging parents to align sports choices with long-term goals rather than following social pressure.