Youth Sports Participation Rebounds, but 63% Goal Requires System Change
At an Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program session on the 63x30 challenge, Ashleigh Huffman said youth sports participation has rebounded from its COVID-era low but remains constrained by a system built to “weed folks out.” Rick Jordan of the DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation and Steve Tanner of PGA of America argued that reaching 63% participation by 2030 will require more than new programs: longer community investments, coordinated sport pathways, practical access to facilities and equipment, and coaches who make children want to return.
The Aspen Institute·May 20, 2026·10 min read