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Received: August 2020; Accepted: March 2021; Published: September 2021
Abstract: American children participate relatively ubiquitously in youth sport and parents are intimately engaged in their participation. However, the onset of the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has dramatically changed how families consume youth sport. Given this, it is important to explore the new and still-changing landscape of youth sport in the United States. The purpose of the present study was to better understand parent perceptions of the current state of youth sport in the United States amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. To address this purpose, a large and statistically representative subset of youth sport parents in the United States (N = 2603; Mage = 38.72) was recruited via Qualtrics panel to complete a study-designed instrument assessing their perceptions prior to, and during, COVID-19-related restrictions. Results highlight youth sport parents' COVID-19-related perspectives, as well as their perceptions of return-to-play protocols in various organizational, community, and sociodemographic contexts. The present work has the potential to shape the ways families engage with youth sport if and when COVID-19-related restrictions are ultimately lifted.
Keywords: Youth sport; COVID-19; Parenting; Health and safety
Introduction
Organized youth sport participation has become a staple of family life for most American children. Estimates suggest that as many as 90% of youth participate in organized sport at some point before they turn 18 (Bremer, 2012). Assuming their experiences are properly designed and delivered, youth are likely to benefit from regular participation (Wells et al., 2008). A broad literature highlights the positive physical (Anderson-Butcher et al., 2019; Nelson et al., 2011; Spruance et al., 2020; Wickel & Eisenmann, 2007) emotional (Eime et al., 2013, Wells et al., 2008), and social (Anderson-Butcher et al., 2018; Dorsch et al., 2016) benefits that result from participation in well-designed youth sport contexts.
In 2020, SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) developed into a highly infectious disease that led to the onset of a global pandemic. From March 2020 through January 2021, the United States had one of the highest per capita mortality rates (1107.39 deaths per million inhabitants) in the developed world (United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021). In response, leaders and experts across the country have implemented measures such as physical distancing, mask-wearing, and stay-at-home orders to slow...