What Do Mothers Want from Youth Sports?
On May 29, President Obama hosted an event, the “White House Healthy Kids and Safe Sports Concussion Summit.” The president spoke of the need to address the concussion crisis and keep kids active, and a panel that followed underscored the important role that mothers play in the future of youth sports, and thus sports broadly, given growing concerns about the risks associated with playing contact sports.
But how deep are those fears? What do mothers – as gatekeeper of youth sports – want to know? How can we empower them to be leaders in their communities? And what do girls, specifically, need?
In partnership with espnW, the Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program will survey moms to find out what they want and need for their kids. With results in hand from the nationally representative ESPN Sports Poll, we will co-host a Project Play roundtable at the conclusion of The espnW: Women + Sports Summit to explore the issues facing kids and their moms. The goal: Elevate the voices of moms and girls in the conversation about youth sports, and identify ways to ensure their voices remain central to the dialogue moving forward.