Aspen is a place for leaders to lift their sights above the possessions which possess them. To confront their own nature as human beings, to regain control over their own humanity by becoming more self-aware, more self-correcting, and hence more self-fulfilling.
Drawing directly from the core findings of the newly released “Boys in Sports” report, leading experts from the American Institute for Boys and Men and the Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program unpack the experiences of boys in sports today, exploring shifting preferences, coaching styles, rising costs, technological changes, and modern cultural pressures. The panel discussed actionable, community-based policy solutions designed to meet boys’ needs and keep them engaged — without compromising the hard-earned opportunities available to girls.
Panelists:
Richard Reeves, AIBM
Tom Farrey, Aspen Institute Sports & Society
Linda Flanagan, author, Take Back the Game
Dr. Vince Minjares, Aspen Institute Sports & Society, moderator
Re-Envisioning the Teacher-Coach: This 2026 report by the Male Educator Network & Policy Institute found that while only 26% of all teachers are men, men make up 56% of teachers who coach sports.
Featuring behavioral scientist Cassie Holmes, to explore one of life’s most pressing questions: how can we spend our time to experience greater happiness and meaning.
Featuring Deborah Tannen, Linguist and best-selling author, for a keynote about the power of language in shaping our relationships, workplaces, and public life.
Featuring Dr. Emily Jacobs, neuroscientist and professor at UC Santa Barbara, whose groundbreaking research examines how hormonal changes across the female lifespan influence brain function and structure.
Featuring Dr. Vonda Wright, board-certified orthopedic surgeon, author, and internationally recognized expert on women’s musculoskeletal health and active aging.
Featuring Dr. Natalie Crawford, double board-certified OB/GYN and Reproductive Endocrinologist, co-founder of Fora Fertility, and author of “The Fertility Formula.”
The U.S sports system sits on the precipice of a massive transition, from the grassroots to the treetops. Traditional structures that have guided the development of youth, school, college, global and professional sports are being pressure-tested and in some cases ripped up by the forces of NIL, legal rulings, technology, private equity, and White House executive orders.
In moments like these, policy matters. But sports policy has never been a strength of our government. How did we get here and what needs to happen to ensure the Golden Decade ahead unfolds in a manner that is underpinned by a coherent, mutually beneficial sport system?
