The Aspen Institute is a nonpartisan organization that gathers diverse thought leaders, scholars and members of the public to address complex problems and provoke, further and improve actions taken in the real world. In 2019, they issued a State of Play report updating how well stakeholders are serving all children, regardless of zip code or ability. Among their findings:
- Kids from lower-income homes face increasing participation barriers. In 2018, 22% of kids ages 6 to 12 in households with incomes under $25,000 played sports on a regular basis, compared to 43% of kids from homes earning $100,000 or more.
- Kids from the lowest-income homes are more than three times as likely to be physically inactive.
- On average, families spend $693 per child for one sport each year.
While inequity in sport has been around for years, it will only grow as a result of the pandemic which is hitting lower income families harder. San Antonio Sports is committed to help fill the gap. With a new school year upon us, we are adapting to the current environment and will start the i play! afterschool program remotely and continue in-person when it is safe to do so. We’re working on sport specific virtual content for soccer, track, volleyball, basketball and tennis and will be offering that content to PE teachers in all school districts.
The need is great. From the Aspen Institute, Project Play – Sport for All, Play for Life:
After-school programs will serve other kids-though far too few-through middle school. But children in many urban and underserved areas often flow into high schools with little athletic experience and where sport options are limited. Overall, the dominant model in American sports lacks a commitment to inclusion and is shaped largely but not exclusively by money, leaving many children, families, and communities on the outside looking in.
We believe it is important that the videos being developed be offered to all school districts free of charge so that children in our community can experience the power of sport. The ACSM American Fitness Index ranks America’s 100 largest cities. San Antonio ranks #73 in personal health and #86 in community/environment. Help us improve our community’s health and fitness. The earlier you start making fitness a way of life, the greater the chances you carry these habits into adulthood. Your support, in any amount, will help us continue making a difference in our community.