Initiatives
Encourage Sport Sampling
The Why
Parents and young athletes today are bombarded with the message that high doses of one sport at an early age is the only pathway to athletic stardom.
This narrative demands that children choose only one sport, characterized by high levels of deliberate and focused practice (rather than play), and often focus on performance at ages as early as six years old. However, early sport specialization puts kids at risk of higher rates of injury and increased psychological stress, even causing them to prematurely “retire” from sports at a young age. Sport sampling mitigates those risks and helps kids stay active longer.
Benefits of sampling a variety of sports
More athletes, better athletes
More options mean more kids will find a sport they like
Reach elite status with fewer hours of focused training
Increased transfer of motor, psychological skills to other sports
Better pattern recognition and decision-making
Play sports longer throughout life
(Data: University of Florida Sport Policy & Research Collaborative)
What We Are Doing
Project Play WNY works to convene and fund organizations that offer different sports to provide their kids with a chance to try them. In an age of early specialization, where families chase mastery of a single sport for a chance at a college scholarship, Sport Sampling provides kids the opportunity to: find a sport they love, build different skill sets, and keep the joy of play!
Our Summer Track & Field Series represents one of our Sport Sampling initiatives. Each summer, we partner with Just Blaze & Niagara Track & Field to host free, developmental track meets in Buffalo & Niagara Falls. The meets introduce youth athletes of all abilities to the sport, with opportunities to participate in running, jumping, and throwing events.
Contact us
If you are a youth sports organization interested in collaborative work to facilitate sport sampling programming, please email inquiries to ProjectPlayWNY@CFGB.org.