Aspen Institute Sports & Society

09/08/2026

We’ve partnered with Dairy MAX to bring you the Nutrition Checklist for active kids! 🥗 This guide covers fueling up to feel your best, staying hydrated, and optimizing food for wellness and recovery. Checklist available in English and Spanish at as.pn/nutritionchecklist

08/27/2026

08/26/2026

🌟Meet the Champions🌟

This week, we are celebrating Skate Like A GIrl (Portland, OR) and Grand Strand Miracle Leagues (Myrtle Beach, SC) for creating welcoming play and sport spaces for youth with disabilities and girls.

As endorsers of the , we see their commitment to those principles in the work they do.

⛹️‍♀️ Right #8: "Grand Strand Miracle Leagues honors the right for children to enjoy themselves is by intentionally designing our programs around fun, friendship, and belonging. Our adaptive sports programs are designed so every player can take part in ways that work best for them. With the support of volunteers known as Buddies and encouraging coaches, players participate at their own pace and in ways that fit their movement, communication, and comfort levels. For many families, our programs provide a rare space where individuals with disabilities feel fully welcomed and supported."

🛹 Right #3: "Skate Like a Girl ensures that all participants learn and play under the guidance of qualified, trained, and background-checked adults and volunteers. In addition, all instructors complete HeadsUp concussion protocol training to maintain a safe physical environment. Beyond safety, Skate Like a Girl prioritizes inclusive and responsive facilitation. Instructors participate in in-house trainings such as allysk8, which teaches soft skills for creating affirming spaces, practicing consent, and remaining open to participant feedback. All instructors also attend skate facilitation trainings to develop their ability to teach skateboarding effectively and safely, adapting instruction to meet the skill levels and needs of diverse participants.

08/24/2026

On , we honor not only a legendary competitor, but a champion for youth sports. 🐍🏀

Kobe believed deeply that sports can change the world. He knew that for kids to dream big and build lifelong skills, they need access to fun, meaningful, and positive sports experiences—led by great coaches.

Kobe joined forces with to help build a world where every child has the opportunity to play, grow, and thrive through sports. Today, we honor his legacy by continuing that work.

Join us in celebrating his life and lasting impact on youth athletics by rewatching some of Kobes insights and reading our Executive Director, Tom Farrey's, tribute:
🔗 https://projectplay.org/remembering-kobe

08/19/2026

Since the Supreme Court allowed sports gambling to be legalized and regulated in 2018, one consistent policy has been that no state- or federally-regulated sportsbook can offer bets on youth sports, including the most visible youth sports event every year, the Little League World Series. Prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi, although not regulated as sportsbooks, have followed suit.

Victor Tangermann notes for Futurism that off-shore sportsbooks that aren’t beholden to state or federal law do consistently offer and advertise gambling on the Little League World Series, which features players between the ages of 10 and 12. Off-shore books justify these practices by pointing to customer demand.

As the World Series began today with a game between teams representing Latin America and the Caribbean, Little League International re-issued their statement first published in 2025 excoriating gambling on LLWS competition: "Little League International stands by its statement first issued last year that there is no place for betting on Little League games and players or any youth sports competition. Little League is a trusted place where children are learning the fundamentals of the games and all the important life lessons that come with having fun, celebrating teamwork, and playing with integrity, and no one should be exploiting the success and failures of children playing the game they love for their own personal gain.”

We agree: If sports betting is here to stay, it should be used to benefit society through mechanisms that reinvest proceeds from gambling taxes into community recreation, rather than to subject children to even more pressure to perform at a high level.

Offshore sportsbooks are allowing users to bet on the Little League World Series, an annual baseball tournament for children.

08/12/2026

When research drives real action for youth sports, communities win. 👏

Our 2025 State of Play Washington D.C. report revealed that the nation's capital has one of the largest gender gaps for participation in youth sports in the country. We also found that while most D.C. youth live in Wards 7 and 8, these areas have less access to sports — resulting in lower participation outside of basketball and football.

One of our key recommendations to close the gender gap? Listen to girls about why they play or don't play. We called on focus groups and further research to dig deeper into the barriers for girls within the District.

Building off our research, Monumental Sports & Entertainment did just that, conducting in-depth interviews with middle and high school girls, coaches and teachers in Wards 7 and 8. One key takeaway: Girls are less likely to voice frustration or disclose financial hardship directly and disengage in sports quietly, meaning a lack of access can be mistaken for a lack of interest.

Now, as part of its District of Play initiative, Monumental is partnering with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Under Armour to provide every middle school girl playing sports in Wards 7 and 8 with an essential practice gear bag (shoes, sports bras, apparel and more).

We are proud to see our data inform cross-sector action that removes systemic barriers for girls in sports.

Read our full State of Play Washington D.C. report here: https://lnkd.in/eHTMEHd7

08/11/2026

🌟Meet the Champions🌟

This week, we are celebrating Rising Phoenix Sports Program (New York) and Rush Union Soccer (Atlanta, GA) for their new and meaningful actions to grow opportunities for youth through adaptive frisbee and rec biking.

As endorsers of the , we see their commitment to those principles in the work they do.

🐦‍🔥Right #7: "A critical foundation to Rising Phoenix's work is to be treated with dignity. Because the athletes we work with are incarcerated in secure justice facilities, dignity is difficult to maintain. The athletes are not in control of any part of their days, from what they wear to their daily schedule. Tension in the residential units can often create negativity fueling bullying, put-downs, and low self-esteem. Two non-negotiable rules in Rising Phoenix practices are 'no put-downs’ and 'have good sportsmanship.' 'No put downs' means you can’t put anyone down, including yourself. These rules are upheld not just for our athletes, but also for coaches and any facility staff who may be attending practice. Having consistent accountability for both our athletes and coaches has created a culture of teamwork, support, reflection, and 'rising up' above negativity."

⚽️ Right #7: "Rush Union serves children of all ages, genders, and abilities. We provide year-round team environments alongside seasonal and winter opportunities focused on skill development, free play and coach education. Our young referees are trained in our values and approach, reinforcing respect, empathy and learning rather than fear or punishment. Coaches are supported through guided curricula and on-site mentoring, while parents are actively engaged and educated, both internally and through trusted external resources, to help keep children playing longer, in healthier, more enjoyable environments."

08/05/2026

🌟Meet the Champions🌟

This week, we are celebrating Minnesota Wind Chill (Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN) and Girls in Gear (Cook County, NV) for their new and meaningful actions to grow opportunities for youth through adaptive frisbee and rec biking.

As endorsers of the , we see their commitment to those principles in the work they do.

🥏 Right #6: "The Minnesota Wind Chill Foundation honors every child’s right to an equal opportunity for personal growth by using no-cost ultimate frisbee programming to remove barriers that disproportionately exclude underrepresented youth from sports. An example of this commitment is how we structure our Community and Adaptive Programs so that all participants, regardless of financial means, background, or ability, receive the same level of investment, resources, and encouragement."

🚴‍♀️ Right #1: "When girls learn how to ride a bike, change a flat tire, or lead a group ride, they also learn about their inner strength, self-reliance, and innate leadership potential. By offering structured, supportive, and culturally responsive biking programs, we address these disparities and provide girls with the opportunity to reclaim their sense of agency. For many girls, a bike is more than just a recreational tool--it is a vehicle for autonomy, economic opportunity, and social mobility.”

Learn more at as.pn/Champions

08/04/2026

What do kids actually want out of sports? Fun, friendship, and a place to grow. Yet so many youth programs are built around adult metrics like win counts and scholarship pipelines.

In a webinar with Jon Solomon, LeagueApps tackled why it’s time to shift our focus back to the real customer: the kids themselves. Listening to their voices is the first step toward creating sports experiences they love.

Watch the full webinar recording: https://lnkd.in/eWfn7Pia

07/27/2026

This November, the Center for Rising Generations is bringing 350 young adults to Bentonville, Arkansas for Aspen Ideas: Rising Generations. It’s a fully funded festival for accepted participants aged 18–24 built around the big ideas shaping their generation. Young people spend four days engaging with those ideas and go home ready to lead conversations about them in their own communities. If you know someone who should be there, applications are open through July 29, 2026, 11:59 PM EST. Apply Today: aspenideasrisinggen.org