What Kids Really Want From Sport (And What We’re Missing)
Inspired by the Jumpstart State of Play Youth Report (2025)
What if the biggest insight in youth sport today isn’t about performance…
but about belonging?
The latest Jumpstart State of Play Youth Report brings together the voices of nearly 4,000 young Canadians and hundreds of community sport organizations.
What they’re telling us is both encouraging… and clarifying:
Kids want to play.
They just need a clearer path to get there.
1. Kids Are Choosing People Over Performance
If there’s one insight that stands above the rest, it’s this:
Kids don’t play sport for competition.
They play to be with their friends.
More than half of youth identified playing with friends as their top reason for participating. Fun and learning new skills followed closely behind.
This is a powerful reminder for all of us:
Community sport isn’t a pipeline — it’s a gathering place.
When we design experiences around connection, everything else tends to fall into place.
2. The System Isn’t Failing… It’s Hidden
Cost remains the most cited barrier to participation. But right behind it is something equally important:
Many families simply don’t know what’s available.
Across Canada, there are thousands of incredible programs:
- Volunteer-led teams
- School-based activities
- Local clubs and associations
But too often, they are:
- Hard to find
- Spread across disconnected websites
- Invisible to the families who would benefit most
This reveals something important:
We don’t have a participation problem.
We have a visibility problem.
3. Informal Play is Carrying the System
The report shows that most youth are active in:
- Parks and playgrounds
- Neighborhoods and homes
- School environments
Not structured, high-performance systems.
That tells us something simple, but powerful:
Access beats structure.
When sport is:
- Close to home
- Easy to join
- Welcoming and low-pressure
Kids show up.
4. Families Are Powering Community Sport
Behind every practice, game, and program is a network of families and volunteers making it all possible.
Parents and caregivers are:
- Driving kids to activities
- Coordinating schedules
- Supporting teams and organizations
In fact, the vast majority of youth rely on family members for transportation.
This reinforces a truth we sometimes overlook:
Community sport is one of the largest volunteer-powered ecosystems in Canada.
And yet, we still ask each organization to manage its own visibility — often with limited time and resources.
5. A Simple Starting Point: Visibility
If awareness is one of the biggest barriers…
Then improving visibility is one of the simplest ways to help.
That’s where small, practical steps can make a big difference.
One example:
👉 Add A Listing – Get Discovered — It’s FREE! – SportAll
It’s not about replacing what organizations already have.
It’s about helping more families:
- Discover local opportunities
- Explore new activities
- Take that first step into sport
Because sometimes, the hardest part isn’t participation —
it’s simply knowing where to start.
From Insight to Action
Jumpstart has given us something incredibly valuable:
A clear, data-driven picture of youth sport in Canada — grounded in real voices and lived experiences.
The opportunity now is to respond:
- Locally
- Collaboratively
- Simply
Because when kids can:
- Find a place to play
- Feel welcomed
- Show up with friends
Everything else follows.
A Final Thought
This report reinforces something many of us already believe:
Sport has the power to build confidence, connection, and community.
If you’re part of a local organization, club, or program —
consider how visible you are to the families around you.
Because the opportunity isn’t just to grow participation.
It’s to open the door wider for the next child looking to belong.
🔗 Learn More
Explore the full Jumpstart report here:
👉 Research – Jumpstart
