"An engagingly written, invaluable overview of the contemporary youth sports landscape and how it developed. More Than Just a Game offers an exceptional blend of insights from previous research, new original research findings, and assorted personal stories, observations, and analyses. It helps to illuminate what often appears to be a mystifying, arbitrary, expensive, and inefficient youth sports delivery system. It offers a fair assessment of the costs and benefits of how things are working and very well-informed suggestions for how to improve youth sports experiences. A major contribution!" --Chris Knoester, PhD, Professor of Sociology, The Ohio State University "More Than Just a Game offers an insightful ethnography into the modern American youth sport ''society.'' Through systematic interviews and observation, Chris Bjork and William Hoynes expose some of the deepest-held myths about youth sport participation and how these myths may be damaging kids and families. The book''s underlying message should be taken seriously: parents should not betray their kids'' childhood fun with misinformed dreams about college scholarships, by viewing youth sport success as evidence of good parenting, and by trying to keep up with those in their''mobile youth sport communities.'' Kids, not parents, should drive youth sport participation (or nonparticipation).
" --Rick Eckstein, PhD, Professor of Sociology, Villanova University, Author of How College Athletics Are Hurting Girls'' Sports: The Pay-to-Play Pipeline , Coproducer and research director of the documentary series, Beyond Stigma: Mental Health in Women''s College Sports "More Than Just a Game goes into the dynamic aspects of youth sports that has become a culture of high specificity and high commitment. This is a common motif in American culture at large, with Bjork and Hoynes providing valuable insights as to how it has impacted the lives of so many young athletes and their families. If we want to change the culture at large, to reduce injuries and burdens while maximizing what is best for the kids, we must first become self-aware of the benefits and drawbacks. This book is the perfect way to pioneer that discussion." --Christian Hilts, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS "Like the authors, I''m both a parent of (former) youth and collegiate athletes and researcher of educational and economic inequality. More Than Just a Game illustrates how the youth sports industry has tapped into existing economic inequality--those with resources will pay seemingly unlimited amounts to get their kid ahead--further exacerbating inequality. The growth of private, pay-to-play youth sports and associated costs have accelerated over the past decade, as the authors illustrate. This book is an exceptional resource for parents of current and aspiring youth athletes to understand the broader context surrounding youth sports, the business of youth sports, and intersections between today''s youth sports industry, schools, and colleges.
It is an equally essential resource for those working in academic institutions, especially in selective postsecondary institutions at whatever level of the collegiate-athletics hierarchy. "--Bruce D. Baker, EdD, Professor, Department of Teaching and Learning, University of Miami "More Than Just a Game is a clear-eyed, highly readable analysis of contemporary youth sports, as well as an insightful account of what organized kids'' athletics means to parents. Grounded in original research, the book avoids pat explanations for parents'' behavior and always finds the nuance in their motivations and conduct. The authors are relentlessly fair, and their suggestions on how to navigate the ever-changing sports environment are essential. Parents, if you are confused about travel T-ball, year-round soccer for second graders, and why kids'' games cost so much--read this book!" --Linda Flanagan, Freelance Writer, Former High School Coach, Author of Take Back the Game: How Money and Mania Are Ruining Kids'' Sports--and Why It Matters "An essential read for any parents wondering where their weekends went--as well as whether such a thing as leisure exists anymore. A compelling, clear-eyed look at the changing norms around youth sports, family, and what it means for us to spend meaningful time together." --Hua Hsu, Author of Stay True: A Memoir "You''ll not find a better analysis of the child sports industry or guidebook for navigating your kids through youth sports than this perceptive, comprehensive, and very readable book by Bjork and Hoynes.
Reflecting the transition from child-centered sandlots to adult-controlled firms and institutions, and from community-based teams/leagues to private clubs/leagues, More Than Just A Game examines sports commercialization, the travel ball craze and its inequities, youth-sports power struggles, the illusion of college sports, and their implications for beleaguered young athletes and their parents. Filled with insights and good advice for those involved in the next generation of youth sports." --Robert Elias, Author of Major League Rebels, The Empire Strikes Out, and Baseball and the American Dream.