Glad to aid excellent inquiry by @jimbaumbach.bsky.social on "...'a complicated issue' influenced by parental opinions and interests that run down cultural, political and socioeconomic lines. But the debate typically begins with head injuries..." Knoester said. www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Long Island high school football players are down 30% in a decade. Here's why.

Long Island's decline is nearly nine times the rate in high school football participation nationally.

newsday.com

From @nsass.bsky.social :“The differences in having athlete friends, based on private club or travel sports participation histories, appeared to increase among the youngest...This seems to speak to the increasingly all-encompassing nature of private club & travel sports participation," said Knoester

Slate@slate.com · last mo.

It’s changed American childhood for good. It’s also leaving millions of kids behind. slate.trib.al/okg4RAs

"Some studies have shown that people who play heavy contact sports in their youth are more likely to commit violence later on." *Based on linked OSU News summary (news.osu.edu/participatin... ) of @nsass.bsky.social research by Emily Nothnagle and Chris Knoester www.nytimes.com/2026/09/03/h...

Philadelphia High School Football Coaches Learn to Tackle Emotions

A training program for coaches in Philadelphia seeks to help players deal with trauma off the field.

nytimes.com

“Healthy, fit, high-achieving athletes are remarkable symbols, which make them not only effective advertising commodities — as we’ve seen on our televisions and social media feeds frequently — but also representatives of American exceptionalism,” said Knoester www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/au...

Patriot Games near as competitors shrug off ‘Hunger Games’ comparison

More than 100 young athletes will gather in Geneva, Ohio, this weekend for the Freedom 250 Patriot Games, an athletic competition that President Trump painted as proof of American exceptionalism but w...

washingtontimes.com

Nice to speak w/ Dom Mastrangelo for his politics, private equity, & youth sports summary for @thehill.com. "It is hard to counteract this movement in sports and society... Community investments, bolstered by congressional action, could be a way to offer some support.” thehill.com/newsletters/...

Lawmakers probe private equity’s tightening grip on youth sports

A growing number of private investment firms are pouring millions into youth sports, and critics say their capitalization on the athletic development of…

thehill.com

Excellent writeup by Elizabeth Weinstein on our National Sports and Society Survey sport participation and violence study: news.osu.edu/participatin...

Participating in heavy-contact youth sports, dropping out of sports linked to acts of violence

Contrary to popular belief, simply playing organized youth sports does not reduce the likelihood of committing violence in one’s lifetime, and in some cases, may increase it, according to a new study....

news.osu.edu

Nice to serve as a source for critique by @alexis-buisson.bsky.social in ep. 4 of a superb World Cup series: Can "soccer" be a patriotic sport like any other? Historically, American sports (football, baseball, and hockey) have been used to glorify the homeland, the nation, and the military.

Mediapart@mediapart.fr · 4mo ago

Le « soccer » peut-il être un sport patriotique comme les autres ? Par @alexis-buisson.bsky.social

Knoester notes: “There’s the glass-half-full story, that more people are being exposed to and participating... and the glass-half-empty story, that the increase is overwhelmingly a result of people playing and then dropping out.” @patrickcsisson.bsky.social id's changes, problems, & some solutions.

Patrick Sisson@patrickcsisson.bsky.social · 4mo ago

A boom in marquee new basketball training facilities in Brooklyn highlights a growing divide in youth sports. For @bloomberg.com I looked at the explosion upscale facilities & mega complexes within the $40B youth sports industry, and the drive for sports equity www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

"The explosive rise of club and travel teams, with children born in the 1990s three times as likely to participate in them as those born in the 1950s, according to a new study from Ohio State, which has led to a dearth of community coaches..." doi.org/10.1177/0193... www.inquirer.com/sports/youth...

Philly wants more community sports programs for kids. What’s lacking? Dedicated coaches.

As more kids increasingly flock to for-profit programs, community coaches are disappearing. A trend the city hopes to reverse by partnering with programs training teens to become the next generation.

inquirer.com

Based off @jgrabmeier.bsky.social write-up of @jssisport.bsky.social research, analyses & commentary from McLeod & Knoester on parental expectations integrated in reporting of new GOALS data on NCAA college athletes’ own expectations of becoming a pro/Olympic athlete. www.deseret.com/sports/2026/...

Most male college athletes expect to turn pro despite the odds

NCAA survey found more than of half Division I male athletes see themselves as future pros

deseret.com

New @nsass.bsky.social research by Emily Nothnagle and Chris Knoester on sports participation over the life course and the likelihood of committing acts of violence, now published in Sociology of Sport Journal. doi.org/10.1123/ssj....

Does Sport Participation Deter or Encourage Violence? Patterns of Sport Participation and Acts of Violence Over the Life Course

Using data from the National Sports and Society Survey (N = 3,993) and logistic regression analyses, this study drew upon social control, differential association, and life course theories to examine ...

doi.org

A few NSASS updates, as we transition to summer: a) Congrats to Tristan Hoh & Neil Sampath for their @nsass.bsky.social research & presentations! Both presented wonderfully at the OSU SSI's 8th Undergrad Research Fair/6th Sports Analytics Conference! sportsandsociety.osu.edu/events/6th-a...

6th Annual Ohio State Sports Analytics Conference

The 6th Annual Ohio State Sports Analytics Conference encompasses three days of events, Thursday, March 26 through Saturday, March 28: a virtual conference on March 26, a panel discussing investment i...

sportsandsociety.osu.edu

In part, drawing on a quote generated by @jgrabmeier.bsky.social, in interviewing Chris Knoester and Chris Bjork and summarizing their @nsass.bsky.social research, Andy Brehm critiques changes in youth sports in @startribune.com www.startribune.com/kids-sports-...

Brehm: Have youth sports gotten out of control?

"Youth athletics seem to have quietly consumed the American childhood calendar — evolving from being an important part of growing up into the organizing principle of many families’ entire existence," ...

startribune.com

"Our findings suggest that sports gambling behaviors seem to be a function of religious identities, affiliations, cultures, and practices, but in pretty nuanced ways,” says ASA member Chris Knoester (Ohio State) about new research with Laura Upenieks (Baylor).

Religious affiliation doesn't prevent sports betting, Ohio State study shows

The study results shows that Catholics, especially Catholic men, were the most likely group to bet on sports.

bit.ly

Interesting reflection on our latest National Sports and Society Survey study, on religion, gender, and sports gambling. casinobeats.com/2026/05/07/o...

One Catholic's Confession on Sports Betting

A recent Ohio State study found that Catholic men are the most likely to bet on sports. I derived a strange sense of pride in that finding.

casinobeats.com

Nice summary of our new religion, gender, & sports gambling @nsass.bsky.social study by @ekcaldwell.bsky.social! news.osu.edu/having-a-rel...

Having a religious affiliation doesn’t prevent betting on sports

Having a religious affiliation doesn’t stop people from betting on sports in the United States, according to a new study.Results showed that people who infrequently attend religious services are more ...

news.osu.edu

New NSASS research by Laura Upenieks & Chris Knoester on religiosity, gender, & sports gambling published in SSJ. Finds modest levels of sports gambling around the time of the Supreme Court’s overturning of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). doi.org/10.1123/ssj....

Sanctified Bets? Religiosity, Gender, and Sports Gambling in the United States

Over the past decade, the gambling landscape in the United States has shifted dramatically, with sports betting becoming more accessible and widespread than ever. Sports gambling is linked to sanctifi...

doi.org

So nice to speak to @gailcornwall.com about changes in youth sports! Appreciated the integration of @nsass.bsky.social work, in telling what has transpired, too.

Gail Cornwall@gailcornwall.com · 7mo ago

As word counts creep lower in anticipation of shortened attention spans, I’m a big fan of the CUTTING-ROOM-FLOOR THREAD. Here are some bits that didn't make it into the article I wrote for @time.com after my kid got caught up in commercialized, pipelined youth sports. 1/11 time.com/article/2026...

A shift from the sandlot to the travel team for youth sports

A shift from the sandlot to the travel team for youth sports

Pickup basketball and neighborhood kickball are less common now than for generations past, giving way to more organized and formal youth sports intended to help kids get ahead, a new study suggests.Researchers found that compared to people born in earlier decades, youths born in the 1990s spent more of their recreational time playing formal spor...

news.osu.edu

New research by Chris Knoester & Chris Bjork, in @leisuresciences.bsky.social, analyzes patterns of playing informal (e.g., playground, pickup) vs. formally organized (e.g., adults in charge, uniforms) sports while growing up, across past 60 yrs. doi.org/10.1080/0149... @tandfresearch.bsky.social

The Relative Frequencies of Playing Sports Informally Versus Formally, While Growing Up: An Analysis of Generational and Socioeconomic Status Differences in the U.S

Using large-scale national data (n = 3,845), this study employed multiple regressions to analyze U.S. adults’ reports of their relative frequencies playing informal versus formally organized sports...

doi.org

@nsass.bsky.social in the news: Chris McLeod appeared on FOX News-- One Nation with Brian Kilmeade to discuss our research, in @jssisport.bsky.social, on parents' expectations for their children's athletic achievements. (tv paid link: www.foxnews.com/video/638865...) open.spotify.com/episode/4BxI...

Democrats Forget Winning Agenda From 2025 Guest Host Charlie Hurt

open.spotify.com

@nsass.bsky.social research in the news: appreciated the engagement and commentary. www.parents.com/17-percent-o...

17% of Parents Think Their Kid is 'Meant' to Go Pro—What We're Getting Wrong About Youth Sports

Your young athlete may have dreams of playing in college or going pro, but you also have to be realistic about those dreams. Here's how.

parents.com

Enjoyed chance for a longform conversation with Dan Tudor, on his College Recruiting Weekly podcast, on youth sports! Featured research from recent @jssisport.bsky.social study on parents’ expectations for their children’s athletic achievements led by Chris McLeod. open.spotify.com/episode/3ILi...

Episode 219: Understanding the Mindset of the Parent of a Rising Athlete Prospect

open.spotify.com

Great segment on the cost of youth sports by Haley Stum for North Texas TV! Nice to see expertise from @lindaflanauthor.bsky.social & @nsass.bsky.social PI featured. www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTXt...

Haylie Stum The Cost of Youth Sports

YouTube video by Denton Community Television

youtube.com

Appropriate to see @jgrabmeier.bsky.social ride off into the sunset, with final write-up going viral (at least on @barstoolsport.bsky.social twitter feed) & prominent mention in linked article. Research by Chris McLeod & Chris Knoester in @jssisport.bsky.social www.barstoolsports.com/blog/3559396...

An Ohio State University Study Says That 27% of Parents Think it's Likely Their Child Will Become a College Scholarship Athlete

Ohio State News – Many children grow up dreaming – or maybe even expecting – that they will become a star in football, basketball or whatever their favorite sport may be.Most parents have more realist...

barstoolsports.com

University researchers found most American parents have realistic expectations about their child's athletic future, with only a small percentage believing their child will reach the professional or Olympic level.

Study: 27% of sports parents believe their child will get a college scholarship

Study reveals that most American parents have realistic expectations about their child's athletic future, despite some optimistic outlooks.

wishtv.com

Appreciated seeing our work on the rise of private club and travel sports, published in @jssisport.bsky.social, being summarized and relied upon in Akron Beacon Journal op-ed about Name, Image, and Likeness rules for high school athletes. www.beaconjournal.com/story/opinio...

Ohio State study reveals pitfalls of parents' sports dreams for kids

Ohio State study reveals pitfalls of parents’ sports dreams for kids

Parents of young athletes tend to have realistic expectations for their children’s athletic success, although a notable group still believes their child has a better-than-average shot at beco…

wkbn.com

Excellent story by Chris Francis at @san.com on the rise of private club and travel teams in the U.S., drawing from recent @nsass.bsky.social research by Chris Knoester and Chris Bjork, published in @jssisport.bsky.social, & interviews with the authors. san.com/cc/the-trave...

The ‘travel team trap’ that’s sapping parents’ time and bank accounts

A recent study found that participation in travel sports has increased over generations, and the industry is leaving many families behind.

san.com

Enjoyed speaking with Sarah Crosbie about our recently published @jssisport.bsky.social research, using Nat'l Sports & Society Survey, about parental expectations for their children’s athletic achievements, on CONNECT with Sarah Crosbie on QR 770AM in Calgary! open.spotify.com/episode/0Rj6...

Will my kid be a pro athlete?

open.spotify.com