Why Children Play Sports, and Why They Quit

The study was designed to examine the thinking and attitudes that may be associated with elementary and middle school students participating in youth sports. Involvement in youth sports is foundational in that there are numerous educational, social, and physical benefits. Though research has identified the common reason for girls and boys discontinuing sports to be a lack of enjoyment and low self-perceived physical competency, there is a dearth of information about possible cognitive barriers that contribute to withdrawal from athletics. This study promotes a greater understanding of the cognitive barriers that prevent sustained involvement in sports, and how the factors of an enjoyable experience and self-perceived competency influence ongoing participation.