LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The LA84 Foundation releases the results of a new survey of youth sports participation in Los Angeles County. The survey found that the LA youth sports participation rate was higher than the national average in 16 of the 20 sports analyzed and more than 80 percent of youth between the ages of 6-17 in the Los Angeles area are active in sports.
“The LA84 Foundation Youth Sports Survey: Los Angeles County, 2016” conducted by Sports Marketing Surveys USA, reveals that outdoor soccer is played by more kids in Los Angeles County than any other sport. Skateboarding was found to have the highest “play frequency,” with an average of 90 times played per year.
Despite these impressive participation results, issues emerge from the report that point to inequities. For example, African American and Latino children are most likely to be inactive and girls are less likely than boys to play a sport. Consistent with previous national studies, the survey also found that households with the lowest incomes have the lowest sports participation rates.
“LA84 is committed to leveling and elevating the playing field in youth sports so that all children have access to the transformative nature of sports,” said Renata Simril, President and CEO of the LA84 Foundation. “We commissioned this survey to identify areas of need in our home county. Now that we have these baseline results, we have a roadmap that will assist the LA84 Foundation and our many constituencies to set priorities for the year ahead.”
The survey, which is the first of its kind to analyze youth sports on a local level in LA County, will be released in full by Simril on October 27 at the LA84 Foundation’s 5th Annual Youth Sports Summit. The summit will focus on the theme, #PLAYINGFORWARD and topics include the youth sports dropout problem, girls in sport, resource equity, and the impact of the Olympics and other major sports events on youth sports.
Headlining the list of Summit speakers and panelists are Casey Wasserman, Chairman, LA2024 Bid Committee, Chairman & CEO, Wasserman Media; Luc Robitaille, President, Business Operations and Alternative Governor, LA Kings; and Laura Gentile, Vice President, espnW. Sage Steele, host of NBA Countdown, will emcee the summit.
“The LA84 Foundation Youth Sports Survey: Los Angeles County, 2016” will be published in full on the LA84 website the morning of the summit.
To learn more about the LA84 Foundation and for more information about the LA84 Foundation Summit, please visit LA84Summit.org.
Sponsors for the summit include: The Los Angeles Times, Fox Sports West, the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, County of Los Angeles District 2 and the Los Angeles Football Club. The LA84 Foundation Summit will be held at the JW Marriott Los Angeles on October 27, 2016.
For all press and media inquiries, please contact Jessica Hofmann at Stanton & Company at Jessica@stanton-company.com.
About the LA84 Foundation
As a legacy of the 1984 Olympic Games, the LA84 Foundation continues to be a nationally recognized leader in support of youth sport programs and elevating the importance of sports in positive youth development. LA84 seeks to provide an opportunity for every child to participate in sports and experience the wide range of positive outcomes associated with youth sport participation. Since its launch in 1985, LA84 has invested millions in the communities that supported the Games, reaching more than 3 million youth throughout Southern California, from Santa Barbara to San Diego County. The LA84 Foundation continues to promote the spirit of the 1984 Olympic Games by convening and engaging local, national and international audiences about the role of sport in society, and the impact of the Olympic Games on host cities, especially as we look ahead to the 2024 Games. LA84’s headquarters is located in the historic Britt House near downtown Los Angeles, where it houses meeting facilities and the world’s premier sports library. For more information, please visit www.la84.org.
