National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) has entered a relationship with Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA), a national non-profit developing Better Athletes, Better People through youth and high school sports. The collaboration further solidifies NSGA’s interest in increasing team sports participation and keeping youth participants active.
NSGA research shows that the majority of key team sports are seeing declines in youth participation. NSGA conducted a survey to explore why kids are participating in fewer team sports than in the past and discovered a handful of reasons. The number one reason was that they “no longer like the sport(s).” There are underlying drivers to this response, with likely reasons including burnout, potential issues with coaches and parents, and lack of success.
PCA resources – including live group workshops for youth and high school sports coaches, parents, student-athletes and administrators, as well as online courses, books and nearly 1,500 free resources at www.PCADevZone.org – help create a positive, character-building youth and high school sports experience for millions of youth each year.
“PCA and NSGA share interest in keeping kids in sports,” said Jason Sacks, PCA’s National Director of Business Development. “The key areas where PCA resources can help are in keeping sports fun for kids and making sure that the adults involved in youth and high school sports programs focus on positive reinforcement for learning, including learning how to compete, as well as improving athletic performance and teaching life lessons through sports.”
“We are hoping through an exchange and development of ideas and content with PCA we can make a difference in youth sports participation,” said NSGA President & CEO Matt Carlson. “This collaboration is a natural fit for NSGA and an increase in youth sports participation and the creating of life-long athletes can only help our industry as a whole.”
