ABSTRACT
The US sport system is complex, chaotic, and competitive. In short, it reflects the broader cultural and political milieu in which it is embedded (Sparvero, Chalip, & Green, 2008). There is almost no government involvement in youth sport at the federal level. This does not reflect the importance of sport in the United States. Rather, it is consistent with the federalist system of government in which the federal government is granted its powers through the US Constitution and its amendments; all powers not explicitly granted to the federal government by the Constitution devolve to the individual states. Sport is not mentioned in the US Constitution. In fact, no federal agency is charged with overseeing sport in the United States, and there is no Minister of Sport or Cabinet-level sport appointment in the US system. Instead, US athletes are developed through a cacophony of public, private and not-for profit sport organizations.
