ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the specific categories of youth sports and account for the explosion in the number of children and youths participating in organized youth sport programs. Researchers from the Institute for the Study of Youth Sports, Michigan State University, have described youth sports as athletic endeavors that provide children and youth with a systematic sequence of practices and contests. Often-cited reasons for participation in youth sports include the following: to improve skills, to have fun, to be with friends, to be part of a team, to experience excitement, to receive awards, to win, and to become more physically fit. A major challenge for organizers of youth programs is to devise methods and procedures that will curtail the number of injuries among participants. The young athlete’s nutritional requirements are essentially the same as those of any active child. The child’s appetite should dictate caloric intake. In general, parents should provide well-balanced meals, being sure to serve appropriate portions.
