Children's Sports Leagues Need Your Help

Links to current stories regarding childrens sports leagues from all over the United States

Parents who can't foot bills tell kids no to dance, sports, camp -- OrlandoSentinel.com

Julie Coleman saw the recession long before the buttoned-down economists or the high-end retailers on Main Street.

Part V: Youth sports enrollment, sponsors down

In 30 years of running youth-baseball organizations, Dick Marston never had seen anything like this:

-- Parents keeping their children off the field because they can't afford enrollment fees, and are either unaware of available financial aid or too embarrassed to ask for it;

-- Longtime sponsors and advertisers unable to continue their support;

Recession throws local little leagues a foul ball

PASADENA - Little League softball and baseball are feeling the choke hold of the recession as enrollment numbers and sponsorships slip across the San Gabriel Valley, league officials say.

Sponsorships are down 25 percent to 28 percent at the Pasadena Southwestern Little League, said its board president, D.J. Caruso.

Kids, dollars declining at San Gabriel Valley youth leagues

Enrollment at little leagues across the San Gabriel valley is suffering as families cope with the slumping economy.

La Verne softball, which is trying to survive the recent arrest of its treasurer for embezzlement, reports that its enrollment is down about 20-to-30 girls compared to normal totals, according to league officials.

The Columbus Dispatch : Sports leagues for adults, kids shrink as economy slides

The Columbus Dispatch - Columbus, Ohio's Daily Newspaper
Participation drops in Groveport, Whitehall, Gahanna, Reynoldsburg
As a youth soccer coach in Groveport, Kyle Lund is always curious when one of his players drops off the team roster.

Sometimes, he'll bump into the parents at the grocery store.

"I say, 'I didn't see your kid,' and they say, 'Well, look at the price of this bread. It's doubled.' People are asking, 'Do we do this, or do we take piano?'" Lund said. "Typically, recreation is the first thing to go."

Fewer kids on field as fees rise | pnj.com | Pensacola News Journal

Power bill responsibilities have seen fees jump and participation drop in Santa Rosa County league sports.

Enrollment is down in most Santa Rosa County sports leagues since the sports associations have increased their fees to cover thousands of dollars in electricity bills at the county parks where they play.