Date of Publication

Fall 2013

Document Type

Undergraduate Project

Professor's Name

Katharine Burakowski

Abstract

Baseball has always been known as America’s game and has been embedded into our society for decades. Unfortunately we have seen a swing that has led America’s youth to abandon the game that has been cherished by so many before them. Youth athletes have been switching to sports that they are finding to be exciting, something that has been missing from the sport of baseball in the United States for some time now. This paper looks to address the question: what factors contribute to youth baseball players leaving/quitting the sport? From the research I have conducted I have found that kids are switching to faster paced sports such as lacrosse, soccer and even action sports such as in line skating. It has also been discovered that competition from these sports as well as basketball and hockey summer leagues have taken away from participation number in the sport of baseball as well. Motivations of youth athletes in today’s era also include fast paced and physical sports (such as lacrosse and soccer), having fun in the sports that they are participating in, parent influence and finally achievement in sports for elite athletes. I expect my research to lead me to the conclusion that kids are leaving the game of baseball because they find it boring. They are opting for activities that are going to excite them and for activities that their friends are participating in. Unfortunately, if this trend continues we can officially say goodbye to referring to baseball as Americas Pastime and can just start calling it another sport.

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