Some 75% of American families want their kids to play sports. Athletics are training grounds for character, friendship, and connection; at their best, sports insulate kids from hardship and prepare them for adult life.

But youth sports have changed so dramatically over the last 25 years that they no longer deliver the healthy outcomes everyone wants. Instead, kids who play competitive organized sports are more likely to burn out or suffer from overuse injuries than to develop their characters or build healthy habits.

What happened to kids' sports? And how can we make them fun again?

In Take Back the Game, coach and journalist Linda Flanagan reveals how the youth sports industry capitalizes on parents’ worry about their kids’ futures, selling the idea that more competitive play is essential in gaining access to colleges and universities.

Drawing on her experience as a coach and a parent, along with research and expert analysis, Flanagan delves into a national obsession that has:

• Compelled kids to specialize year-round in one sport.

• Increased the risk of both physical injury and mental health problems.

• Encouraged egregious behavior by coaches and parents.

• Reduced access to sports for low-income families.

NOTE: Zoom link included in your Eventbrite Registration Confirmation under "Additional Information."

This event is sponsored by Sequoia Union High School District, Sequoia Healthcare District, and The Parent Venture.