MOCO Youth Sports: Council Proposes Bill To Improve Opportunities

ROCKVILLE, MD — A proposal to create a commission to research youth sports participation and the factors that affect it in Montgomery County is on the agenda for the County Council's meeting Tuesday, the first one that is in person since March 2020.

The group would be responsible for identifying reasons why some kids can't or don't participate in sports, and for enhancing opportunities for athletics in the county, a council press release said.

“Sports at their best bring together communities and generations in ways that other genres cannot,” said Council President Gabe Albornoz in the news release. “It's important that we establish an organization that helps to organize our sports community to ensure that all children and youth have access to recreational sports, programming opportunities and our County provides quality venues to meet that interest.”

The largest discrepancies in sports participation are related to social and economic factors, as well as sexual orientation and gender identity, a 2020 study from the County’s Office of Legislative Oversight found. The analysis also "confirmed the numerous benefits of sports participation for children and youth in social and emotional development and overall health and wellness," the county said in its news release.

Montgomery County has been the home of many accomplished athletes, including recent 2020 Olympians Katie Ledecky, Phoebe Bacon, Andrew Wilson, Helen Maroulis and Kayla DiCello.

"Despite the significant interest and participation and rich history, there is currently no entity in the County that serves as an organizing body to help conduct research, advocate for enhanced sports opportunities, as well as identify or address discrepancies found in youth sports opportunities," the council's news release says.

Read more about the bill here.