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How Are Youth Organizations Increasing Access to Soccer? Boys & Girls Clubs of America and its Partners Tackle Barriers and Turn Growing Demand for Soccer into Opportunities to PlayAs the "summer of soccer" heats up nationwide, Boys & Girls Clubs of America is expanding efforts to meet rising interest in the sport by improving youth soccer access and tackling persistent barriers to participation. Across the U.S., families and communities are asking how to make soccer more accessible, and how more kids can participate in youth sports regardless of cost or location. The 2026 State of Soccer report, from the Aspen Institute's Project Play initiative, identified key barriers to youth soccer participation and outlined priorities to expand access. Boys & Girls Clubs of America's soccer initiative, with support from key partnerships, is making progress across each area of opportunity:
"The next generation of soccer players, fans and leaders are already out there in communities across America -- they just need the opportunity to step onto the field," said Matt Turner, goalkeeper for the U.S. Men's National Team. "Boys & Girls Clubs of America is helping open those doors for young people who may not otherwise have access to the sport, and that's how we preserve the game's legacy." Sports help young people build lifelong skills like teamwork, confidence and resilience, while creating an on-ramp for Clubs to engage them in broader youth development opportunities. To ensure more kids benefit from sports, Boys & Girls Clubs of America is committed to increasing access, including standing alongside other leaders and organizations as a member of the Aspen Institute's Project Play 63X30 Roundtable, contributing to a national effort to increase youth sports participation to 63% by 2030. At Boys & Girls Clubs, sports are part of a whole-child approach that fuels physical, social and emotional growth. According to Boys & Girls Clubs of America's Youth Right Now survey, 80% of Club youth report they can manage stress effectively, 94% have a trusted adult to turn to, and Club kids exceed national fitness benchmarks. "We see every day how sports can help young people build confidence, develop meaningful relationships and discover their potential," said Jim Clark, President and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "Research from Boys & Girls Clubs of America shows that youth who regularly participate in Club programs like soccer are significantly more likely to stay on track academically, with 73% of regularly attending members reporting mostly A's and B's. They are also more likely to develop leadership habits, with 51% volunteering in their neighborhood, school or community at least once a month. Soccer has a unique ability to bring people together, and alongside our partners, we're working to ensure every young person can participate, grow and thrive through the game." Reducing Cost Barriers to Youth Soccer Participation Cost remains one of the largest barriers to participation, limiting youth soccer access and underscoring the need for more affordable youth sports options. The State of Soccer report found that nearly one-third (32%) of youth soccer players cite expensive team fees as a major barrier to participation, rising to 41% among low-income families. The report also highlights transportation challenges: while 86% of players from high-income households are driven to practices, only 21% of players from low-income households have the same access. At Boys & Girls Clubs across the country, more than 91,000 Club kids currently participate in youth soccer programming at little to no cost to families, and the organization intends to double participation to 180,000. By embedding soccer into afterschool programming, Clubs help remove transportation barriers and make participation more accessible for families. Through support from key partners, Boys & Girls Clubs of America is expanding soccer access, providing equipment, offering training programs and soccer clinics, and creating engaging events that introduce kids to the game.
Since the soccer initiative launched this spring, Boys & Girls Clubs of America is making progress against its goals:
Investing in Soccer Infrastructure to Expand Safe Places to Play Acess to safe and welcoming places to play is essential for growing the game and expanding youth soccer access nationwide. The State of Soccer report shows demand is outpacing access to quality playing spaces, particularly in densely populated and under-resourced communities, and spontaneous pick-up play is declining as children's activities become more structured overall. Boys & Girls Clubs are bringing mini-pitches, futsal courts and soccer spaces at Clubs in communities across the country. Partners are critical to expanding safe places to play and addressing infrastructure gaps that limit youth soccer access in underserved communities.
These investments are creating more opportunities for daily play, free community programming, and youth engagement in neighborhoods across the country. Training, Supporting and Developing Youth Soccer Coaches Positive coaching experiences are critical to keeping kids engaged and reducing barriers to participation in youth sports. Today's coaches play a critical role in sports skill development as well as supporting young people's confidence, character-development, and overall well-being. There's a need to replace one-time certifications with ongoing training, support and development for coaches, and breaking down cost and time barriers for volunteer coaches, according to the State of Soccer report. Through strategic partnerships, Boys & Girls Clubs of America is equipping staff, coaches and volunteers with youth development training, trauma-informed resources and soccer-specific education to create environments where all kids can thrive. By strengthening coaching quality and embedding mentorship and social-emotional development into sports programming, Clubs are contributing to the overall soccer ecosystem and helping young people build confidence on and off the field.
Increasing Participation and Retention for Girls in Soccer The State of Soccer report highlights the need to improve retention among girls, who represent 45% of high school soccer players nationally. Boys & Girls Clubs of America helps more girls overcome barriers and develop a lasting love of soccer by creating welcoming, supportive environments where they can build confidence, skills and connection. Boys & Girls Clubs of America aims to increase girls' participation in soccer by 25%. Through recreational leagues, after-school programming, futsal clinics, camps and free play, Boys & Girls Clubs make soccer more accessible and engaging for girls at every stage of participation, fostering belonging, mentorship and growth through sport, so female athletes to stay involved and thrive both on and off the field. An emphasis on increasing girls' participation is embedded in Boys & Girls Clubs soccer programming and throughout all the partnerships that make it possible. The partnership with U.S. Soccer Foundation supports girls' confidence and participation through coach training and program design that emphasizes belonging, positive relationships and emotional safety -- key factors in helping girls stay engaged in sports. Dove and Boys & Girls Clubs of America will help keep girls confident while playing in the sports they love through their ongoing partnership. This summer, The Dove Self Esteem Project will host multiple experiences and activations with Boys & Girls Clubs. Programming will include workshops centered on Body Confident Sport, an evidence-based initiative co-developed with leading experts to help build body confidence and create positive experiences in sports for girls ages 11-17. Shifting Youth Soccer from 'Pressure' to 'Play' There's a growing imbalance in youth sports, where pressure to compete has begun to outweigh play, according to the State of Soccer report. As structured, high-pressure environments increase, the report shares that many young athletes face burnout and injury, despite most kids citing fun (46%), friendships (48%) and skill-building (45%) as their primary reasons for playing. Boys & Girls Clubs of America is prioritizing fun, friendship and personal growth in the soccer experiences, grounded in the belief that fun is essential to positive youth development. Through free play, recreational programming and experiences that center joy and belonging, Clubs help young people build a lifelong love of the game while developing confidence, connections and essential life skills. The organization aims to engage 1 million youth and families in soccer experiences. Together with partners, Clubs are bringing communities together through watch parties, tournaments, cultural celebrations and youth-led activities that make soccer accessible and welcoming.
Expanding Youth Soccer Access for the Next Generation Boys & Girls Clubs of America and its partners are focused on ensuring that the legacy of soccer includes lasting opportunities for the next generation. Together, these efforts are expanding youth soccer access by reducing barriers to participation, increasing affordable youth sports opportunities and creating more safe places to play, ensuring more kids can experience the benefits of the game. To learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of America's sports programming and opportunities to get involved, visit www.bgca.org. About Boys & Girls Clubs of America For more than 160 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA.org) has provided a safe place for kids and teens to learn and grow. Clubs offer caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Boys & Girls Clubs programming promotes academic success, good character and leadership, and healthy lifestyles. Over 5,500 Clubs serve more than 4 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. The national headquarters is located in Atlanta. Learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of America on Facebook and LinkedIn. *The Aspen Institute's Project Play 2026 State of Soccer report assessed the youth soccer ecosystem in NYC and North Jersey through a 10-month 2025-2026 study using interviews, convenings, field analysis, focus groups, and a survey of nearly 700 youth players.
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