Sports are an important part of our culture, and they clearly affect the lives of our children and youth. Just what that effect is, however, is not as clear-cut. Certainly, there are benefits. Young people enjoy the exercise, social interaction, and feeling of accomplishment they derive from success in sports. And adults point to young athletes’ experiences with collaboration, problem solving, and leadership. However, there is a more disheartening side to youth sports. Nearly three-quarters of young athletes drop out of sports by age 13, largely because of performance pressure from adults. Our studies of sports explore how participants manage pressures while striving to succeed in their fields.

• Young Athletes Study (1997): As part of the Young Professionals Project, we embarked on a small study of the obstacles and pressures that exist in the youth sports arena. We conducted interviews with young professionals (ages 10-15) in gymnastics and skating.

• Lineages in the Martial Arts (1998-2000): As part of our Transmission of Excellence Project, we interviewed three generations of professionals in the martial arts.