Connect with us
https://yoursportsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/call-to-1.png

Rec Sports

Families and businesses are concerned about the effect of tariffs on youth sports

CHICAGO — Youth sports are a big part of Karli Casamento’s life. Her son, Jax, 15, golfs and plays on three baseball teams. Her youngest son, Colt, 7, plays baseball and basketball. The costs, especially for Jax, add up in a hurry. That’s why Casamento, 48, and her husband, Michael, 46, are watching closely for […]

Published

on


CHICAGO — Youth sports are a big part of Karli Casamento’s life. Her son, Jax, 15, golfs and plays on three baseball teams. Her youngest son, Colt, 7, plays baseball and basketball.

The costs, especially for Jax, add up in a hurry. That’s why Casamento, 48, and her husband, Michael, 46, are watching closely for the ramifications of tariffs on their rising youth sports budget.

“All of their equipment I’m sure comes from China,” said Karli Casamento, a second-grade teacher in suburban Philadelphia. “As they get bigger, they need new equipment. So that is definitely a concern.”

For families like the Casamentos and businesses in the marketplace, there is continued uncertainty surrounding the possible effects of President Donald Trump’s tariffs — the 10% baseline tariffs, along with a 30% rate on Chinese goods — on youth sports.

Nike, Adidas, Under Armour and Puma were among 76 companies that signed an April 29 letter to Trump asking for a footwear exemption from reciprocal tariffs. The Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America letter warned tariffs would “become a major impact at the cash register for every family.”

Amer Sports, the parent company of Wilson Sporting Goods and Louisville Slugger, downplayed the effect of tariffs when it announced its first-quarter earnings on May 20. But looking beyond this year, chief financial officer Andrew Page mentioned pricing as one way the company could offset higher import tariffs.

Dick’s Sporting Goods reaffirmed its earnings guidance for 2025 when it provided its first-quarter update on May 28. CEO Lauren Hobart said Dick’s had no plans to trim its product assortment in response to tariff costs, and that its guidance confirmation was based on its belief it can manage the situation.

“We are constantly assessing our pricing down to the item level, SKU level, and we do that based on consumer demand and the profitability of the business,” Hobart said in response to a question on possible price increases. “We have a very advanced pricing capability, much more advanced than we used to have, and much more enabled to make real time and quick decisions.”

MANY OF THE U.S.’S MOST POPULAR SPORTS RELY ON IMPORTED EQUIPMENT

The U.S. has been the largest importer of sporting goods since 2010, accounting for 31% of the world’s imports in 2022, according to a 2024 World Trade Organization report. Boosted by racket sports, China is the most significant exporter of sporting goods at 43% in 2022.

Fueled by golf, badminton and tennis equipment, Vietnam and Taiwan experienced rapid expansion in exporting outdoor sports equipment to the U.S. from 2018 to 2024, according to data from the consulting firm, AlixPartners. Vietnam increased 340% to $705 million, and Taiwan was up 16% to $946 million.

Tariffs of 46% for Vietnam and 32% for Taiwan could go into effect next month after a 90-day pause.

Hockey skates, sticks and protective gear are often imported. Same for baseball gloves and composite and aluminum bats, which are often imported or use materials that are imported, according to the National Sporting Goods Association. Soccer goals, lacrosse nets and cones are often sourced from low-cost labor markets.

“You can’t get around the fact that a lot the stuff that we use in youth sports is coming from abroad,” said Travis Dorsch, the founding director of the Families in Sport Lab at Utah State University. “So surely if the tariffs go into effect and in any long-term or meaningful way, it’s going to affect youth sports.”

The Casamento family cheers for the Philadelphia Phillies, and that’s how Jax and Colt got into baseball. Karli Casamento called sports “a safe way to socialize, and it gets them active.”

But equipment has become a major expense for the family. Jax has a $400 bat and a $300 glove, Karli Casamento said, and his catching equipment is $700. There is an additional cost for registration for his travel team, in addition to what it costs to travel to tournaments.

“We’ve tried to say to Jax, ‘Well, you’re in ninth grade now, do you really need to play tournament ball? You’re not going to grow up and be, you know, the next Mike Schmidt,’ things like that,” Karli Casamento said, “because it’s just, it’s $5,000 a year and now we have two kids in sports.”

TARIFFS MAY NOT IMPACT ALL SPORTS FAMILIES EQUALLY

That effect most likely will be felt by middle- and low-income families, threatening recent gains in participation rates for youth sports.

The Sports & Fitness Industry Association, which tracks youth participation by sport, found in 2023 there was a 6% increase in young people who regularly participated in a team sport, which it said was the highest rate (39.8%) since 2015. An Aspen Institute study released in October showed participation for girls was at its highest levels since at least 2012.

“I’m really concerned that we’re going to spike this great momentum because families, who are already saying that sports is getting increasingly more expensive, equipment’s getting more expensive and they’re continuing to stretch to make that work, like this might be the one that just kind of puts them over the sidelines,” said Todd Smith, the president and CEO of the Sports & Fitness Industry Association.

Smith was in China in April for a World Federation of Sporting Good Industries board meeting. He visited some manufacturing facilities while he was in the country.

“The ones that I went to are really, really impressive,” Smith said. “First class, high tech, like highly skilled. And the thought that tariffs are all of a sudden just going to allow a 10-plus million dollar facility to just pop up the next day in the U.S. is just, it’s not feasible.”

Low-income families were already feeling a financial strain with youth sports before Trump was elected to a second term. According to the Aspen Institute study, 25.1% of children ages 6-17 from households earning under $25,000 played a sport on a regular basis in 2023, down slightly from 25.8% in 2022. That’s compared to 43.5% of children from households earning at least $100,000, up slightly from 42.7% in 2022.

Youth sports participation has a wide range of ramifications for public health, said Tom Farrey, the founder and executive director of the Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program.

“This incredibly virtuous cycle can be engaged if you can simply get kids off their phones and off their couches and into the game and they have a sustained experience into adolescence,” Farrey said. “And if you don’t, then you’re at risk for a range of health consequences, including obesity.”

Going along with playing on three baseball teams, Jax Casamento has workouts for his travel squad and also takes hitting lessons. The Casamentos turned a baseball trip to South Carolina into a family vacation last year.

Michael Casamento is a physical education teacher in an elementary school, so the family’s concerns about the effect of tariffs on the cost of youth sports go beyond their two boys.

“I work with a lot of kids that are a lower socio-economic status,” Karli Casamento said. “It really makes it harder for those types of families to be able to afford to play sports.”

Jax Casamento, 15, runs to first base during his youth baseball game May 27, 2025, in Aston, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Jax Casamento, 15, runs to first base during his youth baseball game May 27, 2025, in Aston, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Sports equipment lines the dugout ahead of a youth baseball game May 27, 2025, in Aston, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Sports equipment lines the dugout ahead of a youth baseball game May 27, 2025, in Aston, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Jax Casamento, right, 15, waits prepares for the start of his youth baseball game May 27, 2025, in Aston, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Jax Casamento, right, 15, waits prepares for the start of his youth baseball game May 27, 2025, in Aston, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Dust flies from 15-year-old Jax Casamento's glove as he catches a pitch during a youth baseball game May 27, 2025, in Aston, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Dust flies from 15-year-old Jax Casamento’s glove as he catches a pitch during a youth baseball game May 27, 2025, in Aston, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)



Link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rec Sports

Video: Class of 2026 IU basketball commit Prince-Alexander Moody highlights at Augusta EYBL and Peach Jam – Inside the Hall

Class of 2026 guard Prince-Alexander Moody became IU’s first commitment in the rising senior class last month. The 6-foot-4 combo guard plays at Bishop McNamara High School in Maryland and for Team Takeover on the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) circuit. Moody is regarded as a three-star prospect and the No. 180 player nationally […]

Published

on


Class of 2026 guard Prince-Alexander Moody became IU’s first commitment in the rising senior class last month.

The 6-foot-4 combo guard plays at Bishop McNamara High School in Maryland and for Team Takeover on the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) circuit.

Moody is regarded as a three-star prospect and the No. 180 player nationally according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

Watch extensive highlights of Moody from the final EYBL session in Augusta as well as the Peach Jam below:

See More: Video, Prince-Alexander Moody



Link

Continue Reading

Rec Sports

A list of sports organizations that have begun transgender competition bans

The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee has become the latest governing body in the sports world to enact a policy change around transgender athlete competition. Here’s a glance at the most prolific of those that have clarified or altered such rules this year: U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee Effectively barring transgender women from competing in […]

Published

on


The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee has become the latest governing body in the sports world to enact a policy change around transgender athlete competition. Here’s a glance at the most prolific of those that have clarified or altered such rules this year:

U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee

Effectively barring transgender women from competing in women’s sports, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced on Monday that it has an “obligation to comply” with an executive order issued by President Donald Trump. The decree has threatened to rescind funding from organizations that don’t obey.

The USOPC oversees about 50 national governing bodies, most of which have some influence over youth sports all the way up to the elite levels, raising the possibility rules might need to be changed by local clubs to retain memberships.

International Cycling Union

The global governing body for cycling announced earlier this month that transgender women who transitioned after male puberty will no longer be able to compete in women’s races. The decision followed American rider Austin Killips becoming in May the first openly transgender woman to win an official cycling event.

University of Pennsylvania

Penn modified three school records set by transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in a decision earlier this month to settle a federal civil rights investigation, including an apology to female athletes “disadvantaged” by her participation on the women’s swimming team.

Thomas became the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I title when she last competed for the Ivy League school in 2022. The Trump administration’s broader attempt to block transgender athletes from female sports included the Penn case. The Philadelphia university agreed to restore all individual records to female athletes who lost to Thomas.

World Aquatics

The global governing body for swimming, formerly known as FINA, announced in June a new “ gender inclusion policy ” that only permits transgender athletes who transitioned before age 12 to compete in women’s events. There are not currently any transgender women competing in elite levels of swimming.

World Aquatics also proposed a new “open competition” category, designating a committee to explore over the rest of the year the most effective guidelines for such events.

World Boxing Organization

The global governing body for boxing declared in May that all athletes would be subjected to mandatory sex testing in order to compete in sanctioned events. World Boxing’s announcement specifically mentioned Olympic champion Imane Khelif, the Algerian who won a gold medal at the Paris Olympics last year amid international scrutiny.

The previous governing body for Olympic boxing, the Russian-dominated International Boxing Association, disqualified Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, another Paris gold medal winner, from its 2023 world championships after claiming they failed an unspecified eligibility test. Association officials have declined to answer basic questions about the test.

Khelif has said she was born a female.

British sports

Following a U.K. Supreme Court ruling in April, the British governing body for soccer issued a ban that took effect in June on transgender women playing on women’s teams in England and Scotland. Previously, the British Football Association allowed such participation if the athletes had reduced testosterone levels. The England and Wales Cricket Board also instituted a ban.

World Athletics Council

The governing body for track and field banned transgender women from international competition in March, while adopting new regulations that could keep South African star Caster Semenya and other athletes with differences in sex development from competing.

The World Athletics Council issued its edict in March, barring athletes who have transitioned from male to female and have gone through male puberty. No such athletes currently compete at the highest elite levels of track.

Another set of updates for athletes with differences in sex development raised the potential to impact up to 13 current high-level runners including Semenya, a two-time Olympic champion at 800 meters, who has been barred from that event since 2019. Her discrimination case is still moving through the court system.

Semenya and others had been able to compete without restrictions in events outside the range of 400 meters through 1 mile but now must undergo hormone-suppressing treatment for six months before becoming eligible.

National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA, which oversees the vast majority of U.S. college athletics, announced in February — the day after Trump’s order — that competition in women’s sports would immediately be limited to athletes assigned female at birth. The NCAA has about 1,100 member schools with more than 500,000 athletes.

High school sports

Nebraska in June became the latest state to ban transgender students from girls’ sports, following similar bans by the high school associations for at least 24 other states. The Trump administration has clashed with multiple states over the allowance of such participation.

___

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.



Link

Continue Reading

Rec Sports

Catholic-N.I. basketball, Gregory Hammond host youth basketball camp

WATCH: Lafayette names sporting complex after late Ernest Nabers Jr. The Nabers family including NFL’s Malik Nabers gathered at the newly named Ernest Nabers Jr. Sports Complex for a ribbon cutting ceremony. When the opportunity cam along to give back to the community of New Iberia, Dylan Vincent didn’t hesitate. The Catholic-New Iberia boys basketball […]

Published

on


play

When the opportunity cam along to give back to the community of New Iberia, Dylan Vincent didn’t hesitate.

The Catholic-New Iberia boys basketball head coach partnered up with New Iberia Boys & Girls Club and one of his former players, and now NBA G-League guard Gregory Hammond, to host an all-day youth basketball camp on Wednesday.

“We don’t have a lot of camps like this for the kids in our area, so I wanted to make sure if basketball is something that you love, then let’s go ahead and let me help you out with it,” Vincent said. “Let me show you a couple of professional guys that can help you out. Let’s do some mentoring. This is something I want to be an annual thing every year.”

A full circle moment

About five months ago, Vincent started planting the seeds for the camp, which hosted around 60 kids. He wanted to get the New Iberia community involved. That’s where Parish Director of Boys & Girls Clubs of Acadiana, Brianna Davis, stepped in.

“Dylan (Vincent) has been a really great asset to our club last year,” Davis said. “He approached me and was like ‘Hey, I want to be able to do something for your kids and I have a great group of guys like Gregory Hammond who want to give back.’ He wanted to show our kids that it’s not just about a sport but also what you do outside of that.”

Along with getting to learn the basics of basketball from a pro like Hammond, the campers got a chance to hear his journey that lead him to where he’s at today. Following his college career, where he spent three seasons at UMass Lowell and finished things out at Southern Arkansas, Hammond got his shot to make it as a professional.

The 6-foot-6 guard is currently playing for the Birmingham Squadron, an NBA G-League affiliate of the New Orleans Pelicans. But, in his free time, he’s trying to give back to kids who were a similar shot as him when he was younger.

“I wish I had someone to look up to and come back to the area just like I’m doing right now,” Hammond said. “It’s like, I remember when I went to the Steph Curry camp. I didn’t know who Steph Curry was, but it got me excited, and it was really important for me. So now it’s important for me to come back and show my face.”

Along with getting time with Hammond, Davis, the Boys & Girls Club and Catholic-N.I. basketball were able to provide camp goers with lunch, socks, a camp T-shirt, headphones and mentorship opportunities.

“I’m so excited that Gregory (Hammond) and the other guys have the opportunity to instill in our kids what it means to be a leader and what it means to give back,” Davis said. “It’s just giving them a chance to see how showing up makes a difference and being present makes a difference.”

Shannon Belt covers high school sports, the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns and LSU men’s basketball for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow her high school and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ShannonBelt3. Got questions regarding HS/UL athletics? Send them to Shannon Belt at sbelt@gannett.com.



Link

Continue Reading

Rec Sports

Ozark United FC announces Youth Academy founding partners

ROGERS — Ozark United FC on July 17 announced its inaugural Youth Academy founding partners: Unilever, Arkansas Children’s and America’s Car-Mart. As part of the club’s youth development program and pathway, these community-minded organizations will support efforts to expand access to soccer, elevate player development, and strengthen community engagement across Northwest Arkansas, according to a […]

Published

on


ROGERS — Ozark United FC on July 17 announced its inaugural Youth Academy founding partners: Unilever, Arkansas Children’s and America’s Car-Mart.

As part of the club’s youth development program and pathway, these community-minded organizations will support efforts to expand access to soccer, elevate player development, and strengthen community engagement across Northwest Arkansas, according to a news release.

Earlier this year, Ozark United FC and Sporting Arkansas announced a joint effort to launch six boys’ academy teams competing in MLS NEXT’s new competition tier. The teams, ranging from U13 to U19, will play under the Ozark United FC banner in the Pioneer Conference, attend USL Academy showcase events such as USL Pathway Classic and other elite competitions. Players will receive high-level training, access to national showcase events, and opportunities for exposure to college and professional scouts. A girls’ program is also in development, with more details to be announced in the coming months, according to the release.

Each founding partner will support both Academy operations and community-focused initiatives designed to break down barriers and increase youth participation in soccer, particularly in underserved areas. This collective commitment represents a shared investment in the health, growth, and opportunity of the next generation across Northwest Arkansas, according to the release.

Highlights of each partner’s involvement include:

Unilever will feature its Degree brand on the front of the boys home and away kits, while Dove will appear on the girls kits, as part of Dove’s self-esteem project initiative to help keep girls confident and playing the sports they love.

Arkansas Children’s will appear on the sleeve of all home and away match kits, reflecting its commitment to youth sports as a powerful way communities help kids thrive physically and mentally.

America’s Car-Mart will support grassroots youth clinics and community engagement initiatives, with a focus on underserved youth.

All three partners will also participate in hosting regional ID camps and clinics aimed at identifying and developing local talent, according to the release.

“We’re fortunate to be building this club in a region where community-minded, high-impact organizations thrive,” said Chris Martinovic, co-founder of Ozark United FC. “These partnerships reflect our shared commitment to using soccer as a vehicle for good — on the field and in the community.”

The partnerships are already making an impact, starting with a free youth soccer clinic from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Saturday, July 26, at Mt. Hebron Park. Sign-up details will be available soon at www.ozarkunited.com.



Link

Continue Reading

Rec Sports

My 5 *essential* rules for being a good youth sports parent

(Getty Image/ ANP) I spend the majority of my time thinking and talking about two things: Politics (obviously) and youth sports. I write a whole lot about politics in this space. But I haven’t written as much about youth sports. I am aiming to fix that glitch — starting today. (Never fear, politics lovers. Eighty […]

Published

on


(Getty Image/ ANP)

I spend the majority of my time thinking and talking about two things: Politics (obviously) and youth sports.

I write a whole lot about politics in this space. But I haven’t written as much about youth sports. I am aiming to fix that glitch — starting today.

(Never fear, politics lovers. Eighty percent — or more — of the content here is still going to be about politics!)

Below you’ll find my 5 rules for being a good youth sports parent. This includes rec sports but will be especially useful for parents who have kids in the Travel Sports Industry. (And, yes, it is absolutely an industry…more on that below.)

I have spent more than a decade in this world. My 16-year-old son plays soccer at a very competitive club level. My 13-year-old boy is deep in the world of both travel baseball and basketball.

While I only have boys, I have talked to loads of girl parents over the years — and have found that these same rules apply.

Before I go any further: You may not want to hear (or read) some of the rules below. Because your kid is the exception to the rule — the one who is going to “make it,” whatever that entails to you.

Read to the bottom anyway. Trust me, it will make your experience — and, more importantly, your kid’s experience — better.

This post is behind the paywall. I think this is the sort of advice that is WORTH your investment. Plus, you get all sorts of other goodies if you become a paid subscriber today! That includes exclusive access to my weekly live chat with Chuck Todd as well my Sunday email with great recommendations of what to watch, read and listen to!

Here. We. Go.

(Wikimedia Commons)

No matter your own level of athletic ability, there is something about being a parent watching your kid play sports that instantly turns you into Bill Belichick (in your own mind).

Like me, for example. I couldn’t hit a baseball to save my life as a kid. Just could never do it. And yet, when my younger son was in Little League, I all of a sudden became a hitting coach for a major league team. I have shouted — without irony or any sense of self-awareness — “Short to it, long through it” at my son when he is at the plate. I have also shouted “Throw a strike!!!” when he was on the mound.

Surprisingly enough, these critical insights didn’t help my son perform his best. In fact, it often unsettled him — at the plate or while pitching.

What I learned is this: Your kid — whether it’s t-ball or he is playing on the top Canes travel baseball team at the 17U level — has ZERO interest in your technical tips. Especially during the game. Or, really, ever. (Don’t think because you silently stewed during the game and then let loose on all of the mistakes the kid made when you get to the car that you have accomplished something.)

Your child already has a coach. Or, usually, coaches. Let them handle the advice-giving. It may not be perfect! It may not be what you would say! But, in my experience, kids listen far more to a non-parent than a parent anyway.

What your kid really wants is to feel supported. Your opinion matters hugely to them. Make sure you are aware of that AT ALL TIMES. Your default setting should be pure and unadulterated support. Ask questions like “Did you have fun?” or find something they did really well in the game and ask about that.

They want you cheering for them, not coaching them.



Link

Continue Reading

Rec Sports

Wetzel County Sheriff’s Department Participates in WV Youth Leadership Academy | News, Sports, Jobs

(Photo provided/Cassidy Beavers) Wetzel County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Cora Cook demonstrates a sobriety test on one of the youths participating in the West Virginia Sheriff’s Association Youth Leadership Academy. Wetzel County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Cora Cook demonstrates a sobriety test on one of the youths participating in the West Virginia Sheriff’s Association […]

Published

on



(Photo provided/Cassidy Beavers) Wetzel County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Cora Cook demonstrates a sobriety test on one of the youths participating in the West Virginia Sheriff’s Association Youth Leadership Academy.
Wetzel County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Cora Cook demonstrates a sobriety test on one of the youths participating in the West Virginia Sheriff’s Association Youth Leadership Academy.

A deputy with the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Department participated in the annual West Virginia Sheriff’s Association Youth Leadership Academy.

Wetzel County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Cora Cook was among the many deputies helping to instruct children enrolled in the academy held at Glenville State University.

Photos of her posted on the department’s social media showed her demonstrating field sobriety tests to the teens.

“Proud of Deputy Cora Cook working hard! Showing the youth at Sheriff’s Leadership Camp how it’s done!” the department stated on its site.

Wetzel County Sheriff Eric Daugherty and Wetzel County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Rob Hayes also got to visit the academy on July 16.

The academy is a six-day program for teenagers from across the state.

“The academy seeks to deter risk-taking behavior patterns by introducing the participants to recreation alternatives and educating them on the negative consequences of drugs, alcohol, and violence,” according to the academy’s social media. “The academy provides our youth with the leadership skills necessary for them to go back to their home communities and help others deal with these challenges.

“The academy also encourages participation in citizenship activities and teaches responsibility.”




Link

Continue Reading

Most Viewed Posts

Trending