Rising costs for youth sports represents a challenge for families in keeping children active

By AARON BEARD
AP Sports Writer

The costs keep adding up for families trying to pay for their children to play in youth sports in North America. It’s a multi-year issue exacerbated by current battles with inflation. It impacts both the United States and Canada, where the expense of playing youth hockey is one of the primary reasons cited by parents and others in its decline north of the border. Numerous surveys from the past decade show parents describing escalating costs for league fees, gear and travel. Some also show less participation for lower-income families due to cost concerns.