An alarming number of young teens are quitting sports, and It isn’t a recent phenomenon. A decade ago, the National Alliance For Youth Sports reported that 70% of young athletes stopped playing organized sports by age 13, and this rate doubled among young girls. Researchers at Nemours Children’s Health have set out to determine the factors motivating youth to pack up their sports equipment for good.

A 2023 study presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics by Nemours Health says young athletes are abandoning sports because of coaching issues, social media-based body image issues, and the overall competitive pressure of sports.