State of Play WASHINGTON D.C.

Project Play’s 16th community State of Play report will explore the state of youth sports in Washington D.C.

In partnership with Under Armour, State of Play Washington D.C. will identify the challenges and opportunities for more children to receive quality access to sports.

About 55% of D.C. youth ages 6-17 played on a sports team or took sports lessons in 2020 and 2021, according to the National Survey of Children’s Health. D.C. youth who are Black (46%) played sports far less than those who are White (76%). Girls (50%) played less than boys (60%). The federal government has set a goal to reach 63% participation among all youth by 2030.

State of Play Washington D.C. will build on the initial work of Fight for Children, in partnership with Project Play, to understand the youth experience related to sports and physical activity. Fight For Children’s Youth Development Institute is a collaborative network of 34 D.C.-based nonprofits focused on improving the lives of youth through sport, serving more than 30,000 District youth who will be critical to the year-long analysis of sports and physical activity opportunities for young people, regardless of gender, race, income or ability.

An advisory group of local leaders will guide the report, which will include survey results from youth about their sports experiences, along with qualitative findings and community-sourced recommendations on how to grow sports access. The advisory group held its first meeting in October 2023. State of Play Washington D.C. will be released in early 2025.