My name is Nikhil, and I love sports and have found so much joy in sports. Sports have taught me discipline, life skills, and the value of hard work, and belief. I believe every kid deserves the chance to have these benefits, regardless of their background, and income. Yet, countless kids in low-income families are taken away from this opportunity due to the costs of participating in  sports. This problem impacts all kids, but especially kids that are in situations of poverty, that are not able to “pay to play”. One example is from Project Play who say, “Youth ages 6-18 from low-income homes quit sports because of the financial costs at six times the rate of kids from high-income homes, according to a national survey of parents by the Aspen Institute" This is a problem because, as said by asphaltgreen “The Center for Disease Control recommends that children get active for at least one hour daily. Sports help kids develop strong bones, muscles, and cardiovascular health while reducing the risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes."

 Children from backgrounds of poverty are missing out on more than just sports, they are losing a chance to learn life skills that could lead them to success, and healthy lives. This is a problem because it takes away kids' ability to be active, healthy, and have fun. One piece of evidence is from projectplay.org, who claim “ Regular physical activity benefits health in many ways, including helping build and maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints; helping control weight and reduce fat; and preventing or delaying the development of high blood pressure (GAO, 2012). "

Many families in poverty simply cannot afford the fees for sports programs, equipment, or even the transportation required. This financial barrier means kids are left on the sidelines, unable to play. This problem is caused by something called, “Pay to Play”. It is the idea that many people have of youth sports in NYC, and America. It means that youth sports are too expensive, and require large amounts of money, one example is from nytimes who say,” According to the Aspen Institute’s Project Play, in fall 2022, the average amount spent on a single child’s primary sport per season was $833. For families with household incomes at or above $150,000 a year, the average is $2,068.” That is too much money for kids to play and have fun. This is getting out of hand.

 To stop this, I tell our government to create a law that gives funding specifically for children's sports activities for those in poverty. This funding would cover the costs of the team, or sport. It plays an important role in a kid's future, and life.

Please sign this document, to rally against "Pay for Play", and help others through sports.