Of all parents whose children played sports before the pandemic, 64 percent say that their children’s athletic development had been hurt. But many parents also say the closures had adverse mental ramifications for their kids. About two-thirds, 65 percent, say their children’s happiness had been negatively affected, and another 60 percent say the disruptions had served as a blow to their kids’ emotional well-being, as they were no longer able to compete or socialize with their peers. But the Post-UMD poll, conducted March 12-18, finds 62 percent of parents whose kids played sports before the pandemic say their children are not currently playing organized youth sports. The margin of sampling error for results among all parents is plus or minus five percentage points; the error margin for results among parents whose children played youth sports is 6.5 points.

Source: Washington Post April 02, 2021 12:56 UTC