Only 19% of youth in King County meet the 60 minutes of physical activity per day recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Girls (16%) are less likely to be sufficiently physically active than boys (22%). Physical activity declines as youth get older, with only 13% of 12th graders meeting the CDC recommendations. Eleven percent of youth who do not speak English at home meet the CDC recommendations compared with 20% of youth who do speak English at home.

The injuries have prompted a question about youth basketball: Amid a demanding, year-round schedule that includes high school games, AAU tournaments and all-star competitions, are kids being asked to play too much?

"A decade ago, I wrote a book that comprehensively surveyed the landscape of youth sports. I wanted to know: How did the United States become the world’s sports superpower while producing such a physically inactive population? What contribution, if any, did our sports ecosystem play in producing these seemingly opposite outcomes? And, has any nation figured out a more effective model?...."

"It is high time that those of us who are concerned with the welfare of children in sports take a stand and stop the professionalization of youth sports. It is time for us to stop treating children like mini-adults..."

"More American children ages 6 to 12 were physically active in 2017, but not to a healthy level, according to data published Tuesday by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association and the Aspen Institute..."