Well, its not really that bad. But, with gas and food prices soaring and families strapped financially, a cut back in youth sports participation is inevitable. Unfortunately, individual families aren't the only ones that are suffering.
Phoenix, Arizona announced that city budget cuts are eliminating most of the city's youth-sports programs. This will shut down soccer and baseball programs that last year saw 3,850 youth participants. These cuts will save just over a half-million dollars.
The programs served children ages 3 to 12 in soccer, t-ball, baseball and flag football.
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0516phxyouth0516.htmlLocal government cutbacks and participant enrollment drops are a definite concern yet a definite dichotomy to certain municipalities and companies that are able to see the financial growth and income that hosting things like youth sports tournaments can bring to a region. Youth sports as a whole will survive, I am sure. But, the next year or so, in these tough economic times, will definitely be an interesting time to watch and see how things shake out.
