Children and Youth in Organized Sports

The topic of youth sport is not new yet we have much to learn. It is pleasing, therefore, to see this comprehensive and multidisciplinary text come to fruition. It is particularly important to consider young people's development, growth and maturation through their years of involvement in sport, but to place these issues alongside the philosophical, social and psychological issues of the players, coaches and parents.
Is sport good for young people? Reactions range from the uninformed positive or negative to evidence-based statements. We need more of the latter. Does sport build 'character'? Let's look at the evidence rather than 'second guess' through personal anecdote or experience. Do those participating in school sport do better academically because of their sport involvement? Let's systematically evaluate the evidence. To this end i am delighted to see that Manuel and Robert have brought together a wealth of diverse expertise from many different countries to evaluate key questions and issues in youth sports. Varied topics are addressed - programme quality, values, growth, learning - in different sports and with different populations.