Youth sports

WHEREAS, The Washington state sports community is celebrating 1
prominence on the world stage as a site for the 2026 FIFA World Cup; 2
and 3
WHEREAS, More than half of youth in Washington state participate 4
in organized athletics; and 5
WHEREAS, Organized youth sports and physical activity can provide 6
essential infrastructure for youth well-being with lifelong benefits; 7
and 8
WHEREAS, High quality youth sports support academic engagement 9
and school attendance; promote resiliency and physical health; and 10
protect against anxiety and depression; and 11
WHEREAS, Only 24 percent of youth statewide meet the recommended 12
60 minutes of daily physical activity, with participation rates 13
declining as children age; and 14
WHEREAS, Washington state ranks 38th in youth well-being, 15
according to Mental Health America; and 16
WHEREAS, Disparities exist in access to organized sports, 17
especially for girls, youth of color, children with disabilities, 18
immigrants, children who reside in rural areas, LGBTQ+ youth, and 19
children from low-income families, and with youth who do not speak 20
English at home nearly three times more likely to never participate 21
in sports; and 22
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 2026-4673, by Representative Rule
p. 1 HR 4673
WHEREAS, Young people thrive when their coaches are trained in 1
youth development principles and when they have access to trained 2
professionals who can assess injuries common to young athletes like 3
concussions, heat strokes, stress fractures, knee injuries, and ankle 4
sprains; and 5
WHEREAS, Early specialization in youth athletics has been found 6
to cause overuse injuries and burnout; and 7
WHEREAS, Only approximately half of coaches have reported feeling 8
prepared to support athletes with mental health concerns; and9
WHEREAS, Many communities lack sufficient fields and facilities 10
to accommodate sports programming; and 11
WHEREAS, Less traditional emerging sports such as ultimate 12
frisbee, pickleball, flag football, roller derby, mountain biking, 13
parkour, lacrosse, and martial arts provide valuable opportunities 14
for youth development and should be recognized alongside mainstream 15
sports; and 16
WHEREAS, Adaptive sports are an opportunity for youth with 17
disabilities to participate in and experience sports; and18
WHEREAS, All youth should be able to enjoy sports as a joyful and 19
social experience; 20
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington state House 21
of Representatives recognize the transformative benefits of youth 22
sports opportunities and celebrate inclusive, affordable, and high 23
quality sports programs; and 24
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the state recognize the value of 25
trained coaches and athletic staff to ensure all young athletes are 26
safe and feel welcomed and supported; and 27
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Washington state House of 28
Representatives recognize nontraditional emerging sports as 29
opportunities for more youth to be involved in athletics and 30
celebrate youth sports initiatives as a means of supporting the well-31
being of youth in Washington state. 32
33
I hereby certify this to be a true and correct copy of34
Resolution 4673 adopted by the House of Representatives35
January 26, 2026 36
37
38
p. 2 HR 4673
1
2
__________________________ 3
Bernard Dean, Chief Clerk 4
p. 3 HR 4673