The Secret to Making Kids Love Sports for Life
What makes kids love sports for life? Not winning. A landmark George Washington University study identified 81 things that make sports fun for kids — and winning ranked just 40th. What topped the list: trying hard, supportive teammates, and positive coaching. Kids stay in sports when sports make them feel confident, capable, and included — and that's exactly what the one-hour Sunday Funday format is built around.
If you ask most adults what makes sports fun for kids, you'll hear the same answers over and over: girls love the friendships, boys love the competition, kids just want to win. But when George Washington University researchers actually asked young athletes what makes sports fun — and what keeps them coming back — they found something very different. Across 81 specific reasons kids gave for enjoying sports, winning landed all the way down at number 40.
So what mattered most? Kids said sports are fun when they get to try hard, when they feel supported by their teammates, and when they have positive, encouraging coaches. Not pressure. Not tournament medals. Not five practices a week or year-round travel. Kids love sports when sports make them feel confident, capable, and included.
That insight is at the heart of Sunday Funday Sports. We built our league because youth sports had become too stressful, too serious, and too expensive — kids were burning out, families were exhausted, and too many children were quitting before they ever reached high school. So we asked a simple question: what if sports could be competitive, exciting, and developmental, without taking over a family's life?
Our answer is the Sunday Funday format:
One hour a week
Fast-paced games
Simple rules
Positive coaching
Every player involved
Every athlete encouraged to improve
Kids get the challenge they crave without the pressure that pushes them away. They run, they learn, they make friends, and they build confidence — then walk off the field smiling, sweaty, and proud. That's what keeps them coming back. Not trophies, not rankings, not drill after drill.
The science is clear: when sports stay fun, kids stay in sports. And when kids stay in sports, they grow stronger physically, mentally, and socially. So that's what we focus on building — confidence, teamwork, a love of play, and memories that last a lifetime — all while protecting childhood, protecting family time, and reminding everyone why sports mattered in the first place.
Try hard, play together, have fun. That's the Sunday Funday way.
Ready to give your kids sports they'll love? See what's in season on our Leagues page, or find local details for your family on our Darien youth sports page.
-
Research points to trying hard, being a good sport, positive coaching, supportive teammates, and learning new skills — not winning. Kids have the most fun when they feel included, encouraged, and free to improve at their own pace.
-
No. In a study of 81 fun-determinants, winning ranked 40th. Kids care far more about the experience of playing — staying active, working hard, and being with friends — than the final score.
-
Most kids who quit say it stopped being fun — usually because of too much pressure, too many practices, or an overemphasis on winning. Keeping sports fun is the single best way to keep kids playing into their teens.
-
We keep it to one fast-paced hour a week with simple rules, positive coaching, and every player involved. Kids get real challenge and real games without the burnout — so they leave the field smiling and want to come back.
