The Real Crisis in Youth Sports: It Isn't Interest, It's Cost w/Jen Rifkin of Volo Kids

89% of parents say sports change their kids' lives — so why are so many still priced out? Volo Kids' Jen Rifkin joins Scott Gulbransen to explain.More than half of parents with school-age kids have a child in organized sports — but a new AP-Ipsos poll finds 73% call fees a major or minor challenge, and 72% say the same about travel costs. Even so, 89% of sports parents say the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. On this episode of the Sportsnaut Interview, host Scott Gulbransen sits down with Jen Rifkin, executive director of the Volo Kids Foundation, to unpack why so many kids are still getting priced and pushed out of the game. Jen breaks down the "domino effect" of privatized youth sports and early specialization, where private equity fits into the picture, and what her organization has learned running free sports programs across 11 markets — growing from 10,000 kids served a year to nearly 30,000. Scott shares his own story from 24 years of coaching, including the time a coach told his son he was "already behind" after two years away from baseball. Jen also tells the story of Volo Kids' first post-COVID soccer relaunch in Baltimore — a reminder of what kids actually get out of sports beyond the scoreboard.Chapters:00:00 — Intro: the AP-Ipsos poll and the access gap in youth sports 00:59 — Guest intro: Jen Rifkin, Volo Kids Foundation 01:58 — How bad is the problem, and who gets squeezed out first 02:24 — The "domino effect": privatization and early specialization 04:10 — Scott's story: told his son was "already behind" at 9 05:03 — How did we get here? Supply, demand, and the new normal 06:55 — Is private equity's role in youth sports here to stay? 07:18 — The counter-movement: nonprofits fighting for access 08:25 — What sports actually give a kid beyond the scoreboard 09:35 — Mission moment: relaunching soccer in Baltimore after COVID 12:48 — What youth sports taught Jen (and Scott) about failure 13:19 — What actually works: Volo Kids' playbook for closing the gap 13:45 — Meeting communities where they are — money, language, and gender barriers 15:57 — A nod to pro and college programs already doing this 16:28 — How to get involved with Volo Kids and Volo Sports 18:47 — Wrap-up and thanks