Summary3 min read

Podcast Summary: Climate Connections

Episode Title: Extreme weather comes for youth sports

Host: Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz

Date: June 17, 2026

Produced by: Yale Center for Environmental Communication

Episode Overview

This episode explores how climate change is increasingly disrupting youth sports across the United States. Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz highlights recent survey findings and discusses the challenges faced by community sports programs due to extreme weather events, drawing attention to the inequities between professional and grassroots teams in recovering from environmental impacts.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Disruption of Youth Sports by Extreme Weather

Statistic Highlight:
- According to an Aspen Institute survey, U.S. parents reported their children missed an average of seven days of sports practices and competitions in 2024 directly due to extreme and changing weather.
  - [00:11]
Examples of Weather Impacts:
- Extreme heat and wildfire smoke can make it unsafe for kids to play outside.
- Heavy rain can flood sports fields.
- Major storms can destroy sports facilities.
  - “If extreme heat or wildfire smoke can make it unsafe to play outside, heavy rain can flood fields, and a major storm can wipe out facilities.” — Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz [00:19]

2. Vulnerability of Youth and Community Sports

Resource Gaps:
- While college and professional teams typically have the resources to recover quickly from weather disruptions, youth and community teams often do not.
  - “We don't see these organizations rebuild or relocate in the same way we do at the higher levels.” — Jessica Murphree [01:01]
Risk to Equipment and Facilities:
- Balls, nets, goals—entire inventories can be lost during extreme weather incidents.
  - “Goals, nets, balls can also be completely threatened in the event of an incident of extreme weather.” — Jessica Murphree [00:36]
Hardest Hit:
- Community sports programs, which offer affordable access to athletics, are often the ones least able to recover from weather damages.
  - “Community sports programs, which provide affordable access to athletics, often have the hardest time recovering.” — Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz [01:07]

3. The Broader Impact

As the climate warms and extreme weather becomes more frequent, some children may face reduced opportunities for physical activity, play, and competition.
- “So as the climate warms, some kids may have fewer opportunities to play and compete.” — Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz [01:09]

Memorable Quotes & Notable Moments

“Sports are a big part of many kids' lives, but climate change is disrupting their ability to play.” — Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz [00:02]
“We don't see these organizations rebuild or relocate in the same way we do at the higher levels.” — Jessica Murphree [01:01]
“Community sports programs, which provide affordable access to athletics, often have the hardest time recovering.” — Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz [01:07]

Timestamps for Key Segments

00:01-00:36: Introduction and overview of survey findings on missed play time
00:36-01:01: Jessica Murphree discusses disproportionate impacts on youth/community sports
01:01-01:09: Consequences for kids’ access to sports and physical activity

Conclusion

This episode underscores the overlooked ways climate change is shaping children’s lives by hindering access to sports. Financial and resource disparities make it especially hard for local and community programs to bounce back after extreme weather, raising concern for the future of youth athletic participation as our climate continues to warm.

For more information and climate change resources, visit climateconnections.org.

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Transcript5 lines

[00:02]
A
I'm Dr. Anthony Liesiewicz and this is Climate Connections. Sports are a big part of many kids lives, but climate change is disrupting their ability to play. In a survey by the Aspen Institute, US parents reported that their kids missed an average of seven days of practices and competitions in 2024 due to extreme and changing weather conditions. For example, if extreme heat or wildfire smoke can make it unsafe to play outside, heavy rain can flood fields and a major storm can wipe out facilities
[00:37]
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goals. Nets balls can also be completely threatened in the event of an incident of extreme weather.
[00:45]
A
Jessica Murphree is an assistant professor in the Department of Exercise and Sports Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She says college and professional teams may have the resources to quickly recover after extreme weather, but that's often not the case for youth sports teams.
[01:01]
B
We don't see these organizations rebuild or relocate in the same way we do at the higher levels.
[01:08]
A
And community sports programs, which provide affordable access to athletics, often have the hardest time recovering. So as the climate warms, some kids may have fewer opportunities to play and compete. Climate Connections is produced by the Yale center for Environmental Communication. To learn more about climate change, visit climateconnections.org.