The Underdogs

Youth sports in the United States are rooted in late 19th-century arguments that fitness is a fundamental component of young men’s education. During the early 20th century, high school athletic teams grew in popularity. Team participation in interscholastic competitions tended to boost community and fan interest. Outside of the school system, local sports organizations provided an early framework for regional and national youth sports groups such as Little League Baseball and Pop Warner football. After World War II, youth sports opportunities increased to accommodate interest from the children of “baby boomers.” Over the last 50 years, youth sports have become increasingly dominated by travel teams, competition for athletic scholarships, and participation in national and international matches. Youth sports have continued to evolve in the 21st century, fueled by a wide variety of athletic interests. Contemporary player and parental goals include physical activity, camaraderie, teamwork, and the development of athletic skills.

Not all communities offer youth football for preteens like Will and his friends, although many municipalities in Western Pennsylvania (the geographic setting for The Underdogs) do. Towns and cities in this region offer a host of leagues and organizations that sponsor and govern teams and competitions. These typically operate separately and distinctly from the sports programs of public school districts. Local youth football organizations may have their own fields, or they agree to share a field for practices and games. This is why the town of Forbes utilizes Shea Stadium for its community programming but maintains a separate field for its high school team.

Costs for community youth sports may be covered by grants, local funding, participation fees, fundraising, and other sources. Will’s first conflict—a lack of funding for preteen football—occurs at the end of summer, just before the West River Youth Football League’s season begins. Consequently, Will has no time for fundraising or formal grant proposals. Participation fees are never mentioned, likely because Forbes’s economic struggles mean that players’ families cannot afford them. The combined impact of these factors motivates Will’s solicitation of funding from New Balance.