Youth sports participation is declining in America. The number of high schoolers playing a team sport has dropped to its lowest level in history and there are fewer sports programs available to younger children than ever before. At the same time, hyper-elite programs like AAU basketball, which attract the best players from around the country, are thriving thanks to big boosts from corporate brands like Nike, Under Armour and Adidas.
In a documentary short film titled, "We Used to Win Here," set in Baltimore, Salon examines how the growing divide in youth sports access and opportunity is affecting this city. Something as simple as playing on a recreational basketball team in a child's neighborhood offers exposure to athletics, community, mentorship and lifelong lessons in competition, showing up and teamwork.
"We Used to Win Here" features interviews with former Division 1 college and pro basketball players from Baltimore, promising young stars, coaches and program leaders, who all say they learned their tough-minded approach to basketball coming up on Baltimore courts — a culture they say no longer exists today.
