An analysis based on SporttiData shows that approximately 80% of children and adolescents continue participating in licensed sports the following year. However, dropouts occur across all age groups — starting as early as age 7.

For the first time, the Finnish Olympic Committee’s SporttiData provides a comprehensive picture of how children and young people continue participating in licensed sports. The analysis is based on registry data covering more than 420,000 licensed athletes. Retention rates are measured by tracking how many continue participating in their sport the following year.

For example, in the 9–13 age group, about 80% continue to participate. In the youngest age groups, however, the dropout rate is higher: even among 7-year-olds, nearly one-third do not continue the following year.

Retention improves slightly during elementary school and peaks around age 11, after which it begins to decline again.

There are slight differences between the sexes: boys are slightly more likely than girls to continue with their hobby, but these differences even out as they get older.

The retention rate is an important indicator for the sports community. It shows how well sports disciplines and clubs succeed in keeping young people involved in their sport over the long term. Although registry data does not reveal the reasons why people stop participating in sports, it helps identify critical points in an athlete’s development.

SporttiData serves as a conversation starter and provides a basis for initiatives that can help children and young people stay active and involved in sports.

This analysis is the first installment in the SporttiData Insight series, in which we examine the year’s most significant trends in sports based on data from the SporttiData report. In upcoming installments of the series, we will delve into topics such as participation in multiple sports and regional trends in licensed sports participation.