Author's abstract

Youth sports is an ever growing popular phenomenon in the U.S. as children and parents spent countless hours and money on the development of youth athletes. At the center of involvement in youth sports is the idea of team work. For some children, adolescents and young adults, being part of a team is rewarding and, many times, fulfilling and helps develop one's personality. In stark contrast, some children, adolescents and young adults find independent athletics more rewarding. This case study investigation examined young people drawn to the sport of parkour and their reasons for partaking in an individualized sport versus a team sport. Upon completion of qualitative data collection, three dominate themes emerged. The findings revealed that reexamination of our physical education curriculum may help us find ways to reach a new and diverse audience in our schools.