FLARE RESEARCH

UNDERSTANDING WHAT KEEPSYOUNG PLAYERS PLAYING.

Flare Player is being developed through research into youth participation, player development and engagement.

Our goal is simple: understand what makes young players want to practise, helps them improve and keeps them connected to sport.

81%

of school-going adolescents aged 11 to 17 were not meeting recommended physical activity levels.

Guthold et al. · World Health Organization · 2019
81

distinct factors shape whether young athletes describe sport as fun.

Visek et al. · George Washington University · 2015
12.93

was the average age at which former participants reported quitting organised sport.

Aspen Institute Project Play · 2026 US survey

THREE QUESTIONS.ONE GOAL.

01

WHAT KEEPS YOUNG PLAYERS PLAYING?

Young players stay when sport is enjoyable, when they feel they belong and when they can see themselves improving.

We study why young players stay in sport, why they leave, and the experiences that can make them want to keep playing.

Enjoyment · Confidence · Belonging · Dropout · Motivation
02

WHAT MAKES PLAYERS WANT TO PRACTISE?

Practice competes for a young player's attention with some of the world's most engaging entertainment.

We study challenge, feedback, progression, competition and social play to understand what turns practice from something players should do into something they want to do.

Challenge · Feedback · Progression · Competition · Social Play
03

HOW DO YOUNG PLAYERS IMPROVE?

Every player develops differently.

We study how purposeful practice, coaching and personalised feedback help players understand their strengths, improve their weaknesses and see their development over time.

Coaching · Practice · Feedback · Performance · Personalised Development

FROM RESEARCH TOTHE REAL WORLD.

We use these insights to build better experiences for players and coaches, making practice more engaging, development more visible and improvement more personal.

FOR PLAYERS

Practice they want to come back to, with clear progression and personalised development.

FOR COACHES

A clearer picture of how players are training, developing and where they need support.

FOLLOW THE FLARE PLAYER JOURNEY
© 2026 Flare Player