PLAYS in Youth Sports Act

Physical activity, Living healthy, Access, Youth development, and Safety in Youth Sports Act or the PLAYS in Youth Sports Act

Directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish: (1) an Organization Grants Program to award competitive grants to eligible national nonprofit organizations to improve the health and positive youth development impacts of youth sports participation, and (2) a grant selection board to select grant recipients.

Authorizes the use of grants by such an organization to award subgrants to regional and local nonprofit youth sports organizations for: (1) activities that promote effectiveness of physical activities or youth sports, including training and certification programs for coaches, developing and implementing coaching guidelines, an athlete code of conduct and instruction, and coach and volunteer retention efforts, training for youth development and character developments, developing or implementing an evaluation and results implementation process, instructing positive parental involvements, fostering a positive sport experience for all involved that emphasizes athlete development over winning at all costs, and activities to enhance effects beyond the playing field, such as regarding nutrition practices, academic performance, encouragement of life-long practices, and promotion of positive self-image; (2) activities leading to sustained increases in participation in youth sports; and (3) activities to promote safety and health, including background checks, abuse prevention and response activities, and various training programs.

Authorizes HHS to establish a grant program under which it shall award one-time competitive grants to municipalities, counties, and states to fund efforts to establish and implement model standards for out-of-school youth sports coaches.

Requires: (1) the Government Accountability Office to report on a history of the prior 50 years of federal programs used to help promote the effectiveness, participation, health, and safety of non-school based organized youth sports and on their effectiveness and outcomes; and (2) HHS to report on youth sports risk prevention efforts conducted or supported by HHS and other federal agencies, beneficial practices in place relating to such efforts and the effectiveness of such practices, and further steps and resources needed to reduce risks and increase the benefits of sports.

Authorizes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health to undertake, support, enhance, and expand research and prevention efforts to advance youth sports safety.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov