In the latest episode of More Than Play: A Discussion with Professor Dionne Koller About Youth Sports, Professor Dionne Koller joins hosts Dr. Brian Feeley and Dr. Nirav Pandya to examine how law, policy, and politics influence the national youth sports landscape.
Drawing on her recent book, More Than Play, Professor Koller offers insight into the structuralforces shaping youth athletics, including governance, access, athlete protection, and accountability. The conversation underscores the growing complexity of youth sports and the important role legal frameworks play in shaping the experiences of young athletes.
The episode explores key trends, including the increasing privatization of youth sports, the decline of community-based recreational programs, and the rise of early specialization. As participation has expanded, particularly with increased opportunities for girls and women under Title IX, so too has commercialization. Professor Koller highlights how private investment and professionalization have accelerated in recent years, often increasing costs for families and intensifying demands on young athletes through year-round competition and extensive travel.
Her contributions to the field have been widely recognized, including the AALS Award for Significant Contributions to the Field of Sports Law and the University of Baltimore President’s Faculty Award for outstanding achievement in teaching, scholarship, and service.
In 2021, Professor Koller was appointed by U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell to co-chair the bipartisan Commission on the State of U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Sports, which delivered its final report to Congress in 2024. She has also served as chair and executive board member of the Sports Law Section of the Association of American Law Schools, is a member of the United States Anti-Doping Agency Administrative Review Panel, and sits on the editorial board of the International Sports Law Journal.
A nationally recognized expert, Professor Koller frequently serves as a media commentator and advises policymakers on issues at the intersection of sports and the law. She also serves as director of the Center for Sport and the Law at UBalt Law.
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