Matthew Lewis Labarre Calls for a Play First Standard in Early Childhood Sports

• Matthew Lewis Labarre, co-founder of Never Too Young FC in Dover, New Hampshire, urges families to rethink how the youngest children are introduced to organized sports.

A Practical Standard for Ages Three to Five

New Hampshire, USA, 15th May 2026, ZEX PR WIRE — Matthew Lewis Labarre is encouraging parents, coaches, and program directors to adopt a Play First standard for children ages three to five. The approach centers movement, joy, and inclusion over drills, scoring, and competitive structure. Labarre, a former multi-sport athlete and licensed youth soccer coach, has built his work around the belief that the earliest sports experiences shape how children relate to physical activity for years afterward.

What the Play First Standard Looks Like

The Play First standard is built around five practical commitments families and coaches can adopt right away:

1. Treat the first session as a feeling, not a performance. If a child leaves smiling, the session worked.

2. Build sessions around free movement before any technical instruction.

3. Use small group sizes that allow every child to feel seen.

4. Pair physical activity with simple, age-appropriate nutrition conversations.

5. Encourage parent participation rather than sideline observation.

These commitments reflect how Never Too Young FC has run its program since 2021, with sessions limited to fourteen participants per family group.

Why Early Access Matters

For years, families in the Seacoast region of New Hampshire reported being told their children were too young to participate in structured sports. Labarre has argued that this exclusion misses the developmental window where children are most open to learning how to be part of a group, how to try and miss and try again, and how to associate movement with confidence rather than pressure.

How Families Can Start This Week

Parents do not need a program or a coach to begin. The standard can start at home with short, playful movement sessions, simple snack conversations, and shared time outdoors. The goal is not skill. The goal is a positive first relationship with sport.

About Matthew Lewis Labarre

Matthew Lewis Labarre is the co-founder of Never Too Young FC, a soccer and nutrition program for children ages three to five based in Dover, New Hampshire. He was named to the High School All-American Soccer Team and earned All-State honors in basketball and baseball before captaining the Dartmouth College men’s soccer team while studying sociology. He holds coaching licenses through USA Youth Soccer and Grassroots Soccer.

Try the Play First approach this week and notice how your child responds after the first session.