They’ve come from all over the United States to compete in Houston.
HOUSTON — The 2025 Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Junior Olympics is currently underway in Houston, drawing 16,000 young athletes and an estimated 60,000 total visitors to the city through August 2nd. The competition features dozens of events from gymnastics and swimming to track and field and lacrosse, held at multiple venues across Houston.
Student athletes between the ages of 8 to 18 have traveled from all over the United States to participate in what organizers describe as top-tier competition. The George R. Brown Convention Center is hosting gymnastics, cheerleading and similar events, while swimming and other sports are taking place at various locations throughout the city.
The economic impact is expected to be substantial. “In our 2021, when we hosted here in Houston, it was about a $60 million impact, economic impact for the city. We’re expecting to beat that by quite a bit. Some estimates put it as high as 90 million,” according to event organizers.
For many young competitors, this represents the culmination of years of training and dedication. One athlete from Bastrop explained the significance: “We trained a lot, and we worked hard, and this is like the competition. That’s like a really a test for, like, your focus and all your hard work.”
Sophia, who has been attending the Junior Olympics for eight years, emphasized the social benefits of the competition. She said participants can “have fun and be yourself around other people and grow with other communities and friendships and other coaches.”
While some junior Olympians do advance to become actual Olympians, many participants focus on the personal growth and relationships built through competition. One young athlete expressed Olympic aspirations, saying, “Yes, I want to try, trampoline. I really want to try to be an Olympian.”
However, for most participants, the real victory extends beyond medals and scores. As one parent noted, the experience “builds confidence. It builds character. It builds resilience. It teaches you to take a loss and pick up your head and keep going. It teaches you to just be a team player and a cheerleader for others. And just teaches you what family is about. Because we’re family.”
The young athletes echoed this sentiment, with many emphasizing that the best part of competition is the friendships formed along the way. When asked about their companions, competitors spoke about their crews and the bonds they’ve developed.
Tickets for the events are $20 per day per venue, or $53 for an all-access pass covering all venues and events. The competition continues through August 2nd at various locations throughout Houston.