School Sports
By KATRINKA
@KATRINKA (1624)
United States
August 30, 2007 1:34pm CST
I am getting more and more frustrated with our school district's sports programs. Every time I turn around, there are more and more fees. For instance, my one son is on the football team. We had to put out $250 when he joined the team. Fortunately uniforms and pads were included. We had to buy everything else. Then at the start of the playing season, we had to pay $50 for food for the players for the year. He was also told he had to sell a minimum of 10 booster membership cards or he can't play.
Then there's my daughter. She's on the cheerleading squad. We had to pay over $200 at the start, and that went to her uniform, shoes, and warm up suit. They have a practice uniform and a game uniform. She's had two fundraisers since the start, and she has to sell a minimum of $50 each or, she does not get to participate.
My other son is on the LaCrosse team. We were just told we need to pay $300 for him to have full pads. We already bought the other equipment.
This is a strain on us. I'm sure these outrageous fees prevent some students from participating in sports. I remember the days when the schools provided the school equipment. Participation was free, or there was a minimal fee for the sports physical or the like. There were fundraisers. Our teams didn't seem to suffer. Is this a trend in other schools? Do your kids have to pay outrageous fees in order to participate in school sports?
1 person likes this
5 responses
@sunshine4 (8703)
• United States
30 Aug 07
Wow, those are outrageous fees! My son plays football for the high school team. I was upset because of all the fundraising things that we have to do, but we have no out of pocket money needed to put up. Of course, we had to buy the spikes, turf shoes, ankle supports, but we didn't have a charge to play. They first told us that we had to sell 20 lottery tickets~ oops, I washed 10 of them, so I bet they make us pay for them! Then they sent home 10 cash cards that we have to sell.
My younger son is also playing football and I am waiting on what we will have to sell for him.
My older son also wrestles. We will have to sell something for them also as well as donate something for the consessions.
My daughter is in gymnastics and with that we do pay monthly, but we have never been charged for a school sport.
2 people like this
@soccermom (3198)
• United States
30 Aug 07
I'm with you on this one! My oldest just started 6th grade and made the school soccer team. The sports physical was $25, the fee to play was $100, we have to "rent" uniforms which is another $50, and then there is a $50 transportation fee! Then it's new shoes, shinguards, etc..
Not anything like you're paying but it blows me away that what used to be of minimal cost is now almost unaffordable. I almost told her she couldn't try out, but she could play AYSO this fall, I coach AYSO and the fees are next to nothing compared to this! But the experience is good for her. No wonder I've gone back to working two jobs.
It also made me think this is part of the problem with overweight kids in our society. Most of the kids that are having weight issues are lower income, maybe the fact group sports have become unaffordable has something to do with their lack of activity.
1 person likes this
@KATRINKA (1624)
• United States
31 Aug 07
"Rent uniforms"? I can understand purchasing new shoes. Who wants to use someone's hand-me-down stinky shoes. On the other hand, at the rate at which the kids are growing, the hand-me-downs are probably hardly used.
I agree the experiences are good for the kids. I don't want to tell them they can't participate because we can't afford it, but it really is a hardship on us. It is outrageous. These fees are probably excluding other students from participating.
Good luck to you and your kids!
@Nardz13 (5054)
• New Zealand
31 Aug 07
Hi there. In new zealand for our children to participate in school sports and the like, its not that expensive, its really affordable... At the rate your paying, sounds rediculous, just for a bit of fun and without it, children are penalised... Not too mention education fees too I suppose... I hope things get better for the parents, especially for the childrens benefit... All the best...
1 person likes this
@wiccania (3360)
• United States
31 Aug 07
It could be worse. Your kids are electing to participate in these activities -- you have a choice as to whether or not to pay the fees for them to join. There are a couple of schools here where art is a mandatory subject half the year and music the other half. No problem with that, I appreciate a school making a point to expose students to those subjects.
What I object to is the fact that the parents are expected to pay $50 for the materials for that art class and provide an 8x10 sketch book.
1 person likes this
@KATRINKA (1624)
• United States
31 Aug 07
You make a great point. We are electing to allow our children to participate in sports. We don't want them to miss an opportunity to do that. Fortunately, we're able to come up with the money, though we have to juggle other things. I feel sorry for the families who cannot afford it. There are no breaks for them. And when our kids took music lessons, we bought the instruments and paid for the extra lessons. But I would object, too if music and art were mandatory classes and the parents were expected to pay the fees. That's outrageous.
Also, when I was in school, we had paper and pencils supplied. If we wanted fancy pens or extras, we were expected to purchase it. No problem. But now our school district is mandating our kids bring all their own paper, pens, highlighters, colored pencils, certain types of notebooks for each class, and boxes of tissues for each teacher. The teachers say the students must have these certain items or they'll be counted off points for their grades. What the heck do our outrageous school taxes go to? Just venting.
