The Cost of School Sports is Rising!

"The greatest waste in the world is the difference between what we are and what we can become."

   When it comes to sports I love them as much as the next person, however,  school sports that cost so much money are really frustrating me.  We are average parents with normal average full-time jobs.  I am not a doctor or a lawyer and feel that unless I get a job that pays like one there is going to be little chance of my kids being able to play all the sports that they would like to.   

I have no intentions of training a professional athlete, but do want my kids to be able to be in these types of activities if they choose to.  I do not want to have to tell them, "sorry, it is too expensive to be in that".  We have already set limits on what sports the kids can play because some are just more than we can and are willing to afford.  

Not only do you pay to play, but then you also have to do all kinds of fundraisers to pay for other stuff.  What "other stuff" I am not always sure, but they do like their fundraisers.  I ask you, why would a freshman need a new uniform?  Wasn't it a right of passage to get the softball or baseball pants with the hole in the knee or the jersey that had been worn so many times that the pit stains would never come out.  That was why you tried so hard to get onto the JV or Varsity so you could upgrade the stinky yellow uniform that you had for something that you actually wanted to wear.  Now a days the kids get new uniforms almost every year so they look good.......I thought it was about the teams ability, not how they looked walking on the field.  Whatever.  As a kid I was always encouraged to be in some kind of sports or activity after school.  It was supposed to keep you out of trouble.  I believe that is still true today and wonder how many kids have turned to other things since their parents could not afford to have them in sports.  I often wonder how many really good athletes are not in sports because their parents can't afford it.  That is the sad part for me.  I think that every kid should be able to play the sports that they love. 

Most kids already have to choose 1 sport or maybe 2 sports to focus on because the seasons run together and overlap each other.  You could be in football and be lifting weights every morning for wrestling.  You could be finishing the state tournament for wrestling and have baseball practice in the afternoon as well.  When did we become so driven that in high school we push our kids to choose.  When I was in school most kids who participated in sports were 3 sport athletes.  That was just what you did, you went about 1 week in between practices and then started the next sport.  Now kids miss summer baseball to have basketball camp or dry land hockey practice.....(what is that anyways).  

Am I the only parent that feels this.  I get stressed everytime I know that sign-ups are coming because we will have to come up with the sign-up fee, fundraiser stuff, any extra equipment that they may need......spikes, glove, shoes, jacket, helmet, pads etc. not to mention the gas to get them to all the practices and games.  Don't get me wrong.....I LOVE watching my kids play their sports.  It is a BLAST!!  I love cheering for them and all that proud parent stuff, I just wish that there was a happy medium to the cost.  I should not have to save money from every paycheck to be able to afford it.   I know there are scholarship funds available in some towns, but there has been limited funds in this economy to be able to offer that either.  Well, I have better get back to balancing the checkbook since baseball sign-up is around the corner.  Hope all athletes have a great Spring season!  Work hard and play hard!!