The Rising Costs of High School Athletics - Actual Numbers

[OldSchoolLion]

...some real-world numbers.

https://onlinemasters.ohio.edu/cost-of-school-athletics-are-increasing/

...also consider the increasing liabilities of school districts for lawsuits related to concussions, etc.  

 

...one person's perspective on pay-to-play

http://digitalcommons.law.umaryland.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1227&context=rrgcing/

It really stinks that athletic equipment has gotten so expensive.  It really stinks that in the US today, participation in athletics has become linked to one's ability to get a college education.  But that is not my fault and I do not think society have to bear the additional financial tax burden. 

Concerning the argument that lower-income families are shut out of certain opportunities because of pay-to-play....   I support the idea that athletics is an important part of a well-rounded education.  But I have a problem paying yet more property taxes so that someone's kid can play an expensive, high-risk sport, ie football, simply to increase the kid's odds of getting a college scholarship.  One can reap the "non-financial" benefits, ie teamwork, of athletics via less expensive/less risky sports.  Don't get me wrong-I LOVE football-but we have got to face financial realities.  

As a little kid growing up, I was allowed to play one organized sport-that's it.  I chose baseball, as did most other kids in the neighborhood.  We loved football and created our own neighborhood football leagues, and used a big open field nearby that was owned by the neighborhood grade school.  We had kids who played on the local high school football teams play in the league.  We learned from them and the price we paid was getting the snot knocked out of us.      I think we were as good or better than the kids who played organized, peewee football because we learned the high school playbooks and were used to playing above our level of talent.   

The expectations of parents today is ridiculous.  I went to private schools my whole life so, in a way, was considered privileged.  When I see the equipment today at public schools compared to what we had, I am absolutely blown away.  I am not talking technology, either.  I am talking quality.  

These are the new "expectations"   And if I think my kid is somehow deprived, I cry that life is unfair.  Sorry, but you do not need all of this fancy stuff to get the "sports experience."  And if you think your kid needs/deserves it, pay for your kid to play in club sports.  And if the parent cannot afford that, the parent and kid need to get creative rather than expecting society to get creative with funding.

Parents today remind me of the guy who is constantly buying the "next best" golf club because he is just certain that is the one that is going to take his game to the next level.  There are numerous stories of world-class athletes who did not need fancy facilities/equipment to develop their abilities.   Here is a great example...