Ever sat down and added up the cost of that seasons sport, or have any idea how much the school spends on student activities? The cost of sports seems to be going up and people have to pay outrageous prices.
Besides the upfront fee, many do not realize there is an additional cost to almost every sport. The equipment and extra training begin to add up.
Take freshman varsity soccer player Aliena Krausert for instance. This year Krausert spent $150 on soccer cleats and a pair of shin guards. She also had to buy the required warm-up which cost her around $70. Krausert agrees that the price goes up as you get older, “It goes from association which cost $100 to this.” Now compare this to Nordic where the cost of skis is $400-700 per set.
Boots and poles together can get up to $400 and that isn’t even half of what you need. The sport requires participants to get a pass which costs $25 and to keep from getting frost bit you may want some warm clothes and those come with a hefty price. “I think it is too expensive,” said junior Sam Chan. Chan also adds that with gas prices up it is costly to drive to and from practice.
Now Cross country, on the other hand, takes as much as shoes and a watch. Running shoes, at an average, cost $50-80 and watches can cost up to $20. “Many more people can do Cross Country because they don’t have to worry about the financial aspect,” said senior Hannah Slinkard.
On top of the equipment costs, students pay a fee to participate in school sports. Fees range from $35 to $250.Students can apply for scholarships to cover the fee.
Sports not only put a dent in a student’s wallet, but the student activities budget as well. Just about two percent of the school’s budget goes to student activities. However, football is a sport that can give money back to the school. Although it is one of the more expensive sports it can pay off most of its cost.
Sports programs also get help from the Boosters organization. The Boosters organization fundraises to help the school with activity related costs such as equipment or extra money needed to fund meets. “Boosters have been really beneficial,” said student activities director Mike Grant.
The school, besides paying for the activity, has to pay for the coaches as well. The average amount that a coach gets a season is $4,500. The pay depends on the length of the season and the ratio of coaches to students. They usually like to have one coach per 20 students.
The cost of activities is going up and costing students and the school more and more money each year.
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