Sports in High Schools- cots

On February 23, 2016 in American Sport in the 21st Century, we discussed the costs of high school athletics. United States High Schools cut $2 billion in funding for athletics in 2005. A high school athletic program is no longer a given. Schools in 43 states charge students to participate in sports. The average price to participate in one sport is between $150- $200. The other Ohio Legislature recently passed the Pay for Play Law for high schools, meaning to play one sport it would cost $625. This led to schedule reductions, travel restrictions, cutting coaches, eliminating athletic directors, and fewer teams.

By increasing the cost of playing a sport, it can keep low- income students from participating, at a time in their lives when they should focus on stating active. Over the last 40 years, there has been a demand for more classes, clubs, services, and sports. With these demands comes a need for more money. Since the economic crash in 2008, there has been pressure on the state budget cutting money sent to the schools. The result of this cut is the more money it is to participate in a sport. Unfortunately, high school athletics is not a priority when teaching positions go unfilled.

In 2014, twenty- two percent of children ages 6-17 did not participate in a sport and the number of participants had risen every year in the past six years. There were 2.6 million fewer kids in 2013 then in 2008 playing sports.

I believe that with the trend in youth participating in sport will continue to decline if the price of participating in a sport continues to rise. Parents already spend enough money on children with equipment, camps, travel, and summer AAU, that paying $600+ a sport is ridiculous. I do see the point in raising the cost because of the budget cut in schools but I believe that something else has to be done.

More: http://www.centralmaine.com/2015/11/15/sports-fees-fine-but-school-cant-be-pay-to-play/