required "dues" for MCPS sports team?

[Anonymous]

My dd is on a varsity sport. We just received an email from the 'team parents' saying the team has $150 dues to cover things like serving the kids "dinners" prior to games (I put this in quotes because the dinners are expected to be at 3pm.). The letter has the same language you would see on an official field trip announcement that asks people to contact the coach if they need assistance paying. The team parent clearly views this as a mandatory payment because in the same email they mention that they also encourage membership in the booster club (another $50) but note that booster membership is voluntary.).

If the donations were for a single dinner before a special game, I wouldn't have a problem with it. And if it were a smaller amount just for snacks to give the kids a boost, also not a problem. But it really irks me that self appointed team parents would mandate dozens of other families to pay high dues to serve meals (they mentioned chipotle and chick-fa-le) that seem ill conceived (mid-afternoon; heavy food before a lot of exercise) without any vote or input from the rest of the parents.

How is this allowed at a public school?

[Anonymous]

Respond back and cc all. Ask those questions and see what the response is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Respond back and cc all. Ask those questions and see what the response is.

Dd would *kill* me.

[Anonymous]

You sound pretty high maintenance. This is not uncommon dinner fare for teen athletes and many teams do this. I think 3:30 is a little early for dinner but it really depends on what time practice is and what time the games are. DS's varsity team eats closer to 4-5 for away games and 5-6 for home games.

Some teams organize a rotation where volunteer parents pay for one meal but that can be a lot, like $500, split by 2-3 parents so I think this way is more fair. I'm sure parents can opt out if they have financial needs. I'm guessing boosters is subsidizing your child's meals in addition to the parent. contribution.

[Anonymous]

OP, This is not some random group of parents making things up as they go. DD graduated 3 years ago and they did this same thing back then, same vendors, same time frame. This is kind of tradition at a lot of schools or at least it was at DD's school and her friends' schools.

[Anonymous]

My hs team (not in Maryland) had a "mandatory donation." My friends and I always laughed about it - how can it be both mandatory and a donation?

[Anonymous]

My kid plays a varsity sport at a W school and there definitely is not a team dinner before every game or any type of “donation” request. This feels really strange to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Respond back and cc all. Ask those questions and see what the response is.

Dd would *kill* me.

Lol

So you are being held hostage by the people who volunteer to manage your child’s team AND by your teenaged DD? Do you see a pattern?

[Anonymous]

If its coming from a parent, its not manditory, and tell them that before games you'll feed your child as you want them to eat healthier foods, picky or what ever. Call the principal or athletic head. This sounds like a lazy parent where its easier to collect money vs. get donations/cook, etc. If its coming from MCPS the payment is made to the MCPS portal. I hate when parents demand money through their private accounts and it shouldn't be allowed and go through the booster club or PTSA.

My child is involved with one sport where they do a potluck one day a week for the kids and ask for snacks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You sound pretty high maintenance. This is not uncommon dinner fare for teen athletes and many teams do this. I think 3:30 is a little early for dinner but it really depends on what time practice is and what time the games are. DS's varsity team eats closer to 4-5 for away games and 5-6 for home games.

Some teams organize a rotation where volunteer parents pay for one meal but that can be a lot, like $500, split by 2-3 parents so I think this way is more fair. I'm sure parents can opt out if they have financial needs. I'm guessing boosters is subsidizing your child's meals in addition to the parent. contribution.

Asking for that kind of money for food or even rotating and expecting a family to shell out a few hundred is not an ok ask.

[Anonymous]

$150/season is like $3/day for practices and games?

[Anonymous]

I don’t see the issue OP. Just don’t participate.

[Anonymous]

DC’s sport at a W does this. Only for game days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t see the issue OP. Just don’t participate.

Just make sure that your child isn’t there mooching nuggets…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t see the issue OP. Just don’t participate.

Just make sure that your child isn’t there mooching nuggets…

You can have parents order a meal per game and tell them this is the options and costs. To demand a fixed amount going to another parents bank account is not ok.