What is the cumulative cost to parents of competitive/club sports (K-12) per child for a recruited athlete for college?

[Anonymous]

We spent $10-$15K/year all in on hockey for 13 years, knowing full well our child was never going to play in college. But that was never the point. They loved playing, we could afford it, and it was a delightful family activity.

Costs: club tuition/tryout fees. Uniforms and gear (SO MANY STICKS AND SKATES). Skate sharpening. Many miles on the road to many tournaments. Private coaching. Sticks and pucks. Generally played 10 months a year with a mix of travel, rec, and HS.

[Anonymous]

Rowing. West Coast.

Amazing club, runs Sept to May, 6 days/week.
$5000/year. Works out to about $8/hr for amazing coaches, boats, waterfront boathouse with ergs, etc…

Add $2500 per year for travel and uniform, if kid is in a top boat. If in a lower boat, just buy the racing suit, $100.

So $30,000 for all of high school. Kids too busy and motivated to get in trouble. Fantastic peer group from across a mix of private and public schools. Time spent outside. Community. Sport has the highest academic index of any team sport out there.

Can start in high school, which means kids can actually enjoy their childhood. But the team has limited space and tryouts are competitive. Helps to have the right body construction, but a great attitude and work ethic are also key.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Obviously it varies by sport. My kid was recruited for cross country and track. Over his competitive career prior to college, we spent about $600 on shoes and shorts.

Love it.

[Anonymous]

As the mom of an equestrian, all I can say is, “Hold my beer.” And there is very, very little equestrian recruiting as there are only a few D1 teams. Most women get no scholarship, although a few get partial. I have never heard of someone getting a full scholarship. My kid was not good enough to be recruited and it really wasn’t her goal. She rode because she loved it. I would guess the girls who got recruited probably spent close to $1 million.

[Anonymous]

9 yrs @ $40-45K/yr = $360-400K fencing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Infinitely more than the economic return.

+1000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:9 yrs @ $40-45K/yr = $360-400K fencing

How is fencing $40k a year?!

[Anonymous]

Varies depending on sport and team and child. My child will not do their sport in college. But, no issue paying for it for the exercise and skills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the costs of competitive club sports, plus coach time and any misc fees, per kid to get them recruited into college?

Does it vary by sport?

What is the cumulative cost for soccer? volleyball? etc.

Just have super smart kids who are kind and be the best in the school band or something similarly cheap & they can be at T10/ivy with no recruiting necessary and no sports cost. Both of mine are at different ivies. Most unhooked kids at the ivies are similar. The athletes get usually get mocked for not being as smart. The ones who are smart have to prove it every day in class. Even some professors assume they arent as bright and they are not taken as seriously unless they really put in the effort in seminars. I would never want my kid to be at a top school like an ivy as an athletic recruit, now that we have seen the other side.

Wait, if the unhooked kids are kind, who is mocking the athletes?

I would be horrified if my kid was mocking other students.

[Anonymous]

The track and XC parent paid $600? Congrats, but that seems odd. I think we spent $5000 last year on track/XC, mostly traveling to postseason track meets in other states for the best competition. And we do far less of that travel than similarly situated runners.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the costs of competitive club sports, plus coach time and any misc fees, per kid to get them recruited into college?

Does it vary by sport?

What is the cumulative cost for soccer? volleyball? etc.

Just have super smart kids who are kind and be the best in the school band or something similarly cheap & they can be at T10/ivy with no recruiting necessary and no sports cost. Both of mine are at different ivies. Most unhooked kids at the ivies are similar. The athletes get usually get mocked for not being as smart. The ones who are smart have to prove it every day in class. Even some professors assume they arent as bright and they are not taken as seriously unless they really put in the effort in seminars. I would never want my kid to be at a top school like an ivy as an athletic recruit, now that we have seen the other side.

The athletes are too busy to care what jerk think of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the costs of competitive club sports, plus coach time and any misc fees, per kid to get them recruited into college?

Does it vary by sport?

What is the cumulative cost for soccer? volleyball? etc.

Just have super smart kids who are kind and be the best in the school band or something similarly cheap & they can be at T10/ivy with no recruiting necessary and no sports cost. Both of mine are at different ivies. Most unhooked kids at the ivies are similar. The athletes get usually get mocked for not being as smart. The ones who are smart have to prove it every day in class. Even some professors assume they arent as bright and they are not taken as seriously unless they really put in the effort in seminars. I would never want my kid to be at a top school like an ivy as an athletic recruit, now that we have seen the other side.

My kid got in on academics. He was injured and not a recruit. He healed and got on the varsity team sophomore year. Most of his teammates are very good students/highly intelligent. It will depend on the sport, but only a very few get “coach supported” admit in this team sport.

[Anonymous]

I’m not adding it up because I never expected that it would be an investment. We spent money year after year because it made DS happy and was a healthy pursuit. We never had over the top expenses because we chose local travel prior to HS. Maybe 4k a year all in? That’s less than I’ve spent on non-sports activities and tutoring. It’s far less than our friends spend on sleepaway camp year after year. If he plays in college, that will be awesome, but I’m a realist and know the odds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the costs of competitive club sports, plus coach time and any misc fees, per kid to get them recruited into college?

Does it vary by sport?

What is the cumulative cost for soccer? volleyball? etc.

Just have super smart kids who are kind and be the best in the school band or something similarly cheap & they can be at T10/ivy with no recruiting necessary and no sports cost. Both of mine are at different ivies. Most unhooked kids at the ivies are similar. The athletes get usually get mocked for not being as smart. The ones who are smart have to prove it every day in class. Even some professors assume they arent as bright and they are not taken as seriously unless they really put in the effort in seminars. I would never want my kid to be at a top school like an ivy as an athletic recruit, now that we have seen the other side.

Wait, if the unhooked kids are kind, who is mocking the athletes?

Wish you weren't anonymous. I'd buy you a drink.

I would be horrified if my kid was mocking other students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the costs of competitive club sports, plus coach time and any misc fees, per kid to get them recruited into college?

Does it vary by sport?

What is the cumulative cost for soccer? volleyball? etc.

Just have super smart kids who are kind and be the best in the school band or something similarly cheap & they can be at T10/ivy with no recruiting necessary and no sports cost. Both of mine are at different ivies. Most unhooked kids at the ivies are similar. The athletes get usually get mocked for not being as smart. The ones who are smart have to prove it every day in class. Even some professors assume they arent as bright and they are not taken as seriously unless they really put in the effort in seminars. I would never want my kid to be at a top school like an ivy as an athletic recruit, now that we have seen the other side.

The best in school band, choir or orchestra spends hundreds each month in private lessons, fyi.