Expensive Sport

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD is an equestrian. I'm about to spend $50,000 on a new horse that "might" last her 2 years before she's at the next level. Then there is the $6K saddles, etc. And, of course, the board and maintenance of said horse. It's ludicrous.

I didn't fully appreciate the cost when she started and had no idea she would ever be serious. We are lucky we can do that for her. She struggles in school, so it is her therapy (although pay for therapy, too).

I'll be honest. I kind of resent it, but lately, she has started to understand what it all costs and has been very grateful, so that helps.

You don't need to spend that kind of money to ride and compete. I event with an OTTB and have used saddles, and I have tons of fun. It's your choice to spend crazy money on Big Eq or whatever she's doing.

I’m curious how you do it for less? My daughter is very low level (doesn’t own a horse) and all the shows in this area are several hundred a day even without bringing your own horses. Are you in this area? I would be interested in names of specific barns and shows. We go to one of the cheaper ones I thought and it’s still insane. Or is your point that you have more fun but maybe are less competitive?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Aren't we all in an "arms" race in a way? If your high-schooler is not excelling and showing passion for their chosen extracurricular, how will that play out in college applications?

It is very hard not to spend a lot of money in pretty much ANY extracurricular once they get to higher competition/advanced stages. This thread reflects that -- sports, dance, music -- it seems like a minimum is at least $8-10,000 for quality lessons, equipment/instruments.

I don't know. Is there a cheap sport? Just playing on high school team? Can you even just play on a high school team anymore without a year-round commitment to private coaching/training/travel leagues?[/quote

If your kids are into dance, you can at least find a studio that's technique/performance focused, not a competition-focused studio (assuming that's okay with you)... saves a lot not to have to pay all the competition/travel fees. We're in a "technique" studio and still spend a ton on classes and recital fees/costumes, etc. and then all the standard danceware/shoes etc., but I think it could be much more if we were doing competitions. That said, my girls are too young for pointe shoes, and at least one may never get there with ballet... those get super expensive!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren't we all in an "arms" race in a way? If your high-schooler is not excelling and showing passion for their chosen extracurricular, how will that play out in college applications?

It is very hard not to spend a lot of money in pretty much ANY extracurricular once they get to higher competition/advanced stages. This thread reflects that -- sports, dance, music -- it seems like a minimum is at least $8-10,000 for quality lessons, equipment/instruments.

I don't know. Is there a cheap sport? Just playing on high school team? Can you even just play on a high school team anymore without a year-round commitment to private coaching/training/travel leagues?[/quote

If your kids are into dance, you can at least find a studio that's technique/performance focused, not a competition-focused studio (assuming that's okay with you)... saves a lot not to have to pay all the competition/travel fees. We're in a "technique" studio and still spend a ton on classes and recital fees/costumes, etc. and then all the standard danceware/shoes etc., but I think it could be much more if we were doing competitions. That said, my girls are too young for pointe shoes, and at least one may never get there with ballet... those get super expensive!!

I am the PP. My daughters are not in competition dance -- at higher levels at Washington School of Ballet. Classes are about $6000 per year, plus pointe shoes/tights. Students are strongly encouraged to take summer intensives to keep skills up over summer -- least expensive ones are about $3000 for a 3-4 week program; some are $6000.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD is an equestrian. I'm about to spend $50,000 on a new horse that "might" last her 2 years before she's at the next level. Then there is the $6K saddles, etc. And, of course, the board and maintenance of said horse. It's ludicrous.

I didn't fully appreciate the cost when she started and had no idea she would ever be serious. We are lucky we can do that for her. She struggles in school, so it is her therapy (although pay for therapy, too).

I'll be honest. I kind of resent it, but lately, she has started to understand what it all costs and has been very grateful, so that helps.

You don't need to spend that kind of money to ride and compete. I event with an OTTB and have used saddles, and I have tons of fun. It's your choice to spend crazy money on Big Eq or whatever she's doing.

I’m curious how you do it for less? My daughter is very low level (doesn’t own a horse) and all the shows in this area are several hundred a day even without bringing your own horses. Are you in this area? I would be interested in names of specific barns and shows. We go to one of the cheaper ones I thought and it’s still insane. Or is your point that you have more fun but maybe are less competitive?

Well, it is expensive, no matter what you do, but there are levels of expense.

Like I said, there are plenty of amateurs competing at pretty high levels in eventing on dirt cheap Off-The-Track Thoroughbreds (OTTBs). I'm in Virginia, and I go to the local horse trials in the Mid-Atlantic (Loch Moy, Waredaca, Lexington, etc. )

But if you are looking to do USEF rated shows, it's a lot more $$$. There's really no upper limit to what you can spend.

[Anonymous]

Both DS and DS are potential D1 athletes in golf. Cost $70k/yr for lessons, tournaments fee and travel costs. Not even counting country membership. Also lost of one income because DW travels with them. Grandparents are footing the bills

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both DS and DS are potential D1 athletes in golf. Cost $70k/yr for lessons, tournaments fee and travel costs. Not even counting country membership. Also lost of one income because DW travels with them. Grandparents are footing the bills

OMG. I never knew this type of money was needed to play at the competitive level!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both DS and DS are potential D1 athletes in golf. Cost $70k/yr for lessons, tournaments fee and travel costs. Not even counting country membership. Also lost of one income because DW travels with them. Grandparents are footing the bills

OMG. I never knew this type of money was needed to play at the competitive level!

Typo. DS and DH. You do not have to spend that much money but it does help.

[Anonymous]

Typo again. DS and DD

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both DS and DS are potential D1 athletes in golf. Cost $70k/yr for lessons, tournaments fee and travel costs. Not even counting country membership. Also lost of one income because DW travels with them. Grandparents are footing the bills

Sounds like grandma doesn’t mind wasting the money, which is a good thing!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD is an equestrian. I'm about to spend $50,000 on a new horse that "might" last her 2 years before she's at the next level. Then there is the $6K saddles, etc. And, of course, the board and maintenance of said horse. It's ludicrous.

I didn't fully appreciate the cost when she started and had no idea she would ever be serious. We are lucky we can do that for her. She struggles in school, so it is her therapy (although pay for therapy, too).

I'll be honest. I kind of resent it, but lately, she has started to understand what it all costs and has been very grateful, so that helps.

Why would the horse last her 2 years? Can't the horse learn too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both DS and DS are potential D1 athletes in golf. Cost $70k/yr for lessons, tournaments fee and travel costs. Not even counting country membership. Also lost of one income because DW travels with them. Grandparents are footing the bills

What in the world are you doing??? My son is on a partial scholarship at UVA on their golf team. There was a line of schools wanting to give him a full ride, but he really wanted to play at UVA (only offered 50%).

I know you have 2 kids, but even with my 1 (who was ranked #1/2 nationally) we got nearly free green fees at a local CC because my son was someone they wanted to play there for status.

[Anonymous]

Rambling off topic, but I am so jealous of families that have grandparents pay for tuition, extra curriculars, vacations, camps, whatever..... ! What a huge help. I hope I’m able to to do that for my grandchildren.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nope. We didn't pay for this so she'd become an Olympian. We pay for it because she loves it and we can afford it. If we couldn't afford it, we wouldn't have done it.

This. I don’t care if they play in college or quit tomorrow to try something new. We can afford it so why not as long as it’s enjoyable. I tell them they have to cut back when it gets too expensive or more likely, too time consuming for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A commitment to a high-level sport teaches a kid so many life lessons and develops so many important qualities (work ethic, determination, pushing through adversity and dealing with disappointment, to make a few), and lays a foundation for a healthy lifestyle as an adult. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Thos is why we do it too. I introduced them to several sports until they found one they decided to stick with. I can’t think of a cheap sport past about 13. Kids sports have become professionalized and anything above recreation level takes a year round commitment of time and money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope. We didn't pay for this so she'd become an Olympian. We pay for it because she loves it and we can afford it. If we couldn't afford it, we wouldn't have done it.

This. I don’t care if they play in college or quit tomorrow to try something new. We can afford it so why not as long as it’s enjoyable. I tell them they have to cut back when it gets too expensive or more likely, too time consuming for me.

+2. My kid is highly ranked nationally and he loves it. It teaches him to have goals, work hard, and be a good sport, learn to be gracious when he loses. We can afford it, college (private) is fully funded, and we have the time. Travel all over including internationally. We make vacations out of it: going to Asia this summer for 6 wks where he will be competing for two weeks and we’ll enjoy vacation the rest.

At a hotel right now. It becomes a lifestyle. It’s fun. Otherwise, we won’t be doing it.