Anonymous
Post 03/01/2019 10:42     Subject: Expensive Sport
Anonymous wrote:It is expensive but it keeps kids focused on healthy activities. My DD stopped doing sports in 11th grade and now she spends a lot of her time watching TV or on phone. It's hard to keep her from doing this and I'd much rather pay for the sports.


This is a big part of why I keep shelling out the money. When my kids started at the rec-level, I had no idea it would lead to where it did. But it does keep them occupied, they get exercise, the lessons that come with being part of a team, focus, etc. are good ones. Otherwise it would be at home playing on a phone or Fortnite. Which still happens plenty, believe me!
Anonymous
Post 03/01/2019 10:37     Subject: Re:Expensive Sport
Anonymous wrote:I grew up riding horses. Luckily my parents had land and barn facilities, so we didn't have to pay for board. But food, vet, farrier, equipment, trailer, shows, buying the animals themselves - it really added up. I wasn't anywhere near professional or Olympic level, but my parents supported me because I loved it.


My parents were not horse people, and we were middle class with limited funds for horse pursuits. But they did support me by paying for an on-site lease at the barn where I was a working student and schlepping me back and forth to the barn. I didn't own my first horse until I was an adult and paid for it myself. I've ridden so many different horses as a result-- lesson horses, leased horses, catching rides... I was able to become a pretty good rider through all the experiences I had on other people's horses over the years!
Anonymous
Post 03/01/2019 10:29     Subject: Re:Expensive Sport
I grew up riding horses. Luckily my parents had land and barn facilities, so we didn't have to pay for board. But food, vet, farrier, equipment, trailer, shows, buying the animals themselves - it really added up. I wasn't anywhere near professional or Olympic level, but my parents supported me because I loved it.
Anonymous
Post 03/01/2019 10:18     Subject: Expensive Sport
It is expensive but it keeps kids focused on healthy activities. My DD stopped doing sports in 11th grade and now she spends a lot of her time watching TV or on phone. It's hard to keep her from doing this and I'd much rather pay for the sports.
Anonymous
Post 03/01/2019 10:13     Subject: Re:Expensive Sport
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?


A lot of people do ZERO sports and go to college just fine. Good colleges! Sports has nothing to do with college.



I know that. I am not only talking about sports, per my post, as I include dance/music/and will even include advanced art lessons and equipment. If your kid is not passionate about a less-costly (free), school-based activity like student government or yearbook, and their passion is for a costly extracurricular, it is hard to not feel like you are not meeting your child's needs.

My kids do not do sports, but dance at highest levels.
Anonymous
Post 03/01/2019 10:07     Subject: Re:Expensive Sport
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?


A lot of people do ZERO sports and go to college just fine. Good colleges! Sports has nothing to do with college.
Anonymous
Post 03/01/2019 09:52     Subject: Re:Expensive Sport
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?
Anonymous
Post 03/01/2019 09:33     Subject: Expensive Sport
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.
Anonymous
Post 03/01/2019 09:20     Subject: Expensive Sport
I agree with with PPs that say it's hard to say no. I have a kid that's really into music. We drop ~$8K a year in lessons and we have a piano that we got used- but new the price is about $30K piano.

It never starts out that way though. It started with $2k in annual lessons and a free piano .
Anonymous
Post 03/01/2019 08:39     Subject: Expensive Sport
Anonymous wrote:Hate to say it, but think about the expense *before* you decide to let your kid start an expensive sport.



This. There are certain sports that get a hard no. Like figure skating.
Anonymous
Post 03/01/2019 08:37     Subject: Expensive Sport
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.
Anonymous
Post 03/01/2019 08:11     Subject: Expensive Sport
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Parents of kids involved in expensive sports, do you ever question the amount of money you're spending when you know your kid is not going to the Olympics or going to play the sport professionally?


We are in deep and I'm wondering where this is going and that we should be putting more money away for college instead, but its too late. She works so hard, trains daily, loves it and it good at it. But, ugh, my bank account is sad.



If you are choosing between college funds and a sport, not sure why you got into the sport in the first place. We have 2 kids in travel lacrosse and so a lot of outside specialized training. Costs a fortune, this was not done at the expense of a solid college fund.

More irritating to me is the time we spend on said sport. I question the value of that nearly daily



Could you please give me an idea of how much you pay per child for higher-level travel lacrosse?
Anonymous
Post 03/01/2019 08:04     Subject: Re:Expensive Sport
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It's far better situation than having one playing video games and using e-cigs which will likely lead to heroin and a life living on the streets. So we see it as a positive way to keep him on the right track!


Wow, this PP really went from video games to e-cigs to heroin to life on the streets.


Yeah, quite the jump there. One day the kid is vaping and playing fortnite and the next he's strung out on heroin and passed out in the streets.


LOL
The most popular streamer on Twitch says there is big money to be made playing video games.

Tyler "Ninja" Blevins told CNBC's "Squawk Alley" about how he manages to earn more than $500,000 per month playing the "Fortnite" game.

"I think that I offer a combination of high-tier game play that they really can't get with a lot of other content creators. It's very difficult to be one of the very best at a video game," Blevins said. "I'm very goofy; if you ever watched any of my streams or YouTube videos, I do impressions and stuff like that all the time and just crazy shenanigans. I think the combination of that [game skill and entertainment] is really fun to watch."

Ninja first confirmed to a Forbes contributor he was making more than $500,000 a month streaming "Fortnite" on Twitch.


https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/19/tyler-ninja-blevins-explains-how-he-makes-more-than-500000-a-month-playing-video-game-fortnite.html
Anonymous
Post 03/01/2019 06:57     Subject: Expensive Sport
Anonymous wrote:Parents of kids involved in expensive sports, do you ever question the amount of money you're spending when you know your kid is not going to the Olympics or going to play the sport professionally?


We are in deep and I'm wondering where this is going and that we should be putting more money away for college instead, but its too late. She works so hard, trains daily, loves it and it good at it. But, ugh, my bank account is sad.



If you are choosing between college funds and a sport, not sure why you got into the sport in the first place. We have 2 kids in travel lacrosse and so a lot of outside specialized training. Costs a fortune, this was not done at the expense of a solid college fund.

More irritating to me is the time we spend on said sport. I question the value of that nearly daily
Anonymous
Post 03/01/2019 06:46     Subject: Expensive Sport
OP, you and your child are long overdue for a serious talk about the money.

Not every family can afford all things, but there are choices and trade offs to make. Just be sure everyone understands the implications of these expenses on her later life.

When you say save for college, do you mean all the money is going to sport, or simply that she will have to stay in-state? Are yo affecting opportunities for siblings? Think hard before you keep going with this. It is ok to ratchet down.