Youth Sports: How the Bad Economy is Keeping Kids off the Field (Part 1)

I keep a log of how much we spend on youth sports. The $10,000 per year amount has been the subject of a book, Time Magazine, the New York Times and the Huffington Post. I was not featured in these publications because I am unique, no I was featured because I represent the reality of a lot of middle and upper income households. The economy has changed my spending habits on many things, but not youth sports.

The economy is a real issue for many youth sports parents and kids are paying the price by sitting the seasons out. Over the next couple of posts I am going to study this situation to start a conversation.

Schools used to be the main source of "free" sports for kids, however, schools with budget woes are dropping sports or starting "pay-for-play" programs to subsidize the costs not covered by tax dollars. According to the Unversity of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll,  61% of kids are paying to play school sports with an average fee of $93. Some are paying upwards to $150 per sports season. The average cost for each kid to play is $381.

This trend is negatively impacts lower income families. 19% of kids in households making less than $60,000 saw their participation decrease, while only 5% of households making more than $60,000 said participation decreased.

The Main Point

As Republican Speaker of the House Boehner (against raising the debt ceiling) and President Obama (for raising the debt ceiling) debate the national debt crisis, there is a lot of rhetoric about the national debt problem is going to be falling on the backs of our children.


 "The fact that we are here today to debate raising America 's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the US Government cannot pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government's reckless fiscal policies. Increasing America 's debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that, "the buck stops here.' Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better."


Guess what fellas, it all ready is.


By the way - the quote above was spoken by Senator Barack H. Obama in 2006. He needs to take his own advice.