re: Most expensive youth sports?

I used to think baseball. But I’m shocked at the money and travel that cheer and dance parents are willing to spend. It’s insane.

quote:

---

Lot's of poor people's kids play baseball.

---

my time was way before travel ball and all of these other namby pamby "baby sitting" hobbies but I do remember that some of the best athletes in school weren't able to play sports because either their parents couldn't afford it, or couldn't get them home from practice or games because of work, or because in hs the kids had to find jobs themselves to help out the family or have any spending money

I pay $225.00 a month for baseball plus equipment costs

Then when we play tournaments I have to pay for gas, food, a place to stay (if too far to drive back and forth).

This is our last year to play, my son is going to high school next year so all youth sports end.

Hopefully he will make the high school team at something

quote:

---

LOL. I feel ya! When both of my daughters went to college it was a huge raise to get them out of competitive dance and very serious ballet. Both had aspirations to do it professionally and could have but chose STEM - so Dad's not going to have to support them forever.

If you don't know what a summer intensive is or haven't bought pointe shoes for a lead nutcracker role type dancer it's totally understandable that you couldn't get how expensive it can be. Of course, there are ways to "take dance" and it not be expensive just like there are ways to do any of the sports mentioned here less expensively. But all in - I'd put dance up against anything. Did I mention the 3-week dance company European tour to compete overseas? LOL

---

$60,000 horse
$16,000 board for horse for 1 year,includes feed and turn out(when they take horse from stall each morning and back into stall at night).
$5,200 saddle and helmet.
$2,000 boots and clothes to wear when showing
$6,000 average vet bills for a year
$1,200 average farrier bills for a year
$7-10k average costs to show for a year, includes trailering horse, board for horse at event arena, fees to compete, grooms.

There is more, but that is the biggest things that pop into my mind.

It is not for the faint of heart.

quote:

---

This is our last year to play, my son is going to high school next year so all youth sports end.

---

I thought the same thing...and my boy is the same age. Just more shite now, and it doesn’t look like it will end.

The high level travel hockey circuit is insanely expensive.

A friend of one of my sons living in my neighborhood played club hockey for years and travelled all over the US and Canada. He was drafted by the Atlanta Junior Kings. Ended up not playing hockey. His parents doled out a ton of $$$.

quote:

---

Karting. It is very expensive.

---

quote:

---

Just about to say this...

---

But if you're elite it can lead to an F1 career and man the tail that those guys pull is insane.

What I’ve gotten from this thread is that every youth sport can become ungodly expensive