Team Fees and Pay-to-Play High School Basketball

[retropop]

On another thread there has been a spirited and interesting debate on the subject of public (and private) high school sports - in this case basketball - that charge team fees and run on the basis of "pay-to-play." What about the philospohy of tax-payer supported public high schools charging team fees to play basketball at the high school? Is it good or bad or what - what's your take on this?

 

Not only that, in addition to team fees a few schools are very demanding of parents to work pre-season fundraising and in season fundraising, and/or addtional game night activities such as concessions or ticket-taking or meals or half-tiem activities. What about a couple of other fundraising concepts like "split-the-pot" half time drawings or applying parent-raised booster club donations to offset their child's team fee that might be required in order to play?

 

It would be interesting to know what different ways of doing things are out there, and which ones are the most prevelent and effective and popular.

[ColonelMike]

Anytime money leaves my pocket, I'm not thrilled. But I would say this: I pay for academics at my sons' public schools (registration, books, lab fees, etc., etc.)...activities mandated by law...why would I expect an extra-curricular event to be free??

[coachforlife]

I am not sure if we are talking about the same thing here, but I coach and I charge our players approximately $100 each. With that they get a pair of Nike Shox, a travel suit, hoodie, travel bag, and a t-shirt. The fee helps to offset the cost of this package and helps me to keep the fundraising to a minimum. As a parent myself, I would rather pay a fairly small amount of money in the beginning than have to be selling overpriced "stuff" throughout. Also as a parent and being in the education field, I realize money is a concern for families. If this is the case, these families have the opportunity to do a little extra fundraising or "volunteer work" (concessions, tickets) that helps the program in some way to "pay off" the fee. Bottom line is...I have never kept a kid from playing due to financial concerns.

[Sonny Crockett]

I am not sure if we are talking about the same thing here, but I coach and I charge our players approximately $100 each. With that they get a pair of Nike Shox, a travel suit, hoodie, travel bag, and a t-shirt. The fee helps to offset the cost of this package and helps me to keep the fundraising to a minimum. As a parent myself, I would rather pay a fairly small amount of money in the beginning than have to be selling overpriced "stuff" throughout. Also as a parent and being in the education field, I realize money is a concern for families. If this is the case, these families have the opportunity to do a little extra fundraising or "volunteer work" (concessions, tickets) that helps the program in some way to "pay off" the fee. Bottom line is...I have never kept a kid from playing due to financial concerns.

 

I am curious Coachforlife, what level school ball do you coach?

[coachforlife]

Not sure why curiosity was peaked...but I have coached and continue to coach MS, HS, and AAU.

[20/20Hindsight]

I am not sure if we are talking about the same thing here, but I coach and I charge our players approximately $100 each. With that they get a pair of Nike Shox, a travel suit, hoodie, travel bag, and a t-shirt. The fee helps to offset the cost of this package and helps me to keep the fundraising to a minimum. As a parent myself, I would rather pay a fairly small amount of money in the beginning than have to be selling overpriced "stuff" throughout. Also as a parent and being in the education field, I realize money is a concern for families. If this is the case, these families have the opportunity to do a little extra fundraising or "volunteer work" (concessions, tickets) that helps the program in some way to "pay off" the fee. Bottom line is...I have never kept a kid from playing due to financial concerns.

 

 

 

$100 for all of that? That's great deal...:thumb:

 

How are you able to offer everything so cheap?

[coachforlife]

We buy all of our stuff from the same supplier and he offers us a good discount, but we still end up paying $100 or so per kid out of our booster account. Our main fundraiser at the MS level is a tournament that we host. We make a big chunk of money in that one weekend and move on.

[JPP]

Anytime money leaves my pocket, I'm not thrilled. But I would say this: I pay for academics at my sons' public schools (registration, books, lab fees, etc., etc.)...activities mandated by law...why would I expect an extra-curricular event to be free??

 

:thumb:

 

I am not sure if we are talking about the same thing here, but I coach and I charge our players approximately $100 each. With that they get a pair of Nike Shox, a travel suit, hoodie, travel bag, and a t-shirt. The fee helps to offset the cost of this package and helps me to keep the fundraising to a minimum. As a parent myself, I would rather pay a fairly small amount of money in the beginning than have to be selling overpriced "stuff" throughout. Also as a parent and being in the education field, I realize money is a concern for families. If this is the case, these families have the opportunity to do a little extra fundraising or "volunteer work" (concessions, tickets) that helps the program in some way to "pay off" the fee. Bottom line is...I have never kept a kid from playing due to financial concerns.

 

I find this system more than reasonable. Hats off to you sir!

[imo]

I wouldn't mind having to pay to play. I too pay for school supplies and books, so I agree that parents shouldn't expect sports to be free.

 

As far as the comment in the initial post about "tax supported schools" charging players to pay.....taxes are supposed to give our kids an education, not a ball team. Please remember that sports are extracurricular activities. I don't think taxes should be used at all to support sports. If taxes are used then all students should be given the chance to play all sports. There shouldn't be try-outs, you should just get to sign up for the sport and play, no one student denied. After all, when was the last time your child had to "try-out" to take a math class.

[ColonelMike]

I wouldn't mind having to pay to play. I too pay for school supplies and books, so I agree that parents shouldn't expect sports to be free.

 

As far as the comment in the initial post about "tax supported schools" charging players to pay.....taxes are supposed to give our kids an education, not a ball team. Please remember that sports are extracurricular activities. I don't think taxes should be used at all to support sports. If taxes are used then all students should be given the chance to play all sports. There shouldn't be try-outs, you should just get to sign up for the sport and play, no one student denied. After all, when was the last time your child had to "try-out" to take a math class.

 

:thumb:

[Ram]

I'm against pay to play situations. I'm all for fundraiser where every participant has the same chance to raise the same money, but I'm against players having to pay to play a sport. At the school that I support, there is no fee for any sport, there are fundraisers for every sport, but no pay out of pocket for players. I know several, maybe many, kids that would not have had the opportunity to play a high school sport if a fee was imposed, and I just can't be for that. I know some schools will waive a fee for a student that can't pay it, but still kids loose the opportunity because they will not try to play if they know their is a fee, and some just will not ask for a waiver.

 

I think every student should be given an opportunity to play a sport in high school, it is part of the high school education process, it educates kids the same as the science classes and math classes. Students should be encouraged to participate, not charged for it.

[imo]

I'm against pay to play situations. I'm all for fundraiser where every participant has the same chance to raise the same money, but I'm against players having to pay to play a sport. At the school that I support, there is no fee for any sport, there are fundraisers for every sport, but no pay out of pocket for players. I know several, maybe many, kids that would not have had the opportunity to play a high school sport if a fee was imposed, and I just can't be for that. I know some schools will waive a fee for a student that can't pay it, but still kids loose the opportunity because they will not try to play if they know their is a fee, and some just will not ask for a waiver.

 

I think every student should be given an opportunity to play a sport in high school, it is part of the high school education process, it educates kids the same as the science classes and math classes. Students should be encouraged to participate, not charged for it.

 

I agree that fundraisers would work but I also know that some of the kids that can't afford to pay to play are also the kids whose parents won't help with the fundraisers.

 

I know that there are times that fundraisers are held just so certain kids can play and the parents that end up doing all the work are the ones that could have and would have preferred to just pay the fee. All they have done is given their time to help a kid whose parents aren't willing to give up their own time to help their own kid. So if a fundraiser is what you choose to do (and I agree it is a good idea) parents should all be required to work equal amounts of time and if a parent doesn't work then they should pay, imo.

Not that it happens every time but it does happen.

[Ram]

I agree imo, but that is a different argument, and I see it as punishing the kids for the transgressions of the parents. It's not fair, but I don't want to see the kids punished because the parents won't sell things.

 

Put me in the category that would rather pay $100 then sell stuff, but I sell stuff nonetheless. I just know that some would get left out if it was required to pay a fee to play. We aren't going to get a totally fair way of doing it, but it would be nice if we could.

[magicfan217]

Just wondering, If there is a fee to play what does it cover? What do the kids get out of this fee?

[imo]

I agree imo, but that is a different argument, and I see it as punishing the kids for the transgressions of the parents. It's not fair, but I don't want to see the kids punished because the parents won't sell things.

 

Put me in the category that would rather pay $100 then sell stuff, but I sell stuff nonetheless. I just know that some would get left out if it was required to pay a fee to play. We aren't going to get a totally fair way of doing it, but it would be nice if we could.

 

I wasn't really thinking of the "selling stuff" fundraiser. I was thinking more along the lines of working concessions and that sort of thing. I'd personally would rather give a dontaion than have to sell stuff.