American Families Can Spend Over $2,300 Per Child Each Year On Youth Sports

Carlie Ransom is the mom of two boys, ages 10 and 12, who play lacrosse and basketball. When Ransom, a certified financial planner (CFP) at Equal Path Investments, talks to her kids about sports, she’s always transparent with them about how expensive it is.

“We let them know it’s a lot of money for us, and we are happy to do it as long as they are enjoying it and practicing,” said Ransom. “We let our kids know that we can’t pay for competitive sports unless they are willing to practice at home or with friends.”

But Ransom isn’t the only parent who feels like youth sports is taking a large chunk of their wallet.

An Aspen Institute survey of more than 1,800 parents found that American families spent nearly $1,500 per year on just one child’s athletic activities, with costs ranging from nothing to a whopping $25,000. And wealthier families reported spent more: households earning more than $100,000 spent $2,361 on just one child’s sports compared to $890 for those making less than $50,000.

So why have youth sports gotten so expensive? Camps, private instructions sessions, travel and lodging costs for out-of-town games, and team registration costs have all driven up the cost of youth sports in recent years, the Aspen Institute survey found.

We spoke to Ransom and other financial experts about what parents can do to make the rising cost of youth sports more manageable.

Be Transparent With Your Kids

When discussing the cost of youth sports with her sons, Ransom uses it as an opportunity to teach them about trade-offs and budgeting. She suggests giving children tangible examples to make it easier for them to understand.

For example, you might say tell your children, ‘this falls sports league with the cool uniforms costs ‘x’ amount and only practices once per week, but for the same price, you could do X, Y, and Z and still have money left over to contribute to your college fund,’ explained Ransom.

And to make things more affordable, don’t be afraid to reuse what you already have if you have older children who have already been through the same process.

If you have children playing the same sport, reuse sports gear and uniforms. “Passing on equipment to younger ages and uniforms to younger kids in the same program can be a great way to save costs,” said John Bovard, a father of three young athletes and a CFP and owner of Incline Wealth Advisors.

Make The Most Of Your Community

You don’t need to put your kids in private lessons to help them improve their performance. Collaborate with neighbors to hold practice lessons for your young athletes.

“We get together with other parents and kids in the neighborhood when possible to play for fun to increase skills,” Ransom said. “The extra practice means they are more likely to start, improve, etc., so that it turns into a longer-term investment in their fitness, character, positive friend group, etc., while also getting to know our community better.”

You might also consider forgoing matches or games that require a lot of expensive travel in favor of ones in your own community.

“One way to cut down on the costs would be to stay local,” said Bovard. “If more teams would stay local, that would cut down on the expensive tournaments and travel costs that come with it.”

Plus, you can try reaching out to a local business to sponsor a youth sports team—there may be some business owners who are parents, too, and, therefore, have more of an interest in helping fund a local team.

Opt For Affordable Middle School Sports Instead

The competition gets tougher (and potentially pricier) in high school, so encourage your young athletes to play free sports in middle school.

“Allow your kids to (play) as many free or very inexpensive school sports as possible during middle school. By high school, it is much harder to make the teams, at least in any midsize to large school,” Ransom said.

Try To Trim Travel and Food Costs

Traveling to faraway games can be expensive. Slash costs wherever you can. Shop around for the best prices on an overnight stay.

“Carpool and split the cost of gas. For overnight trips, find a guest room instead of staying at a hotel,” said Samantha Mockford, a CFP with Citrine Capital. She has two children playing recreational and seasonal sports.

And while it may be tempting to dine out when you’re traveling, try to prep some snacks or meals beforehand for your children.

“Pack your own food instead of eating out or using the competition vendors. Not only is this less expensive, but it is often the healthier option, which is especially important when considering athletic performance,” Mockford said.

She also recommends sharing food preparation costs with other families when possible.

“I make enough hot breakfast for three families; another family prepares lunch for everyone; another family provides healthy snacks for everyone for the whole day. None of us needs to spend a penny at the overpriced snack bar full of empty calories!” Mockford says.

The Bottom Line

Just one primary youth sport can cost more than $1,000 a year. But there are a number of ways that parents can cut down on costs. Passing down uniforms and equipment, eating out less during tournaments or games, reaching out to local businesses for sponsorships, or running free practice sessions in your neighborhood can all help make youth sports a lot more affordable.