Is no one else concerned, that working class kids are being priced out of youth sports?

[2Quik4UHoes]

Yeah part of the wider web of problems which comes with pricing out the poor. Whether it’s housing, education, or any other important need for human development the predatory and very short sighted nature of the economics we practice is creating an increasingly narrow path of opportunity for people.

For all we know, the next great minds that’ll advance our civilization are stuck in some slum with little to no chance to develop into their fullest selves. Culturally speaking, this arrangement is incredibly stagnating and makes the possibilities often advertised to us as quintessential hallmarks of American society seem like the same bullshyt products they peddle in commercials every single day.

 

[Goat poster]

Just decided to turn down my son's invitation to a travel squad that extended to the program he plays with now


It's so many money grabs

Told them my son does t need to be flying all over at 11 years old.

One season of that is gonna be over 10k

 

[Dorian Breh]

Just decided to turn down my son's invitation to a travel squad that extended to the program he plays with now


It's so many money grabs

Told them my son does t need to be flying all over at 11 years old.

One season of that is gonna be over 10k

10k holy shyt

 

[Black Haven]

10k holy shyt

Crazy thing is I’m pretty sure that poster makes good money, for his son to be apart of that program. The fact that he decided to pull out because of cost says a lot about this system. I know parents in my own life who told me similar stories.

 

[Hey_zeus]

Stern's last dream.

 

[RickyGQ]

I supplement my 8 yr old nephew to help my sister, and it's tough when it's clear how important these sports and classes are to his social development. His Karate progress alone has given him so much structure and discipline and effort...it's a struggle for a parent to say "I don't got it" when it's such a positive influence....and that's coming from an UNCLE.

the cost of sports and the cost of childcare is WILD.

Daycare is legitimately a second mortgage. No bullshyt. And we only do 3 days a week cause my mom is able to keep him for 2.

 

[Ed MOTHERFUCKING G]

Daycare is legitimately a second mortgage. No bullshyt. And we only do 3 days a week cause my mom is able to keep him for 2.

Seattle proper day care / preschool is $3000/MO


$3000


Three thousand.

Breh

 

[RickyDiBiase]

Chess club it is.

 

[RickyGQ]

Was gonna say this


It's just a microcosm of society in general

Yea but it’s gotten untenable. I remember when I was hooping as a kid, in the late 90s/early 00’s, my dad would legit complain that he had to pay for the jersey and buy sneakers cause it was all provided when he was a kid. Even socks were provided.

My son is 2 and we paid $180 for him to do some rinky dink soccer shyt for toddlers that I swore I’d never waste my money on but my wife convinced us to do. I can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like in 5 years when he’s more serious about it.

 

[RickyGQ]

Seattle proper day care / preschool is $3000/MO


$3000


Three thousand.

Breh

Absurd. I’m in the Jersey suburbs so it’s about half that for us but even then, my coworker paying close to 2 grand for his kid. My wife and I do ok financially, but most of the parents there are clearly working class and I just know they’re hurting.

 

[GoldenGlove]

It's a problem.

You can still argue that just because the coaches and scouts aren't on the road like they used to be (they seemingly just visit the top academies and schools) you don't actually need to attend one of those expensive schools or traveling teams to become a great athlete.

There's an interesting audiobook by Michael Lewis where he talks about his experience with his daughter playing softball and the cost of it all.

Most of these parents are throwing money down the drain with all these traveling teams and special coaches and big time academies. They blow through thousands...maybe over $100,000 over the 10-15 years that their kids play sports growing up. And in the end, once the realization hits that they won't go pro and make millions...they rationalize it all by just praying to goodness that their kid gets a scholarship. And by that point, you'd have been better off investing/saving the money for college from Age-5 anyway.

Most kids that were playing a sport since 5 until 18 with instruction/coaching AND parent support are in position to play beyond HS. Whether it's JUCO, D3, D2 or D1. Their knowledge of whichever sport they've played for 13+ years also enables them to transition to professional careers related to them quicker. The notion that it's go pro or bust and that that investment during their childhood is a waste is an extremely narrow mindset to have. They also develop a standard for their physical health and fitness by participating in something for that long.

The real key in all this isn't just paying for programming/coaching and sitting back as a parent. It's having parents or family members that know a sport or who are at least athletic enough to practice the sport with a kid the days they aren't practicing with the team. The St. Brown brothers in the NFL have a podcast where their pops talks about this. He also now has his own show that's a great listen for parents with kids that you have in sports at a young age.

 

[GoldenGlove]

I supplement my 8 yr old nephew to help my sister, and it's tough when it's clear how important these sports and classes are to his social development. His Karate progress alone has given him so much structure and discipline and effort...it's a struggle for a parent to say "I don't got it" when it's such a positive influence....and that's coming from an UNCLE.

the cost of sports and the cost of childcare is WILD.

It's rough, but if you're kid isn't involved in any sports, martial arts, or any structured skill based program outside of school throughout elementary school, by the time they hit HS, they're going to feel like they haven't done anything but school. So many kids trying out for their HS team that never played organized anything prior to... it's a shame

 

[Ed MOTHERFUCKING G]

Absurd. I’m in the Jersey suburbs so it’s about half that for us but even then, my coworker paying close to 2 grand for his kid. My wife and I do ok financially, but most of the parents there are clearly working class and I just know they’re hurting.

Look at the prices here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Seattle/s/E7JV4o4z4E

Got damn

 

[Remote]

Most kids that were playing a sport since 5 until 18 with instruction/coaching AND parent support are in position to play beyond HS. Whether it's JUCO, D3, D2 or D1. Their knowledge of whichever sport they've played for 13+ years also enables them to transition to professional careers related to them quicker. The notion that it's go pro or bust and that that investment during their childhood is a waste is an extremely narrow mindset to have. They also develop a standard for their physical health and fitness by participating in something for that long.

The real key in all this isn't just paying for programming/coaching and sitting back as a parent. It's having parents or family members that know a sport or who are at least athletic enough to practice the sport with a kid the days they aren't practicing with the team. The St. Brown brothers in the NFL have a podcast where their pops talks about this. He also now has his own show that's a great listen for parents with kids that you have in sports at a young age.

I think you're talking about exceptions and not the broader population of athletes.

 

[OnlyOneBoss]

It should honestly be a much bigger issue cause there’s a whole list of bad things that can come from it


But do you think anybody with authority will care enough to speak on it? The more kids who can’t afford to play sports, the more kids caught up in street shyt, the more prisons there are, and more slave labor can be done