Sticker shock

The fee schedule for our org came out recently and the monthly dues for HS age players is now $300 a month. For younger players it is $225 a month. During the HS season we are still being asked to pay $160/month even thought the girls can't play or practice with their team. This seems outrageous to me, it means we would be paying $525 to have both girls play and they would still be on the hook for 4 fundraisers each per year.

Granted this is SoCal and everything is expensive but man, this is ridiculous. Add in gas to/from practice and games, and private lessons and we are looking at about $900-1000/mo for two girls to play softball.

This is a pretty healthy increase over last year's dues and I am wondering if everyone else is seeing something similar.

I am really bummed, we can afford it, in the sense that it won't make us homeless or take food off the table, but it seems like my wife and I will be acting irresponsibly if we dedicate this much money to a sport. I let the org pres know that something is wrong with this and that the decisions they are making about which tourneys to play and how many may be out of line with the wishes of the families if it drives up costs so much.

It is a real dilemma because my kid loves her team so changing teams is not an option, but sitting out the fall is. She could play rec for fallball to get innings or guest here and there and rejoin during the dec/jan tryouts.

Add that she is a top pitcher in the org and it makes things really hard, the team/coach are relying on her being a part of this and I already verbally committed prior to seeing the new costs.

If this is going on all over then worthy girls are being priced out of our sport and it is time to start putting pressure on orgs that enough is enough.

We will have any player that will play, we will figure out the money and give them equipment.

I would ask to see the books and see where the money is going, seems like a lot.

That's OUTRAGEOUS!! I'm with Quincy. Lets see the books on how & where this money is going. Sounds like this org needs to find a big time sponsor!!

That is outrageous, unless they included private lessons as well, but that amount just for dues, no bueno.

Better to invest in a good 529 college savings plan

I hear you. Start-up costs for DD's new team is $550 (but apparently includes new Easton Stealth bat, batting gloves, batting helmet, bat bags, etc.) with $175 monthly dues year round (including the dark months of HS ball). Someone reminds me again what the end goal is....?

Liking your son in law and them supporting you?

Rocketech1 said:

Someone reminds me again what the end goal is....?

Click to expand...

Goal (end and current)...For our DDs to have an awesome experience playing a game they love, at a level of competition that challenges them, and to learn life-skills that will continue to benefit them long after they are done playing the game. If they happen to get some help paying for their college education because of their softball skills, that's a bonus.

oh...I forgot to mention that there is a $125 startup fee (even for returning players) and if I am reading it right, another $350 for uniforms even for returning players but I may be wrong on that.

Our team fees for 14U and 12U will be around $1200 this year. No matching bags and you can wear whatever helmet you want, even the one from the club you played on last year.

We are waaaaaay smaller org in a waaaay smaller market, but our younger teams pay more to help support the older teams. Yours seems a little backward to me.

And there is no way we could do that. Too much $$$$ when we have $ lol