Deciding Who To Charge for Bat Bags...

[RulesMeister]

We are a non profit team. At the end of the year, we take all expenses and divide by 12 (or whatever we carry on roster.)
This year, we are getting new bat bags - backpacks. However the catchers can't fit all of their gear in them, despite how much we water it down and make it shrink.
Anyway, we have 3 catchers on the team that have their own gear, and a fourth catcher that wants to catch some.
QUESTION: Do we buy all the gear (9 backpacks and 3 catcher bags) and split by 12 or break down the price by who gets what? I know which way I'm leaning, but I want as many opinions as I can to get a perspective.
THANKS.

 

[sluggers]

What age group? How much are we talking?

If it is an older group, and the catchers are going to be catchers for the rest of their career, then it is their responsibility to buy the bag.

If it is a younger group, and the kids might be outfielders next year and pitchers the year after that, then I would split the cost of all the bags.

 

[RulesMeister]

This is a 16U team.

 

[amanda_cake]

I would make everyone pay for the cost of their own bag.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

If this is a team where the back packs and equipment bags all say the team name, then the team pays. No one else can ever use them again.

 

[amanda_cake]

Amy--so if the bags are personalized with the team name, they belong to the team? As in, if the girl stops playing with the team she turns in her bat bag just like she would turn in her uniform?

From what I've heard, teams in this area usually let the kids keep the bags and they pay for them. Some also let them keep the helmets, some don't. It depends on the team. Some also have them turn in the uniforms.

If it was me, I'd want my "own" everything. I'd want to own all of my equipment and at the end, I'd want to be able to take it with me if I ever to another team. But I develop attachments to equipment so... that might just be me being weird.

 

[PAcoach]

We too work year to year, meaning we try and end the season with zero dollars. We work on our budget for the next season, right after we come back from nationals. Our team fee is minimal compared to others, but we do 2 fund raisers a year which make us good money, + we have several big sponsors. Most of our players have been together 3 to 6 years, so we don't have to keep buying things every year. We supply each girl a helmet, bat pack, socks and cleats. Also we have 3 uniforms and are in the process of buying the 4th.
If a player leaves, she keeps the things we gave her. We do not have a high turnover ratio though.

Edit to add: We have 2 catchers who catch on a regular basis, both of which own their own gear and the bags to carry it in. My DD will on occasion catch, she too has gear and a bag.

 

[Wookie]

You have 12 on the roster, 4 are catchers. Buy 8 backpacks @$35 and 4 catchers bags @$50 = $480. Divide by the number of players, $40 per player. Think of it as the position players "paying" the catchers to be catchers, because they won't or can't. Since you are already requiring them to purchase their own gear for their position I think this is a good compromise.

 

[Greenmonsters]

You have 12 on the roster, 4 are catchers. Buy 8 backpacks @$35 and 4 catchers bags @$50 = $480. Divide by the number of players, $40 per player. Think of it as the position players "paying" the catchers to be catchers, because they won't or can't. Since you are already requiring them to purchase their own gear for their position I think this is a good compromise.

I'd be more than OK w/ this. A regular sized bag or batpack for a catcher once have their own gear is a waste of money. IMHO any catchers bag w/out wheels won't even make it through half a season. And I haven't found a wheeled catchers bag under $100 that makes it longer than a full season. Tanel RAGE is what DD has now and its still good going into year 2.

 

[fastpitch5]

is it possible to give the catchers a "bag credit" equal to the value of the other players' bags and then have them pay the difference? the credit could be in the form of a reduction in their team fees or something.

i like the idea of matching bat bags, but i understand the catchers' needs. im just not sure i agree with the team sharing their position-specific costs at this level.