For everything else.. there's MasterCard.

[SBDadSanDiego]

Team monthly dues $150

Weekly hitting coach $30
Weekly live batting practice (pitched by recent college grad) $30
Weekly position coach $30
Monthly travel expenses: Haven't found the nerve to track it accurately.
Yearly equipment upgrades: see above

Having your 12 year old come home from school with "I Love Softball" written on her hand?

Priceless!


I have put basically every hobby I have on hiatus to pull this off, and I have zero regrets about doing so.
Her passion for the sport is unbelievable to me, definitely not something I experienced as a kid.
As long as she keeps at it with this level of excitement, I'll keep finding a way.

I remember her coming home from school with a rec-ball sign-up flyer as an 8 year old, I was thinking "$85 for the season AND it includes the uniform?? That seems reasonable" LOL

 

[mudbug]

I remember thinking" $2000 a year just to play softball? No frickin way." Heck I was only off by about 3-4X. Said it before, it just "feels right". You have to do something with your life, and this is something worthwhile. DD still busy with HS ball currently, but told me the other day she "really misses" her travel team,(even though theres facebook to keep up), is really looking forward to begin playing with them.

 

[MTR]

Okay, here comes the bad guy.

Paying for you child to play a sport is admirable. Paying extra to help them improve is great! Spending all that money in lieu of a college fund is ridiculous.

I had a friend who went through all the proud parent stuff. Paid through the nose for lessons, to be on the best travel ball org (4 hours away), best equipment and mdke sure he, wife and rest of family was at every tournament to give his daughter the support she needed because he bought into the carrot mentality.

She finally got a full ride to an SEC school. Now the bad news. My friend kept meticulous financial records and found that had he invested the money spent on softball with a standard college fund, he would have had more than enough to send her AND brother to college. D'oh!

Yes, it is great for the kid to play a sport she loves, but the "keeping up with the Jones" and "gotta get my girl into college" mentality is pricing some right out of the game. Even a stubborn mule knows when to stop chasing the carrot and sit down.

I know it isn't a popular opinion in the softball world, but you have people selling a product that just isn't the value it was any longer due to the increase expenses. Everyone is trying to find a way to make a buck off of the desperate parent who has been programed to believe his DD will never get into a good school if she doesn't get this or go to this place or that. You have people who thing going to anything below a DI school as a failure, yet many of these schools have goot athletic programs and top level educational opportunities.

Some folks have lost their focus. Is the idea of college softball to play with other girls for an additional four years beyond HS or to get an education? Put your money into a college fund and let the softball be secondary. If she is good enough, she can walk-on and still play and the fact that the coach needn't use a scholarship will make her that much more valuable.

 

[Comp]

Did I spend more money for my daughter to play softball than it would have cost to send her to college? Absolutely. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat. I knew full well when we started that we werent doing it just to chase a scholarship. One of the first recruiting tournaments we went to there was a clinic for the parents. The lady giving the clinic flat out told everyone, if you are doing this for a scholarship, take your kid, go home and put the money in the bank because you will spend more chasing the scholarship than the education will cost.

My daughter learned the meanings of commitment, sportsmanship, friendship and fair play all while playing a sport she loved. The family got to travel to a lot of places we had never been before, met wonderful people and got to enjoy doing things as a family. Playing softball also kept her around other kids with like minded interests and away from temptations that may not have been in her best interest.

I tell everyone I talk to, if you are doing this chasing a scholarship, stop now and put your money in the bank. If you are doing it for the fun of the game and the family is enjoying it, more power to you. If you happen to get a scholarship out of it, all the better.

 

[SBDadSanDiego]

Okay, here comes the bad guy.

Paying for you child to play a sport is admirable. Paying extra to help them improve is great! Spending all that money in lieu of a college fund is ridiculous.

I had a friend who went through all the proud parent stuff. Paid through the nose for lessons, to be on the best travel ball org (4 hours away), best equipment and mdke sure he, wife and rest of family was at every tournament to give his daughter the support she needed because he bought into the carrot mentality.

She finally got a full ride to an SEC school. Now the bad news. My friend kept meticulous financial records and found that had he invested the money spent on softball with a standard college fund, he would have had more than enough to send her AND brother to college. D'oh!

Yes, it is great for the kid to play a sport she loves, but the "keeping up with the Jones" and "gotta get my girl into college" mentality is pricing some right out of the game. Even a stubborn mule knows when to stop chasing the carrot and sit down.

I know it isn't a popular opinion in the softball world, but you have people selling a product that just isn't the value it was any longer due to the increase expenses. Everyone is trying to find a way to make a buck off of the desperate parent who has been programed to believe his DD will never get into a good school if she doesn't get this or go to this place or that. You have people who thing going to anything below a DI school as a failure, yet many of these schools have goot athletic programs and top level educational opportunities.

Some folks have lost their focus. Is the idea of college softball to play with other girls for an additional four years beyond HS or to get an education? Put your money into a college fund and let the softball be secondary. If she is good enough, she can walk-on and still play and the fact that the coach needn't use a scholarship will make her that much more valuable.

I won't call you the bad guy, How about.. Assuming guy?
Her College expenses were graciously set aside in a trust by my Mother, who lost a courageous battle with cancer :/

Comp, I agree 100% with your post.

 

[stephanie]

I agree. There are some things money can't buy.
The time I get to spend with my daughter...
The inside jokes that only the two of us laugh about at the dinner table...
The pride on her face when someone asks her who her coach is, and she says "my mom!"...
Having a bunch of girls over at the house for a pool party, and hearing giggling all afternoon...
Getting to judge the best nail polish decoration prior to the game...
Playing "Kung Fu Panda" and watching the sweetest girls try to CRUSH a stuffed animal with a softball...
Seeing the girls mature, sometimes overnight...
The time I get to spend with my daughter...!
And she's only 10.

I can't imagine how much more awesome the next 6-7 years are going to be!! How can you put a monetary value on memories that you and your daughter will cherish forever?

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Not every kid wants to go to college. I knew that mine didn't. We had her try a semester at a CC and she did. It definitely wasn't her thing.

I didn't spend as much on softball as some, because I have lived that life myself and I was rather burned out - but she did have the best equipment and training available.

She now looks forward to her own DD (currently 4 months old) starting softball.

Life is short. Sometimes the money just isn't the most important thing. If it is, sports isn't a good choice for you.

 

[SBdad]

Did I spend more money for my daughter to play softball than it would have cost to send her to college? Absolutely. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat. I knew full well when we started that we werent doing it just to chase a scholarship. One of the first recruiting tournaments we went to there was a clinic for the parents. The lady giving the clinic flat out told everyone, if you are doing this for a scholarship, take your kid, go home and put the money in the bank because you will spend more chasing the scholarship than the education will cost.

My daughter learned the meanings of commitment, sportsmanship, friendship and fair play all while playing a sport she loved. The family got to travel to a lot of places we had never been before, met wonderful people and got to enjoy doing things as a family. Playing softball also kept her around other kids with like minded interests and away from temptations that may not have been in her best interest.

I tell everyone I talk to, if you are doing this chasing a scholarship, stop now and put your money in the bank. If you are doing it for the fun of the game and the family is enjoying it, more power to you. If you happen to get a scholarship out of it, all the better.

Comp, you took the words right out of my mouth. I've had 4 dd's play soft ball (youngest just finishing her last year HS) and 1 son play baseball. We wouldn't trade all the memories and friendships we have made over the past twenty two years for all the money in the world. Son did play 4 years of college, but earned it on his own. We never payed extra $ for clincs, instructors, etc.

 

[mudbug]

Okay, here comes the bad guy.

Paying for you child to play a sport is admirable. Paying extra to help them improve is great! Spending all that money in lieu of a college fund is ridiculous.

I had a friend who went through all the proud parent stuff. Paid through the nose for lessons, to be on the best travel ball org (4 hours away), best equipment and mdke sure he, wife and rest of family was at every tournament to give his daughter the support she needed because he bought into the carrot mentality.

She finally got a full ride to an SEC school. Now the bad news. My friend kept meticulous financial records and found that had he invested the money spent on softball with a standard college fund, he would have had more than enough to send her AND brother to college. D'oh!

Yes, it is great for the kid to play a sport she loves, but the "keeping up with the Jones" and "gotta get my girl into college" mentality is pricing some right out of the game. Even a stubborn mule knows when to stop chasing the carrot and sit down.

I know it isn't a popular opinion in the softball world, but you have people selling a product that just isn't the value it was any longer due to the increase expenses. Everyone is trying to find a way to make a buck off of the desperate parent who has been programed to believe his DD will never get into a good school if she doesn't get this or go to this place or that. You have people who thing going to anything below a DI school as a failure, yet many of these schools have goot athletic programs and top level educational opportunities.

Some folks have lost their focus. Is the idea of college softball to play with other girls for an additional four years beyond HS or to get an education? Put your money into a college fund and let the softball be secondary. If she is good enough, she can walk-on and still play and the fact that the coach needn't use a scholarship will make her that much more valuable.

Umm, I dont think there was anything posted about expecting a scholarship, or such. Only that sacrifices are made for something DD loves. I dont see anything wrong with that. It is great fun, camaraderie, and you make good friends and become part of a close knit extended family. Also good reason to travel around the country too and go places you otherwise would not. If a parent wants to forego hunting, fishing, golf, camping, new cars, etc for a few yrs to make it possible, then that is a very good thing. Just as well, dont have any time left for all that stuff anyway!

Fortunately, many people that can swing the money to play it, will be able to also swing the money for college too even if no scholarship appears. Unless they went into debt to finance travel ball....

I could pay for kids college education and then some with the $$ spent on vacations in the last 20 yrs or so too. But life would have been a bit less pleasant if I hadnt taken those vacations. At some point , you have to enjoy life, every day that goes by is one that you cant ever get back.

 

[ang4yanks]

Interesting thread. I have three children, two are athletes. When my oldest HAD to come to the field because she wasn't old enough to stay home alone, we put a camera in her hands. Our extended families were very critical of us (probably still are) because we are always at a field somewhere. Today, I don't have an ounce of regret. We haven't traveled as extensively as some, but we have awesome family memories of being together (in all kinds of weather). They choose the ballpark over weekend parties. Thankfully, my oldest found her artistic niche in photography and is looking at art colleges. I am truly blessed that each one of us loves the game and brings something different to it and away from it. My oldest could be at the mall or at those parties, but she chooses the ballpark. I have thought, "If we were at home, we would probably be in different rooms." I can't begin to think about the pricetag, but I happen to agree with SBDadSanDiego, the memories and bonding is priceless. Who is to say we would have saved more money or spent it on something else? In my economy, it is the stacks of photos and togetherness that I treasure the most. Just my take...