Since the 1980’s, youth club sports have experienced a surge. With this, a swell of money generated towards club sports has accumulated to generate a $19.2 billion dollar industry. As society grows, more parents put their kids into club sports with the ultimate goal of getting their kid better at their sport. However, some people argue that the youth club sports industry is too expensive, too time consuming or too intense. The big question that people are asking is can youth club sports become “too much”? Or can the industry solely be a tool that can help youth athletes achieve skills of the next level?
Club sports are “elevated” teams that are separate from school related teams. Club sports can include dance, baseball, soccer, football, hockey, lacrosse, volleyball, swimming, tennis, lacrosse, running and more. They tend to offer more playing, practice time, opportunities and exposure. Their rigor is often equal to the private schools of the school systems. The time that club athletes spend practicing and playing their sport, combined with their town season, can give them an extra edge to other players who don’t play a club sport. While club teams offer great benefits, they also require money and time, which many families may not have, and the pressure can cut deep in athletes.
According to a survey sent out to students, 73.8% of Wayland High School (WHS) students are either actively participating in a club sport or have in the past. On a larger scale, about 27.5% of youth in the U.S. are able to play youth club sports.
One of the main factors that make club sports difficult for some families is the cost. Most families have to consider their taxes, groceries and other fees that are needed in their day to day lives. Some have the means to fit club sports into their total spending, however some don’t.
The cost of club sports has been growing as more parents and kids are looking to put their kids onto different teams. It’s simply a supply and demand deal, as more kids are joining, the more the fee is. The cost of club sports can jump to $12,000 per year, according to a 2019 survey by Project Play. 67.6% of WHS students shared that their club sport ranged from $1,000 to more than $10,000 annually.
Not only do families have to pay the fee for being on a club team, but they also have to pay for extra things, such as equipment, uniforms, bags, plane tickets, gasoline, hotels, tournament fees and more. For 20.2% of WHS students, the separate costs beside the initial joining fee ranged from $1,000 to $2,000.
“I [spend] roughly around $5,000,” freshman and New England Futbol Club (NEFC) soccer player Heather Maddocks said. “There’s also bags, uniforms, the whole NEFC kit, and they don’t cover plane tickets or hotel fees.”
While 73.8% of WHS students are able to afford the privilege of participating in club sports, Wayland is in the top tier related to wealth compared to other towns around the nation. The median household income in Wayland is around $221,250, while the median household income for the U.S. is around $80,610. The reality is that not everyone can afford the club sports, with 27.5% of youth in the U.S. participating club sports.
“I think that in our town specifically, more people are able to be in club sports than other towns,” WHS parent Cherlyin Kasdorf said.
According to the Next College Student Athlete website (NCSA), 90% of college recruited athletes participated in club sports. This statistic suggests that participation in club sports directly correlates to an athlete’s success in recruitment. For many who can afford club sports, and are striving to play in college, or gain skill from the opportunities club sports provide, the commitment can be worth it. But that isn’t possible for the kids and teens that strive to play in college, but don’t have the funds to participate on the team. With the cost of club sports, the advantage is not accessible to everyone and automatically puts some youth at a disadvantage.
Although seemingly more insignificant, time plays a crucial role in youth club sports and can be costly to families. For families with many commitments and children to shuffle around, club sports may not be a feasible choice, because the addition of another extracurricular is unattainable. For WHS students, the balance of schoolwork and practice is important, and it is mastered by many club sport athletes.
“I do competitive dance everyday after school, eight hours a week,” sophomore Violet Kuris said, “I try to get all of my homework done during my frees and while I’m at school, so I don’t have that much to do while I’m at home.”
Tournaments and games can take all weekend, which some parents and players aren’t able to attend due to their busy schedules.
“It’s about four hours a week, but sometimes we have tournaments on the weekends, so it can be 10 hours,” sophomore SLAM volleyball player Brennan Smith said. “Getting [homework] done early is definitely what helps [me]. Saving things until the last minute is definitely not what you want to do.”
Time dedicated to club sports not only includes actual practice and games, but it also includes driving, flying, waiting for a game and additional factors. 57.1% of WHS responders to the survey reported that they spend additional money on traveling for their sport. For example, sophomore and Mass Elite lacrosse player Somerby Newton spends four hours at practice, with half the time being the drive.
“It sometimes takes over an hour to get to practice, so it is a large part of my time,” Newton said.
Another factor that costs families and athletes so much is the amount of pressure that is unloaded onto the athletes. Pressure is great in some aspects, pushing athletes to do their best. However with club sports, there is pressure surrounding performance, presence and recruitment.
“I think that with club [soccer] there is a lot of pressure,” Maddocks said. “A lot of players get worked up over small mistakes.”
This weight can pile up on athletes and cause stress and mental health problems. 16.9% of youth elite athletes have at least one mental health problem. While some players start off their club sport having a passion for it, when the pressure starts to build, it can cause their love for their sports to dwindle.
“[The pressure] can ruin their love for the sport, because they are so worried about the outcome,” Maddocks said.
Ultimately, club sports can be an advantage to athletes that are able to access the privilege. They can help with recruitment, skill and presence, but athletes also want to keep in mind the cost, both emotionally and financially.
Club sports infographics by Karis Tam