Youth sports should be a right for all, not a privilege of a few.
Photo courtesy Active for Life
If we care so much about the next generation, why do we make it difficult for them to thrive? Finances burden families’ lives daily, and as with intergenerational wealth, the burden spills into future generations. Children’s sports are a prime example.
Many parents opt to enroll their kids in youth sports to burn off energy, but it means more than that for kids. It’s an outlet for many, a way to express themselves, and about access and opportunity.
Pay-to-play in youth sports strips them of this opportunity. Not only does it leave a bad taste in parents’ mouths–paying hundreds of dollars annually (or in some cases, monthly)–but in too many cases, it hinders them from the opportunity. This problem creates a divide, not just economically but in communities.
Do these systems prioritize revenue over developing the potential of young athletes? The short answer is yes. They leave behind kids who may benefit from recreational sports by restricting participation to those who can afford to be there. These sports should be open to kids from all backgrounds. Instead, pay-to-play systems reinforce class divides, denying kids who can’t afford opportunities while privileging those who can.
Let’s not forget the purpose of playing sports—having fun—something that paying for makes us forget. Youth sports should be a right for all, not a privilege of a few.
