My first viral video – Show Sports Parents The Money
This Instagram post has more than 2 million views, 52,872 likes, and 816 comments.
Creating content, particularly content that goes viral, is a big responsibility that I don’t take lightly. Every choice, post, and caption can create a positive or negative response and add positive or negative energy into the world.
This particular video touched a nerve on a subject matter we all feel strongly about, the cost of youth sports.
Most people got a chuckle from it and felt connected with one another through the agitation of the high costs associated with our youth sports activities. It touched a different nerve for others who can’t afford to watch their kids play in tournaments or have to leave siblings and grandparents at home because they can’t afford the entrance fees. I also heard from someone who runs a non-profit facility. He shared that “most operators do consider the fees of their patrons quite heavily” and highlighted the point of not creating further animosity for parents around youth sports.
Regardless of which side of the problem you are on, we can all agree that the big business of youth sports is impacting everyone. Whether it’s the cause of the tremendous amount of pressure parents put on their kids because they expect an ROI or the kids who are priced out of youth sports and don’t have access to all the great benefits kids should be getting from playing sports, or families who can barely pay rent, but choose to spend thousands on youth sports.
It’s a phenomenon that doesn’t seem to have an end in sight until parents take back control and their agency and start making decisions that work for their own families, with the health and happiness of the child at the forefront of the decision-making process.
Here are three questions that can help sports parents make the right decisions for their families. And for those priced out, a lot of work needs to be done in this area. Many organizations exist that help fund sports programs in need, but here are a few suggestions to help individual families or kids who are struggling to afford to play.
- Inquire. Most clubs offer scholarships and reduced fees if you ask
- Skip club sports and play at your YMCA or affordable organizations like AYSO, USYVL, or I9Sports
- All Kids Play gives individual grants that can be used for registration, equipment, and other associated fees.
- EveryKidsSports.org covers athlete’s participation fees, 1.5 million given out to date.
- Buy discounted and used sporting goods equipment, Play It Again Sports.
If you know of other organizations that do similar work, please email us here, and we will keep adding to this list. This isn’t a solution, but hopefully, it can help some of those who need it.