Families across the country are feeling the financial pressure of youth sports, with some considering pulling their children from activities due to mounting expenses.
Kristi Brokaw of Michigan says her 13-year-old son Levi has played organized hockey since he was 6 or 7, and the expenses add up quickly.
"It's everything to him. He loves it. We always say he lives and breathes hockey," Brokaw said.
Between equipment, ice fees and training opportunities, youth hockey can become a significant financial commitment for families.
"Ice fees can be, depending on your league, anywhere from $3,500 up, clinics 100 bucks a shot. If you go out of town for a weekend, that's $1,000 easily," Brokaw said.
While Brokaw remains committed to her son's passion, the costs often lead to difficult choices.
"I'm going to do whatever I can to support his dream," Brokaw said.
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However, the financial reality means making strategic decisions about which opportunities to pursue.
"If it's a clinic, for example, we make sure it's something that will absolutely benefit him. And yeah, there's things where we're like, we can't do that right now," Brokaw said.
According to a survey commissioned by Good Sports, 75% of families have considered removing their child from an activity because of costs, while 56% worry they won't be able to enroll their child in a sport this year due to financial constraints.
Jackson Gertner, a youth coach and University of Michigan student, has witnessed these challenges firsthand.
"I think especially with transportation. Where I was from, I coached a team growing up and kids wouldn't show up to practice or show up to a game. That was always a cost people couldn't afford," Gertner said.
Gertner is now with the Michigan Youth Sports Initiative, a nonprofit run by University of Michigan students that aims to remove financial barriers for sports families.
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Lucas Solomon, the founder of the organization, was inspired to start the initiative while learning about sports in society.
"I've always played sports my whole life and I never had the issue of understanding where the money was going because my parents were paying for it. And I think that realization made me understand that there's kids out there who don't have those same opportunities," Solomon said.
The organization partners with community members and raises funds to sponsor youth teams in the area, covering equipment costs and other fees for athletes.
"I think just hearing the thank-yous and seeing the smiles or seeing the impact of the actual sport makes me know how meaningful it is," Solomon said.
As costs continue to rise, Gertner emphasizes the importance of community support for youth athletics.
"I think it's incredibly important and people should be out there trying to provide this for kids in the community," he said.
This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
This story was originally published by Demetrios Sanders with the Scripps News Group in Detroit.
