To think that this is extortionate

[slugz]

Dd is 8. She has muscle problems, but is very keen on sport and always wants to join in. This is becoming difficult as she gets older because it is becoming more obvious how much she struggles to keep up. Team sports are a problem, because the other kids are starting to take the mickey.
She used to do a dance class, but it closed down. I found her a cheerleading class. I thought it would be pretty much dancing, but it turned out to be much more gymnastics and lifting than I expected.
Despite this, she has done fantastically, and loves it. It costs £3 per session plus money for costumes etc. This is just about manageable. The teacher has been pretty good at helping her with stuff, and from the outset has said that she is all inclusive and would include her in the squad for shows despite being behind the other girls. Dd is over-the-moon that she's good enough at something to perform.
I have now been told that the entry fee per child is £25 for one competition. There are about 12 girls in the squad, surely it can't cost £300 to enter one competition? Ds is sporty and enters football tournaments, running events, never more than £3.
I feel awful because dd has worked so hard to improve, but there's no way I can justify £25 in the family budget for one day.

I think some sporting competitions can be pricey, like doing martial arts belts.

Its hard for me to comment as around here all after school activities are closer to £10 a go, yes even for a 30 min swimming lesson.

Well, a music exam which lasts about 5 mins costs a minimum of £35 but usually more and the examiner sees 20+ kids on the same day.

It is quite possible I suppose. DS1 does Tae Kwon Do and the gradings for that are £40 a time.

Does that include transport etc?

could you apply to local organisations for a bit of help with the competition fee - Rotary, or small bursary giving charities?

I feel like gradings and exams are a bit different to be honest. You get a qualification and there's a professional giving one-on-one attention.
This is £300 for a novice team to 'compete'. Most of them have only been doing it a couple of months.
I don't think it includes transport, but if it does I'm sure a few mum's would get them there in people carriers (me included, I want to watch anyway).

my friend does trampolining and it cost him £20 to enter and this was only a novice competition. Cheerleading or any dance/gymnastics type things tend to be quite expensive to enter, same as martial arts.

Looked at per hour might not be so bad ?

Say £5/h instead of £3/h ?

It does sound expensive for an entry fee. I have a 12yo daughter who does gymnastics and competes. I also have a son who plays football. Everything to do with gymnastics is much more expensive compared to the football. Its a bit of a mystery. Normally my daughter pays entry fees of about £7 for competitions though and I fail to see why it should be any more then about that. Hard for you to challenge something that does her confidence so much good but you should be entitled to ask why it is so dear.

Trampolining is an individual thing.
This is a team.
So they're basically saying that it costs £300 for them to do their routine, which lasts less than five minutes.

I would think that's pretty normal. I'm going to guess it's to pay the instructor?

DD does dance, it's £15 for 2 hours and when they 'performed' in the town centre they had to pay £20 each - it was to cover the instructors time (they were hanging round in the cold for 3 hours) and for the rent of the empty shop in the shopping centre to change their clothes.

So there may be some of that money towards the facilities of where they are to change.

part of the fee will be for the use of the place she is competing in. Then there is insurance and time etc.. its expensive but sounds like it would be really good if you could find the money