To hate that so many sports are so expensive?

[SwumMum]

DC had swimming lessons through a local competitive club from tiny. Almost without any real thought they've just stayed with the club, entering squads and taking part in galas and competitions. They are not in any way exceptional for their ages and whilst they enjoy it, they have no intention of competing in a more serious way.

The fees have ramped up slowly over the years, with occasional shocks such as an expensive gala or a particular piece of kit that had to be bought. We have just absorbed these costs but when we didn't have to pay through lockdowns we really noticed how much better off we were.

The club have now announced a 90% increase in membership fees that will be taken as a lump sum, plus an increase in fees per month too. This amounts to hundreds of pounds extra and we just can't pay. Along with lots of other families, we will have to leave the club and, due to a lack of local options, the kids will stop swimming.

We had a similar experience with gymnastics many years ago - the fees and kit costs were just an ever upward trend, out of all proportion to the benefit or enjoyment the kids got from it.

I work with someone who has a DD who plays tennis competitively and they fund the cost of training and competitions with a holiday home they rent out, and say there's just no way they could do it if they hadn't inherited the property when they did.

There seems to be such a financial barrier to accessing sports - there are so few pools and leisure centres where we live. No schools have really good sports provision and to pay for private clubs is prohibitive to all but the most wealthy.

AIBU to hate that for so many DC, sport is out of the question because of cost?

Minis at our rugby club pay no fees. As they progress to juniors, we pay a family fee (I think it was about £100 for 2 adults and 2 children)

They pay for their own boots, but there are plenty of second hand boots donated and sold to parents, usually to raise money for tours. Similarly shirts, shorts, warm training tops, and base layer kit. Our local Oxfam shop always seems sell-stocked with warm kit too.

Match shirts are sponsored. Our tour was paid for entirely through sponsorship and bag packing at the supermarket.

Compared to gym and swimming, it's a bargain.

@Fizbosshoes
He trains at an international academy and does a lot of hours each week. He gets some kit at cost price but we are reluctant to go down the sponsorship route at the moment for various reasons. It is just a very expensive sport.

@randomsabreuse

I used to volunteer at a couple of events that ran pony trials. The team ponies used to change hands for 6 figures, entry fees were about £400 then stabling was the same again. The horsebox with comfortable living for the humans was generally worth more than my house.

However having a loan pony and doing a bit of local dressage was much more affordable...

I’ve seen the Pony Club polo finals.

Serious money.

@randomsabreuse yes that is a good point. We are not on an international circuit yet (although driving to Garda in the summer for a regatta ). But now you mention it, the international circuits some of the older kids are on do look punishing financially. Hopefully Maybe we will never get there.

I pay about £265 pa to play once a week in a tennis club. It's pricey. Mainly because I only have time to play once a week. But we rarely go out, barely drink, and bashing a ball hard is the best thing for my mental health!

@gogohm

If you want to swim there are public pools or try wild swimming - we swim in the sea year round

Only in Mumsnet!

Child can't swim? Can afford the local public pool? Take them swimming in the sea, or you're local lake!

@nancy75 - I've just checked the tennis club website - they were asking for family membership to the club before a child takes lessons. I did think about it as it would have meant my older DC who wasn't taking lessons could also have access to a court near our house, but over all it was just too expensive, and instead the DC did sports which were much more affordable - basketball and football. All three of my DC became very good at shooting hoops. None of them are going to play for the LA Lakers, but they're now much more likely to pay to watch a basket balls game than a tennis match.

That’s a greedy tennis club, why do you need a family membership for 1 child to have an hour a week lesson? I really dislike clubs that do this.
We offer junior membership at about £50 a year, non members get charged a visitors fee of £1 a week added to their lesson cost, it covers our costs without making it too expensive for parents. For younger kids especially they change their mind about after school clubs all the time - who wants to pay ££££ for family membership when the child might give up after 1 term?

@nancy75 where I live getting into tennis is exclusive. Either your parents or grandparents were members before you're allowed to join. Or you were invited. My kids have been on a waiting list late 2019 and I was told in September that were number 26 on the list and to check again next February. DH got chatting with another dad at rugby and turns out said dad is on the board of another tennis club close to us. He gave DH the number of the admissions lady and said to expect a call. We then got notified of registration for next February and had to pay €270 for registering and 10 weeks training. It is nuts!

We moved into the area 4 years ago from 200 miles so no family links here.

I've found central Scotland really good for kids' sports, (except swimming where there's still not even space on the wait list). None of the tennis clubs are £££ and there's a lot of council run sports centres.

YABU as not all sports are expensive. For DS it was £100 year for rugby subs, a new pair of boots once a year which were no more than £60 and the kit which was under £100. Sadly, like anything, it depends on financial situation and I don’t say that smugly as we’re not on a ginormous salary.

I would like to suggest that parents may wish to check out their local Amateur Boxing Club (ABC).

ABCs are extremely inexpensive financially but very expensive in terms of the committment and attitude demanded of the children and adults training there.

Most ABCs are very "spit and sawdust" with the priority being to get attendees fighting fit, to teach fighting skills and to teach discipline and good behaviour.

Some ABCs do a great job as keeping kids involved in sports and way from things like county lines.

It's been several years since I last trained at an ABC but when I did the fees were £20 a year insurance + £3 per 2 hour training session.

Most ABCs have more males than females attending, some have female only classes, many have female instructors and all that I have encountered encourage males and females to attend.