Sprinting, I ran toward the end of the field. I look left, then right, and continue barreling forward. I quickly maneuver and swiftly slash my lacrosse stick, throwing the ball into the goal. My team wins another point, and an uproar of cheers hits me all at once. At this moment, I think back to myself two years before, when I didn’t know how it felt to really play a sport. 

Finally playing a sport I really loved made me realize something: not only are sports good for you and recommended for your health, but they are something that every able individual should have the opportunity to pursue.

Sports are the primary activity in which children receive their recommended 60 minutes of physical activity daily, and according to the National Council of Youth Sports, around 60 million children are registered to play youth sports across the United States. Even though many young children enroll in sports, the financial strain imposed when playing specialized sports makes it harder for them to continue playing as they grow up.

According to a national survey of parents by the Aspen Institute’s Project Play initiative, low-income children ages 6-18 quit their sports at six times the rate of those from high-income families. Additionally, the average child quits a sport by age 11 after only playing it for three years due to the increasing prices, weekend tournaments, and overall demand for the sport. Finally, roughly 60 percent of families experience financial strain because of costs from their children’s sports. 

While quitting a sport isn’t always due to financial instability or strain, it has become increasingly significant in parent’s decisions. With this in mind, St. Paul, Minnesota, has decided to drop all sports fees for children ages 9-18 over the next three years. The St. Paul Parks and Rec. was able to cut fees through funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, which came into effect to restore and rebuild America’s communities after the pandemic.

After dropping sports fees, St. Paul saw a 40% increase in the number of children who registered for soccer and basketball. Usually, fees range from $25 to $40, which can be financially taxing for some. In doing this, not only did they help parents who were struggling to pay for sports enrollment fees, they also ensured that children would be able to fulfill their recommended amount of daily physical activity. 

The Transnational Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine reported policies requiring student-athletes in high school to pay sports fees are caused by various budget cuts and increased overall program costs implemented in schools across the country. This presents a conundrum; sports are said to be very important and essential for growing children but are then disregarded when budgeting, leading to a scramble when trying to sustain teams for students to play these highly important sports. 

While fees often vary depending on the sport, they generally cover coach salaries, team meals, equipment costs, travel, and facility rental fees. Although some fees may be reasonable and would make sense when broken down, the National Alliance of Youth Sports in West Palm Beach, Florida, reported that many leagues pick and choose who can play in their tournaments by raising entry fees. This highlights how monetizing youth sports has led to a sense of elitism, as those families who can afford to have their child in a sport reap the rewards of teamwork and establishing a good work ethic. 

In our society, sports should be easily accessible to youths and should be available without causing monetary strain on the players or their families. Sports allow individuals to exercise and help to teach discipline and dedication in a team environment. Due to excessive fees and overall demand for money, many children do not get to participate in this enriching environment. This cannot be accepted, and in order to combat this, local governments should take initiatives like St. Paul, Minnesota, and focus on building a healthy sports environment for active children.