Post by Admin on Dec 13, 2012 22:26:35 GMT -5
Softball Mom
No matter what your daughter chooses to do, there is always the bottom line. What will this all cost? For some parents, this is not a concern. If your family is small or you have ample income, the costs of travel ball
may not bother you. However, if you are like most of us, money is ALWAYS a concern.
Travel Ball is not cheap. I didn't say it's unaffordable. I said it isn't cheap. There is a huge difference. Before you join any travel ball organization, you should know how much it will cost to have your daughter on the team. There are many variables that will determine team cost. You should ask about these variables BEFORE your daughter signs on.
1. Sponsorship: What kind of sponsorship does the organization have? Some organizations have great sponsor packages that foot the cost for various items ranging from equipment and uniforms to travel. However, MOST organizations do not have "all inclusive" sponsorship packages that will cover all costs. Many have small, limited sponsorships that help defray costs. Find out what sponsorships are in place and what they cover.
2. Travel: Is this a team that will just go to local tournaments or will they go to tournaments all over the United States? Obviously, if the team travels outside the local area, there will be travel costs associated with the team i.e. hotels, meals, transportation, etc. How many tournaments will they attend? Some teams limit themselves to 5-10 tournaments. Some go all year. Most go from April to August with a Fall season attached at the end. The more tournaments there are, the more fees have to be paid, thus raising the cost of the team.
3. Uniforms/Equipment: Does the team supply these or do the players? On some teams, parents are responsible for paying for their daughter's uniforms and equipment. Others require that the player provide her own equipment and the team provides the uniforms. Anyone who has purchased a bat or glove lately can tell you that the prices are not cheap. Here is a break down:
BAT- anywhere from $100 - $300 for the good ones. Gone are the days of the $20 bat from Wal Mart. Today's bats are double wall, composite miracles wth a lot of pop and carefully calculated weights and lengths.
GLOVES - $50 - $200
Shoes - $50 - $150
Catchers Equipement - Expect to pay at least $150 and as much as $500 for this equipment.
Bags: These can range anywhere from $50 - $120. Sometimes, teams will provide these.
Extra Apparell - Jackets, shorts, t-shirts, can run anywhere from $150 to $300 ( Don't forget a jacket for Mom and Dad!)
*** Sometimes you can find equipment on E-Bay that is used or brand new for a discounted price. Make sure you check the seller's ratinig before buying.
4. Coaches Fees: Are the coaches of this team volunteers or do they get paid? Does the team cover their travel? In most cases, coaches are volunteers. Often, they have children on the team ( another situation that can have some impact on the team, both positive and negative.) But, if the coaches do not have athletes on the team, they may be paid or have their travel paid.
Another aspect of this is paying for extra training. Some teams require their players to go to extra hitting, fielding and pitching clinics. These are not always free because the team may be paying for the facility OR the instructors. This can add a hefty amount to your cost if it is a weekly event. This does not include outside training YOU may be providing on your own for your daughter.
5. Selectivity of the Team: There are teams out there who are either SO good or SO selective that they actually charge a fee to tryout and a large membership fee for the team. The tryout fee is usually non-refundable, even if you child does not make the team. Teams have these fees for a variety of reasons. One may be that they want to see who is truly serious about playing. Another may be that they only want to attract a certain kind of player. Either way, make sure you know this before tryouts. By the way, having a high player fee does not guarantee the quality of the team.
Most teams do require a membership fee. It is usually based on fixed expenses. Just make sure the people running the team can tell you what this fee is for. Also, make sure there is a structure in place to make sure your hard earned fees go where they should go. NOTE OF CAUTION: Beware of one man operations where there is no accounting for the money. Most organizations have a "Board of Directors" or some other group who oversees what happens. This is to safeguard from people who may have less than honest intentions. Also, having tax exempt status with the government is a good sign that the money will be handled honestly.
6. Fund Raising Initiatives:Does the team have fundraisers? Are players required to participate? Are there separate player accounts or does all the money raised go into one big pot? Can players get individual sponsorships? Make sure you know how this all works before you get in too heavily.
So, how much does it cost to play travel ball? Of course, there is no one answer. However, you can use these guidelines to determine what it MAY cost:
Team Fees : Between $300 to $3000.00 ( the higher figure is unusual)
Equipment - ( For your own daughter) Between $600.00 - $1200.00 ( the high end includes catcher's gear)
Travel - This figure depends on your daughter's travel schedule and number of tournaments, but expect between $500 - $3000.00* This can be higher for teams who fly to many tournaments.**** With the higher cost of FUEL, this can be even more. Try to arrange carpools!
Special Training - Between $100.00 to 250.00 a month
Note that some of these fees/expenses can be offset by fundraising on some teams. Also, some teams will offer "scholarships" or financial breaks to the families of players who need them.
www.softballmom.org/RecruitingMaterials.html
No matter what your daughter chooses to do, there is always the bottom line. What will this all cost? For some parents, this is not a concern. If your family is small or you have ample income, the costs of travel ball
may not bother you. However, if you are like most of us, money is ALWAYS a concern.
Travel Ball is not cheap. I didn't say it's unaffordable. I said it isn't cheap. There is a huge difference. Before you join any travel ball organization, you should know how much it will cost to have your daughter on the team. There are many variables that will determine team cost. You should ask about these variables BEFORE your daughter signs on.
1. Sponsorship: What kind of sponsorship does the organization have? Some organizations have great sponsor packages that foot the cost for various items ranging from equipment and uniforms to travel. However, MOST organizations do not have "all inclusive" sponsorship packages that will cover all costs. Many have small, limited sponsorships that help defray costs. Find out what sponsorships are in place and what they cover.
2. Travel: Is this a team that will just go to local tournaments or will they go to tournaments all over the United States? Obviously, if the team travels outside the local area, there will be travel costs associated with the team i.e. hotels, meals, transportation, etc. How many tournaments will they attend? Some teams limit themselves to 5-10 tournaments. Some go all year. Most go from April to August with a Fall season attached at the end. The more tournaments there are, the more fees have to be paid, thus raising the cost of the team.
3. Uniforms/Equipment: Does the team supply these or do the players? On some teams, parents are responsible for paying for their daughter's uniforms and equipment. Others require that the player provide her own equipment and the team provides the uniforms. Anyone who has purchased a bat or glove lately can tell you that the prices are not cheap. Here is a break down:
BAT- anywhere from $100 - $300 for the good ones. Gone are the days of the $20 bat from Wal Mart. Today's bats are double wall, composite miracles wth a lot of pop and carefully calculated weights and lengths.
GLOVES - $50 - $200
Shoes - $50 - $150
Catchers Equipement - Expect to pay at least $150 and as much as $500 for this equipment.
Bags: These can range anywhere from $50 - $120. Sometimes, teams will provide these.
Extra Apparell - Jackets, shorts, t-shirts, can run anywhere from $150 to $300 ( Don't forget a jacket for Mom and Dad!)
*** Sometimes you can find equipment on E-Bay that is used or brand new for a discounted price. Make sure you check the seller's ratinig before buying.
4. Coaches Fees: Are the coaches of this team volunteers or do they get paid? Does the team cover their travel? In most cases, coaches are volunteers. Often, they have children on the team ( another situation that can have some impact on the team, both positive and negative.) But, if the coaches do not have athletes on the team, they may be paid or have their travel paid.
Another aspect of this is paying for extra training. Some teams require their players to go to extra hitting, fielding and pitching clinics. These are not always free because the team may be paying for the facility OR the instructors. This can add a hefty amount to your cost if it is a weekly event. This does not include outside training YOU may be providing on your own for your daughter.
5. Selectivity of the Team: There are teams out there who are either SO good or SO selective that they actually charge a fee to tryout and a large membership fee for the team. The tryout fee is usually non-refundable, even if you child does not make the team. Teams have these fees for a variety of reasons. One may be that they want to see who is truly serious about playing. Another may be that they only want to attract a certain kind of player. Either way, make sure you know this before tryouts. By the way, having a high player fee does not guarantee the quality of the team.
Most teams do require a membership fee. It is usually based on fixed expenses. Just make sure the people running the team can tell you what this fee is for. Also, make sure there is a structure in place to make sure your hard earned fees go where they should go. NOTE OF CAUTION: Beware of one man operations where there is no accounting for the money. Most organizations have a "Board of Directors" or some other group who oversees what happens. This is to safeguard from people who may have less than honest intentions. Also, having tax exempt status with the government is a good sign that the money will be handled honestly.
6. Fund Raising Initiatives:Does the team have fundraisers? Are players required to participate? Are there separate player accounts or does all the money raised go into one big pot? Can players get individual sponsorships? Make sure you know how this all works before you get in too heavily.
So, how much does it cost to play travel ball? Of course, there is no one answer. However, you can use these guidelines to determine what it MAY cost:
Team Fees : Between $300 to $3000.00 ( the higher figure is unusual)
Equipment - ( For your own daughter) Between $600.00 - $1200.00 ( the high end includes catcher's gear)
Travel - This figure depends on your daughter's travel schedule and number of tournaments, but expect between $500 - $3000.00* This can be higher for teams who fly to many tournaments.**** With the higher cost of FUEL, this can be even more. Try to arrange carpools!
Special Training - Between $100.00 to 250.00 a month
Note that some of these fees/expenses can be offset by fundraising on some teams. Also, some teams will offer "scholarships" or financial breaks to the families of players who need them.
www.softballmom.org/RecruitingMaterials.html