Your child doesn’t have to give up his travel soccer dreams. Try these ideas to lower the cost.

As parents, we want to encourage our kids to dream big and to do what they love. And sports are an excellent way to boost a child’s confidence, get in some healthy activity and even have fun as a family. But before you sign up for Little League or the high school hockey team, it’s worth your while to think through the costs of a sport. Pay-to-play, added fees, meals at the baseball diamond, not to mention the equipment – these costs add up.Then if your child decides to pursue a sport, your bank account could really take a hit.With younger kids, cost tends to be less of an issue. But as your children get older, you may want to have conversations with them about the cost of their sport of choice. And if you’re finding your budget in a bind due to your multi-sport athlete, you may want to consider options for reducing participation costs.

Breaking Down the Costs

Costs for playing sports vary from sport to sport. The Kids Play USA Foundation tracks the average cost of sports around the nation and estimates that participation fees cost between $100 and $400 per child, per sport each season. Equipment costs also vary from sport to sport. With volleyball, for instance, players generally just need a uniform and some knee pads. Soccer requires cleats and shin guards, while baseball and softball require loads of equipment that can be quite expensive. Older athletes who don’t grow as quickly may be able to wear the same pair of cleats for two years in a row. But younger kids will quickly outgrow everything from shorts and cleats to shin guards and knee pads. And even track and cross country, which is a relatively low-cost sport, will require new shoes on a regular basis.

Ways to Spend Less

None of this is to say that sports participation is a bad thing. In fact, plenty of research (and life experience) shows that athletics is great for kids – it gives them a chance to practice teamwork, make friends, solve problems and stay active.With that said, too many parents jump into every sport under the sun feet first with no thought to the financial, familial or physical consequences. Don’t be that parent! Instead, consider ways you can lower the cost of your child’s sports participation.

Try these ideas on for size:

• Look for used equipment. Since equipment fees are one of the biggest financial factors for sports, look for high-quality used equipment on Craigslist or eBay. You could save a fortune with this single trick.
• Raise money from local organizations. Often, local youth sports leagues are sponsored by local business owners. If your child’s current league doesn’t offer this, ask if you can approach local businesses for support yourself or organize fundraisers. Would your employer be willing to sponsor your child?
• Volunteer for the Club. Most clubs are run by volunteer parents whose kids also play for the club. They could certainly use your help. Even if their financial aid funds are low, being on the inside might at least help you not miss application deadlines and find out what kind of assistance is even possible.
• Have your child chip in. Is one of your young athletes showing serious potential and dedication to a particular sport? If he or she wants to participate in expensive travel or elite leagues, that’s great. But have your kid pitch in with the costs by getting a job in the offseason. Not only does this lighten the load a bit, but it also teaches your child about working for what he or she really wants.

Kids’ sports don’t have to completely break the bank, but you also don’t have to ban them. Healthy participation in youth sports just takes goals, boundaries and planning ahead.