6/22/08

Youth sports still in play
http://www.thestate.com/local/story/440525.html
Joey Holleman, The State

‘THEY’RE NOT BUYING THINGS’

Youth baseball isn’t alone in bucking the economic trends.

Local youth soccer organizations report record turnout at their spring tryouts for traveling teams. The Lexington County Soccer Club, for instance, registered 440 players for tryouts for high-level teams this spring, compared with 380 last year.

“Parents will continue to pay for things if they think they’re important for their kids,” said David Cockfield, president of the Lexington County Soccer Club. “They’re doing whatever it takes for the kids.”

That means they’re willing to pay $300 to $500 for a four-month season of quality coaching and high-level competition. They could save by paying $100 or less to play in less-competitive recreational leagues coached by parent volunteers, but they aren’t.

Parents will not only pay fees to have their kids play club sports, they are now paying fees to allow their kids to play high school sports. (The band still gets a free pass in Fort Mill).

http://www.heraldonline.com/109/story/639188.html

cant hold it against the band.
i remember back in the day when there was no one in the stands for a ft mill football game.about 5 min before half time the seats would fill up.as soon as the band left the field so did the crowd.
it seems odd that they are charging the kids to play a sport to pay for teachers but there is no talk of it paying for the gas to drive to games.