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3) High school soccer is not free. Parents pay for uniforms, coaching stipends (through booster clubs), game tickets, food, drinks, etc. The total cost runs in the $500 range (for 3.5 months).
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I can only speak definitively for the two schools where I have coached, but in those cases, coaching stipends certainly have not come from parents/booster clubs. Uniforms have been primarily bought through the school athletic department budget and have been supplemented by booster club general funds and team fundraising through the booster club. In no case has there been a mandatory player/parent fee for uniforms (or anything else, for that matter); players are responsible for acquiring cleats and shinguards but all other items of uniform, equipment and transportation are provided by the school, and in no case do coaches receive money for services rendered from parents or the booster club with the exception of approved (with receipt) booster club reimbursement for expenses incurred.

The other expenses--tickets, food and drink, etc.--are optional according to the parents' ability/willingness to support their players and the team; some contribute a lot, some a little, each according to their means, so you can't really say there is any set "cost" for high school soccer that is comparable to club/Academy fees and there is no inclusion/exclusion of players based on ability to pay fees to the school or booster club.

I realize that other school programs may operate on very different models, but that's how we do things here in Berkeley County.

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