Does anyone else think this is excessive?

[Jeafl]

My oldest DD will be going to high school in the fall, and last night they had an orientation for incoming freshmen. All of the activities had booths trying to reel in new students. She is interested in trying out for Poms, so I told her no problem. I went to sign the permission slip and it said that the approximate cost per girl would be


FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS!!!!!

I nearly had a heart attack! She's already involved with skating which is very expensive, but this seems really excessive for a school-sponsored group. I asked the coach what the $500 was for and she said a competition and uniforms for the most part. And get this, they recycle the uniforms from year to year. They aren't even new. I think this will be the first time I hope that a child of mine fails in what they are trying out for.

 

[grinningghost]

OUCH! That sounds pretty excessive to me. I know where you're coming from though. My DD is into dancing which is very expensive year after year, and this year she wanted to join ski club at school. Ski club = $300.00. Needless to say, she's dancing and not skiing too.

 

[cinlee3]

I think it is excessive. Do they offer fundraisers? I know at our HS cheerleading and drill team are very expensive and they do exclude those that can't afford it.

 

[minniecarousel]

I didn't know that cheer could cost that much. But that's about what it cost for my DS to play HS football or baseball. (Soccer was a little less.) Funny - if the HS coaches run summer clinics with the players help, the sport costs during the school year are lower. (the clinics are for elementary and middle school kids.) So, it seems a little high, but unfortunately it's a reality.
She'll have to decide what she really wants to get involved in - there should be some clubs that are social/community type that don't have high fees.

 

[Wendy]

Having 2 kids on competitive all-star cheerleading squads, that $500 sounds dirt cheap to me! I would jump for joy if that's all I had to pay. LOL!

Oh, I should have added, that around here most of the high school cheer squads pay a lot more than $500 per child to participate. You add up uniforms, practice clothes, shoes, outside coaching fees, summer camps, competition entry fees, travel expenses, etc and it gets VERY expensive. Seriously, that $500 sounds very cheap to me for a cheer squad.

 

[Claudia1]

It is getting out of hand. So many groups have competitions, games, perfomances, etc.... and the parents have to pay the bill. The kids often have to choose what to do because of comflicting schedules. I really wonder how some of these kids find the time to study.

Yes, Jeafl, I think it sounds excessive for a school function. It is not out of line for other activities but I think they are excessive, too.

 

[Pam]

My DD is a Junior in HS - she's been on the cheerleader squad since she was in 7th grade - in HS, it was approximately $90.00 her freshman year, due to the fact that she ordered the embroidered lightweight jacket, in 10th grade it cost us $40.00 because you have to order new shoes each year.

This year she made the danceline and the initial cost for the year was around $150.00 - because she had to buy the white boots, another lightweight jacket, etc.

The cost of the uniforms/dance costumes for both cheerleading and danceline are either supplied by the school or are fundraised by the parents booster club.

 

[FOJMO]

...but what is or are POMS?????

 

[Pam]

I believe that the poster is referring to the dance line - but I could be wrong.

 

[Jeafl]

Poms are what we used to call in my day, Pom Pom squad. Instead of cheerleading, they do more dance and precision movement performances during half-times of games.

Wendy, I can see cheerleading costing a lot because of all their competitions, but she would only be involved in one local competition. There are no outside coaching fees because the gym teacher is the coach. They won't be getting any practice uniforms for the money either. I guess that is why I am so surprised. It doesn't seem to cover anything except one local competition (no travel) and their one uniform.

 

[cinlee3]

It costs $0 for my son to play HS soccer. He even got his letter jacket for free - we did have to buy the patches which were about $55.00. Club on the other hand is $$$$.

 

[December99]

YIKES!!!!! I guess I need to pluck my money away NOW!!! DD goes into high school in a year!!!

 

[Luckymommyx2]

Wow! Boy I thought I had to save up for college! Mine are only 4 & 5 so I better start saving now! Maybe my DD will just stick with ballet and ice skating and DS will stick with ice skating.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

That sounds excessive to me- especially considering they are only having ONE local competition and the uniforms are recycled?!?
No way.
I paid almost $300 for my 2nd grader (at that time) to be in cheerleading but atleast she got to KEEP her white Nikes (sized too bid so she wore them for about a year afterwards when they finally fit her right) and her uniforms and practice shirt/shorts AND duffle bag!
LOL

I think I'd be pretty upset if it cost that much and not much to show for it. How much does that competition cost anyway? geesh....

 

[Wendy]

Wow! That is a lot for just one local competition and just one uniform, then. Does that include things like socks, shoes, hairpiece, etc, or do you have to pay extra for that?

 

[Dan Murphy]

Till I got further down this thread, Jill, I thought you were talking pRoms, LOL. I was thinking how strange to be signing up for pRom, LOL.

I must say I always enjoyed the poms at the games when the kids were in school. They always looked so full of life, the music was great, theier smiles, though forced, were riveting.