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<div style="height:0px;"> <input type="checkbox" name="INTERESTS[e32f2ef2a8][]" value="838814a1c8" checked="true"> <p> </div> <div style="height:0px;"> <input type="checkbox" name="INTERESTS[e32f2ef2a8][]" value="7aaab3801f" checked="true"> <p> </div> <div> <label> <input type="email" style="width:63%;font-size:14px;line-height:30px;" name="EMAIL" placeholder="Email Address" required /> </label> <input type="submit" style="width:35%;text-transform:uppercase;" value="Sign up" /> </div> <br> <br> <br> <br><a href="https://ctmirror.org/" rel="home">CT Mirror</a><br> Connecticut's Nonprofit Journalism. <br><button name="Republish This Story" id="cc-btn" class="republication-tracker-tool-button">Republish This Story</button><br><a class="license" rel="noreferrer license" target="_blank" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/"><img alt="Creative Commons License" style="border-width:0" src="https://ctmirror.org/wp-content/plugins/republication-tracker-tool/assets/img/creative-commons-sharing.png" /></a><br>This work is licensed under a <a rel="noreferrer license" target="_blank" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.<br>by Maddie Wright, CT Mirror <br />January 13, 2025<br><strong>Support trusted journalism in Connecticut. Join CT Mirror’s members today and make an impact.</strong><br>Sports are a cornerstone of childhood development. Sports teach children to form healthy habits, work with others and develop self-confidence. Yet for children in low-income households, the joy of rounding the bases, scoring that touchdown or making that shot is slipping<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>out of reach. The shift toward privatizing athletics prevents many children from participating. <br>Something needs to change.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br>Travel (or private) sports teams are made up of elite youth athletes. They travel to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>games, tournaments and clinics. These teams are separate from school-affiliated or recreational leagues. They are, instead, part of club or private programs. These teams focus on developing higher-level skills and showcasing athletes in front of scouts.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br>In my experience, youth travel athletes typically range from 8 to 18, with most I’ve seen starting around 10 years old.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br>Travel teams operate independently, relying primarily on funding from families of the athletes. While fundraising efforts and sponsorships can lessen the burden, <a href="https://www.teamsnap.com/blog/brand-marketing/what-do-travel-sports-parents-really-spend-their-money-on" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">parents are responsible</a> for covering equipment, registration fees, travel and other associated fees<br>I have been around travel softball teams since I was 11 and my dad started coaching one. I spent a lot of time accompanying him to practices and games before I decided to join a team.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br>Being on and around travel teams has helped me in so many ways — from developing relationships that have lasted over a decade to learning skills like commitment and organization. I was also able to travel and see new sights. However, it wasn’t so much the travel team that benefited me. It was the people I was around.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br>I cannot sit here and ignore the barriers these teams create for children growing up in low-income households. I’m grateful for the privilege of being able to play on and continue to be around travel teams. Still, I can’t help but wonder how much talent is lost simply because kids are priced out of playing on these teams.<br>Over my time playing, I have had teammates who took private planes to tournaments, stayed in high-end hotels and drove luxury cars. I remember a particular teammate staying at the Renaissance at a tournament in Providence, while the rest of us stayed at the Days Inn. On the other hand, I’ve had teammates who could not afford to buy new cleats or a new bat. They would use hand-me-downs from others willing to give up their old equipment. I have also seen teammates traveling with others’ families for away tournaments because their family could not afford to take time off work.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>My dad continues to coach, and my younger cousin now plays. I see that kids from wealthy households are becoming more of the typical demographic. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/14/opinion/youth-sports.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">A New York Times op-ed recently reported that</a> “34.1 percent of kids from the poorest families were on sports teams or had coaching outside of school, compared with 67.7 percent of the wealthiest families.” Kids in low-income households are being pushed away.<br>Though it varies, the average seasonal fee to play on a youth travel softball team was<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>around $1,258 back in 2017, said Bill Lennon, founder of <a href="https://medium.com/@groundwork_bill/the-most-and-least-expensive-travel-sports-4f6664d3c2e2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Groundwork</a>, which helps youth sports organizations collect fees. This figure does not include additional equipment or travel costs. For example, the newest model of the bat I used during my last season, in 2019, now sells for nearly<a href="https://easton.rawlings.com/product/EFP4GHAD.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> $500.</a> This is simply not feasible for kids growing up in low-income households. A <a href="https://projectplay.org/youth-sports/facts/challenges#:~:text=In%2520our%2520State%2520of%2520Play,income%2520youth%2520were%2520(72%2525)." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">survey</a> of 4,000 Kansas City children by the Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program found that “children from low-income households were three times less likely to play on traveling teams than those from high-income homes.” This figure reflects a lack of opportunity, and that is unacceptable.<br>I love sports and understand their importance for kids. Making them too expensive excludes many children. We need to level the playing field because every kid deserves a chance to participate, not just those who have the extra funds to do so.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br>The privatization of youth sports has made it increasingly difficult for disadvantaged children to experience the good that sports have to offer, from life skills to simply having fun with friends. With more focus on private sports leagues, generations of talented kids miss out on the opportunity to play because they cannot afford to do so. <br>We need to ensure that sports remain accessible for all kids, regardless of economic status.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br><i>Maddie Wright, of Southington, is a senior at Central Connecticut State University.</i><br><br><a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiekFVX3lxTE0xdEFDV3ZMMjF1cmM1VDNwTkNvaUkxOGtFZE1LNzJ2Y3E1VmhkTk9vRll2Z1N1di1xYkJHbjgweHFYS21QRzVNNGxiWGN6WThjVUFHODJiN0hNcVhkSnhyNzZWVllGYTJ5NGZGNERVeWZVUVVWWG1uN2VB?oc=5">source</a>
