$$$$$ Price To Wrestle $$$&#0

[#1sportfan]

I have children who have played basketball, baseball, softball and wrestling. The cost to participate on all of these teams is $150.00 to $200.00 per season. This does not include the additional work put in for fundraising. Which involves working concessions, carwashes, selling program ads and requesting donations. I truly believe if a family cannot afford the cost then the program will help them. My children go to a large school where most of the families are more than capable of paying the fees. When you are a family of 4-5 with 3-4 cars in the driveway then you can pay the fees. Obviously, if you are a single mother with only one income it is difficult. If a parent would speak privately with the coach or booster club president then they could probably get their fee waived. But to just complain about the cost or forget to pay the dues is unfair to the other families who pay for their share. No athlete should be left out. But the parents have to be willing to work hard to help the program as well.

Edited November 13, 2004 by #1sportfan

[westsport]

Exactly.

[Sommers]

"Coach"  Do you need a towel to wipe those tears from whining and crying all the time or do you have one built into all of you shirts?  Always whining.  The dime a dozen Bulldogs.  And yes, you did pick the Ryan weekend as a good excuse to keep your dime a dozen "wrestlers" from getting smoked and sent home to their mama's whining and crying like their coach always does.  And while you're at it, why do'nt you take up some space on this board to pat yourself on the back for all you do.

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Does this sound like a wrestler or a jeallous peer or perhaps an upset parent. Certainly not a kid in HS? Keep doing those pushups!!!

Edited December 2, 2004 by Sommers

[PUMMELKING]

Asking a fee is not out of the question!!! Two hundred is higher than expeceted but far far from being what other sports require such as cheer leaders and all star volleyball just for instance.

A fee or charge what ever you want to call it works also because kids will be more likely to stay out or encouraged to stay if the parents had to pay for them to prticipate. If the kid added any of the money themseleves they surely would know the hard work and desire that is required to meet your goals.

[maj]

The fees work on a lot of levels. First and foremost , sports cost money. Second , something " free " to the end user almost always is taken for granted. May not be a problem at the highschool level but free wrestling programs at the youth level often equate to drop off centers for many parents wanting a break from the kids when it is convienent. It doesn't take much of an excuse from either parent or child to skip many practices. The part time wrestlers tend to hold the rest of the group up. I'll bet the parents paying 100 bucks a month for karate make darn sure the kids get there.

 

Most coaches will set up some type of scholarship for those truely in need nobody wants to see dedicated kids denied for lack of funds. This can be handled very discretely.

 

There are a few easy stratagies for most parents of come up with the money.

 

1. Get rid of cable TV. This step alone will pay for most families sports needs.

2. Does your kid really need his own phone line / cell phone ?

3. How many 100.00 knock around shoes are needed ? , ditto for designer jeans and the like.

4. Pay club and tournament fees as Birthday or Christmas presents , some thing with singlets , shoes and other gear.

 

This could get to be a long list and I am not in the preaching business . The point is if wrestling or other sports are a priority , most families have the ability to fund themselves.

[DAL]

Some parents, who have the money, would rather pay $200 than fool with a fund raiser.

 

Are top money makers are:

 

1. Booster Club Dinner (usually $2-4,000).

2. Host an AAU Tournament (usually $4-5,000, best ever a little over $9,000)

3. Preseason Event ($1,500)

4. Wrestling Program ($3-4,000)

5. Web Site Sponsors ($1,000)

6. Donations

7. Pin-To-Win Progam ($2-3,000)

 

Currently we are working on our principal to allow us to have an in-school match. At $2 a head, its a good fund raiser and great promotion for our program.

 

We have tried others, but these seem to workf well and most of them involve our kids in wrestling or the promotion of wrestling.

 

We have more kids who have parents who can't, than can, afford $200. Some of these parents do know people who will buy an ad in our program.

[wrestlerchick07]

Like a few coaches have said before, NO ONE ever gets turned away from wrestling because they can't pay.  We have kids helping me sell entertainment books, scratch off cards, suckers, candy, gold cards, etc. 

 

There are several companies that know this and have helped teams raise money.  Varsity Gold does the gold cards and pizza cards, Maredy Candy Co does the suckers, Great American does tons of things, local areas do the entertainment coupon books, America's Finest Chocolate does candy.  These companies usually give you the goods.  You sell it, they get half and your program gets to keep half.

 

Car washes, yard sales, and gof tournaments are good.  Others have sold fried turkeys around Thanksgiving and Boston Butts during the holidays.  Some sell wreaths, poinsettas, etc.  A 5K run isn't a bad idea if you get enough sponsors.

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We do Car Washes and a Golf Tournament every year.

[deaddux]

back in the fall of 76 , I , along with the help of several parents raised $7000.00 to purchase uniforms and a new wrestling mat . We cut firewood,and with the kids help, loaded out the firewood.We had no problem selling every load we could cut over 9/10 weekends - the community knew what we were trying to do and supported our efforts. In this litiguous world we live in today cutting firewood may be too dangerous but it started a wrestling program in 1976,which is still active.

Edited December 9, 2004 by deaddux