Kirsten R.Haynes

Kirsten R. Haynes, Journalism 1 Reporter
February 22, 2012
Filed under Opinion & Editorial

Were you aware that in the 2010-2011 school year that parents had to start to pay for their children to play sports in Spotsylvania County Schools?

Spotsylvania County allows students who are qualified to receive free or reduced lunch not to pay. Students who do not qualify for the reduced lunch program may not be able to play if the family budget does have room to add this extra expense.

Now we are left with the students whose family pays to play. It appears that these families are covering the cost of the students not paying as well as their own child.

One parent said it is just as hard for him to find an extra $100 in his budget as anyone else. Many families are struggling to survive in these hard economical times.

There are students whose parents have lost their jobs and homes but they make over the amount allowed for their children to receive free and reduced lunch. The students will go without lunch or their friends will share their lunch.

Life isn’t always fair but using the free lunch guidelines to determine eligibility to not charge for sports is not an accurate qualifying process. Pay to Play is a rule that is unfair to our athletes who’s parents pay for their child or children to play multiple sports.

The Athletic Director could ask the coaches and booster club to provide a list of things that they need assistance with. Then have the parent and student sign a contract agreeing to give 14 hours of volunteer time per participating sport. The volunteer hours could be determined by dividing minimum wage of ($7.25) into $100.

There are several sporting events, and the only one that is sure to have concessions is the football game. Our student athletes loose so much money by not selling at least the basics refreshments at every event.

We could also ask that a club or class design a program for each sport to be sold at each event. We know how parents love to see their children’s name in print.  Advertisement could be sold for these programs, and we could ask the marketing class to help with this.

I know this would be a lot of hard work, but maybe with a volunteer program and that one special person this could make the difference. This money could be kept in a separate account to be used first for the volunteering family’s fees and then the rest to be put back into the athletic department for our student athletes.

The bottom line is the pay to play rule is not fair and equal. We have people playing for free, some not playing because they are unable to pay, and those who pay to cover not only their child but the children not paying.  We are taught that everyone is equal and no-one is treated different, but this doesn’t seem to be fair. We all have our family problems, but these is something that can make parents and our fellow athletes happy to know they are all being treated equal.