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Parent Coach Desk

The Drawer · Cost calculator · Methodology

Where the numbers come from.

Every profile carries an explicit source list. Numbers are anchored to public data, not pulled from thin air. If something looks wrong, we want to hear it.

The base sources

Three sources sit underneath every profile:

  • Aspen Institute Project Play: State of Play 2025 (annual report on youth-sports participation, including family spending data by income, sport, and level).
  • Project Play: National Youth Sports Parent Survey (cost data; the "average U.S. sports family spent $1,016 on their child's primary sport in 2024" finding comes from this survey).
  • Project Play: Research index (the State of Play archive plus published surveys, available at projectplay.org/research).

Sport-specific profiles add additional sources from the relevant national governing body or club association (USA Hockey, USAV, USAG, US Lacrosse, US Youth Soccer, USTA, USASF, USA Swimming, AAU Basketball, NFHS, USA Football, Little League International, Dance Studio Owners Association). Each profile lists which sources it draws from. We do not link to private travel showcase or pure travel-club operators as sources.

How the defaults get assembled

For each sport-and-level combination, defaults come from a synthesis of three things:

  • Published fee structures from the relevant governing body or representative club programs (registration, club dues, tournament fees, membership).
  • Project Play National Youth Sports Parent Survey medians, weighted toward the level (rec/school/travel/elite).
  • Reader-submitted budget data through this site, which gets cross-checked against the survey medians.

Hotel and travel cost defaults assume mid-range chain hotels and the IRS standard mileage rate ($0.67/mile in 2026). Equipment and apparel defaults assume mid-range new gear with a 2-3 year replacement cycle averaged annually.

What we don't try to model

Three things vary too much for a default to be useful:

  • Region. Hotel costs in Houston are different from Boston. Gas costs in Wyoming are different from Manhattan.
  • Family logistics. Two parents and one kid is different from one parent and three kids. Carpools, shared hotel rooms, and split travel changes the math.
  • Time cost. The hours a parent spends driving, organizing, coaching, and managing the season have real value. Surfaced as an optional line item; not priced for you.

What we do try to surface

Four things parents consistently underestimate:

  • Tournament travel hotels. The single most underestimated line in travel sports.
  • Equipment replacement. Most parents budget the initial purchase, not the annual replacement.
  • Team apparel. The required spirit pack, second jersey, and warm-ups that often run $300-600/year at travel level.
  • Per-game-played cost. Annual cost divided by games where the kid actually got real minutes. The metric most parents find most useful: it works the same whether you're at $400/year or $14,000/year.

Update cadence

Defaults update annually after the Project Play State of Play release (typically September) and after a winter pass through reader-submitted data. Profiles in the calculator carry an "as of" year reference; if you spot a number that's clearly off, email us at [email protected].

Per-profile sourcing

Every profile in the calculator and what's behind it:

Generic (any sport)

Generic (any sport): Rec · 14 games estimated

Generic rec defaults blended from Project Play National Youth Sports Parent Survey medians and reader-submitted data.

Generic (any sport): School · 18 games estimated

School-sport defaults blended from Project Play State of Play (school athletic fee data) and NFHS participation surveys.

Generic (any sport): Travel/club · 50 games estimated

Travel-tier defaults synthesized from Project Play Costs to Play trends and reader-submitted data.

Generic (any sport): Elite/showcase · 70 games estimated

Elite-tier defaults synthesized from national showcase event budgets, ECNL/MLS Next/Nike EYBL fee structures, and reader-submitted data.

Ballet

Ballet: Rec · 3 games estimated

Rec ballet at a neighborhood studio runs $1,000-2,000 a year: monthly tuition for one or two classes, slippers, dancewear, and the recital package. Studio rate sheets are public and consistent nationally.

Ballet: Travel/club · 6 games estimated

The serious-studio tier runs $3,000-6,000: tuition for 4-6 days a week, pointe shoes on a replacement cycle nobody warns you about, production fees, and the summer intensive audition season. YAGP posts competition fees publicly.

Ballet: Elite/showcase · 12 games estimated

Pre-professional ballet is the most expensive activity in this calculator short of elite hockey: $8,000-15,000 a year between company-school tuition, a pointe shoe habit, and the mandatory summer intensive. The numbers come from posted company-school rate sheets and YAGP fee schedules.

Band

Band: School · 15 games estimated

Marching band fair share fees are posted by most booster programs and run $300-1,500 by program size. Add instrument rental, reeds, shoes, and camp and the national middle sits between $500 and $1,500 before the big trip.

Band: Travel/club · 8 games estimated

The competitive winter circuit (WGI indoor percussion, winter guard, auditioned honor ensembles) charges participation fees of $800-2,000 and travels to regionals. Private lessons stop being optional once the ensemble is auditioned.

Baseball

Baseball: Rec · 16 games estimated

Little League International local league fees range $100-300. Equipment ($250 average) covers glove, bat, helmet, cleats with a 2-year replacement cycle.

Baseball: School · 30 games estimated

The middle layer for baseball families: a rec season plus fall ball plus a winter clinic, with a few private hitting lessons per year. Sits between $1,200 and $2,500 annually depending on equipment cycle. Project Play data and reader surveys both put the median family in this band.

Baseball: Travel/club · 60 games estimated

Travel baseball club fees average $1,500-3,000. Tournament fees, private lessons, and equipment (especially bat upgrades) compose the bulk of total cost. Tournament organizers publish entry fee schedules; budget $200-600 per weekend tournament.

Basketball

Basketball: Travel/club · 60 games estimated

AAU basketball mid-tier program fees average $1,500-3,500 (Nike EYBL/Adidas Gauntlet teams run $3,000-5,000+). Tournament fees and travel weekends compose the bulk of total cost.

Cheerleading

Cheerleading: Travel/club · 10 games estimated

USASF publishes all-star cheer program structure. Monthly tuition at competitive all-star gyms typically runs $250-350. Worlds and Summit-track gyms run higher. Uniform and choreography fees are widely published by gym programs.

Choir

Choir: School · 8 games estimated

School choir is $150-500 a year: a program fee, the concert dress or tux, shoes, and a folder fee. The festival or tour trip is the one line that can triple the total, and it shows up on a permission slip with three weeks notice.

Choir: Travel/club · 14 games estimated

Auditioned community and honor choirs post tuition of $300-600 a year. Tour travel is the real number: a domestic spring tour runs $600-1,200 per singer and the international year doubles it. Ask about the tour cycle at the audition, not after.

Crew

Crew: School · 8 games estimated

School rowing carries a higher fee than most school sports because shells, oars, and a coaching launch sit behind every seat. Program fees of $800-1,500 per season are normal and posted publicly by most scholastic programs.

Crew: Travel/club · 10 games estimated

Junior club dues run $1,500-3,500 nationally, posted on most club sites. Regatta travel stacks on top: Youth Nationals qualifiers add a week of hotels. The dues look high until you price a single racing shell.

Cross country

Cross country: School · 9 games estimated

NFHS counts cross country among the largest participation sports because the cost of entry is shoes. A school season runs $200-600 all-in: athletic fee, two pairs of trainers, spikes, spirit pack. Summer camp is the only line that moves the total much.

Cross country: Travel/club · 12 games estimated

USATF youth clubs fill the fall for kids who want more than the school schedule. Dues and entries stay modest. The Junior Olympic championship path is what adds travel cost, and only for qualifiers.

Dance

Dance: Travel/club · 10 games estimated

Dance Studio Owners Association publishes industry benchmarks. Competitive dance studios typically charge $300-500/month for class tuition. Competition entry fees ($80-150 per dance) are published by NUVO, JUMP, The Dance Awards, and other major events.

Football — 7v7

Football — 7v7: School · 16 games estimated

School-team summer 7v7 stays cheap because the program pools tournament entries and the kid already owns cleats. Budget $300-500 all-in. The club circuit below is a different animal.

Football — 7v7: Travel/club · 28 games estimated

Club 7v7 fees run $500-1,500 with national-circuit teams at the top. Hotels and showcase entries do the rest. College coaches still recruit off fall film first, so treat the exposure pitch with a flat eye.

Football — Flag

Football — Flag: Rec · 10 games estimated

NFL Flag and USA Football affiliate leagues publish registration fees: $120-250 per season with the jersey included. Add cleats and a mouthguard and the season lands between $150 and $300 before extras.

Football — Flag: Travel/club · 30 games estimated

Tournament flag is growing fast and fees are settling around $400-900 per club plus entries. Cheaper than any other travel sport on this list. The hotel weekends arrive just the same.

Football — Tackle

Football — Tackle: School · 10 games estimated

NFHS reports HS football participation; school athletic pay-to-play fees range $0-500 by district. School provides pads and helmet; family covers cleats, gloves, mouthpiece.

Golf

Golf: Rec · 8 games estimated

PGA Jr. League publishes registration at $200-350 with the jersey included. A used starter set keeps year one near $600 all-in. Green fees stay low because junior leagues play par-3 and scramble formats.

Golf: Travel/club · 14 games estimated

Regional junior tours publish entry fees at $75-125 per event. Coaching is the swing factor: families with weekly lessons double the budget of families without. National AJGA-level golf runs well past these defaults.

Gymnastics

Gymnastics: Travel/club · 8 games estimated

USAG publishes Junior Olympic Program structure data. Monthly tuition at competitive USAG-affiliated gyms typically runs $300-600 at Levels 4-7. Meet and competition leotard costs are widely published by gym programs.

Hockey

Hockey: Rec · 16 games estimated

USA Hockey publishes equipment cost guidance; rec registration ranges $200-450 across affiliated leagues. Equipment line averaged across skate replacement cycles.

Hockey: Travel/club · 60 games estimated

Tier I/II travel hockey club fees published by USA Hockey-affiliated programs typically run $4,000-7,000. Equipment includes skates, full pads, sticks, helmet, with annual replacement averaged.

Lacrosse — Boys

Lacrosse — Boys: School · 18 games estimated

US Lacrosse equipment guidance publishes typical kit costs. School lacrosse programs typically require family-provided equipment beyond uniforms.

Lacrosse — Boys: Travel/club · 45 games estimated

Top regional lacrosse club fees ($2,500-4,500) plus East Coast tournament travel (Crab Feast, Naptown Brawl, Inside Lacrosse 100) compose the largest costs.

Lacrosse — Girls

Lacrosse — Girls: School · 18 games estimated

US Lacrosse equipment guidance puts a girls starter kit at roughly half the boys number: no helmet, no shoulder or arm pads. Goggles are mandatory and a legal women's stick with a real pocket runs $100-250.

Lacrosse — Girls: Travel/club · 45 games estimated

Girls club lacrosse fees match the boys side at $2,500-4,500, and the summer recruiting circuit drives the same hotel math. Equipment runs lower because the girls game has no pads. Stick upgrades close some of that gap.

Martial arts

Martial arts: Rec · 4 games estimated

Martial arts bills monthly and never stops: $100-200/month is the national band across taekwondo, karate, and BJJ studios. Testing fees are the line parents miss when they sign the contract. Read the contract twice.

Martial arts: Travel/club · 8 games estimated

Competition-track martial arts adds team fees, entries, and travel on top of the monthly bill. USA Taekwondo and tournament circuits publish entry fees in the $60-90 range. The black belt test, when it comes, is its own budget item.

Soccer

Soccer: School · 18 games estimated

School soccer follows generic school athletic fee patterns. Most equipment is family-provided (cleats, shin guards, ball).

Soccer: Travel/club · 45 games estimated

US Youth Soccer affiliate club fees typically run $2,000-3,500. Tournament travel adds substantially. Equipment includes cleats, shin guards, kit, multiple jerseys.

Soccer: Elite/showcase · 65 games estimated

ECNL and MLS Next clubs publish member fee structures averaging $4,500-7,500. National showcase event travel is the largest variable.

Softball

Softball: Rec · 16 games estimated

Little League Softball and USA Softball rec fees mirror baseball at $100-300. Equipment runs slightly higher than baseball because helmets with facemasks and infield fielder masks are standard in fastpitch.

Softball: School · 30 games estimated

The softball middle layer: rec spring plus fall ball plus a winter clinic. Pitching lessons start earlier than the baseball equivalent because windmill mechanics are coach-taught, not playground-learned.

Softball: Travel/club · 60 games estimated

Travel fastpitch club fees average $1,500-3,000, in line with travel baseball. The differentiator is pitching instruction: windmill pitchers at the travel level typically take weekly lessons year-round, and tournament entries run $400-700 per team per event.

Stunt and tumbling

Stunt and tumbling: School · 12 games estimated

STUNT is the head-to-head game format USA Cheer built from cheer skills, and it prices like a school sport, not like all-star: athletic fee, shoes, spirit pack. No competition uniforms, no choreography fee, no Worlds trip.

Stunt and tumbling: Travel/club · 8 games estimated

Club-level stunt and tumbling runs on the all-star cheer fee model: monthly gym tuition, a uniform, a choreography fee, and competition travel. Budget against the cheer profile and you will land close.

Swimming

Swimming: School · 14 games estimated

School swimming follows generic school athletic fee patterns. Equipment (suit, cap, goggles, parka) is family-provided.

Swimming: Travel/club · 30 games estimated

USA Swimming publishes annual membership and meet fee structures. Year-round age-group club fees average $2,000-3,500. Tech suit cost ($150-400) drives equipment line.

Tennis

Tennis: School · 14 games estimated

USTA publishes junior program participation and cost data. Tennis lesson rates ($60-100/hr) are widely surveyed. School tennis equipment is family-provided.

Theater

Theater: School · 8 games estimated

School theater runs $200-700 a year across two productions: participation fees, costume pieces the costumer asks families to cover, a makeup kit, and the ticket line nobody budgets. The state Thespian festival trip is the swing item.

Theater: Travel/club · 12 games estimated

Youth and community theater companies post production fees of $250-450 per show, and serious kids do two or three a year. Voice lessons are where the budget actually lives. EdTA festival travel adds on top for competitive troupes.

Track and field

Track and field: School · 12 games estimated

School track sits in the same $200-600 band as cross country. NFHS participation data backs the low barrier. The one trap: spikes are event-specific, so a kid who sprints and jumps owns two pairs.

Track and field: Travel/club · 14 games estimated

Summer USATF club track mirrors club cross country: low dues, per-event entries, and a Junior Olympic ladder that turns into real travel money for the handful who qualify out of regionals.

Volleyball

Volleyball: Travel/club · 50 games estimated

JVA and USAV publish club program structure data. National-bid 14U/15U/16U club fees range $3,000-5,500. Qualifier weekend travel is the largest variable.

Submit your numbers

If your real numbers diverge significantly from the defaults, email them. The more reader data we have, the more accurate the calculator gets. Especially helpful: which sport, which level, which region, your annual all-in cost, and a flag for any line that surprised you