<p>Mom22039 said: “Our calendar year’s donations (checks plus an auction) will be $1200+ but that’s nothing compared to our travel costs!”</p>
<p>Mom, please take this in the congratulatory spirit in which it is intended. I’ve been a youth baseball coach for many years and my son is a modestly talented HS senior who would kill for the opportunity to play D3 baseball, even if it means stepping down to a school slightly below the level for which his academics likely qualify him. I’ve seen countless parents spend $5,000 to $10,000 per year (starting when their kid is maybe 11 years old) on travel teams, coaches, equipment, etc. in the hope of just getting their kid on their high school varsity team, and many if not most don’t even make it that far. For those parents and kids, having to spend ‘only’ $1,200 per year (even if that doesn’t include travel) and to have their child play in a D1 sport would be the height of their dreams (and a financial windfall in relative terms). I realize that every family is different and the $1,200 is harder to come up with for some than others. Just understand that many – including me – would consider your daughter and her family to be very blessed in being able to write those checks.</p>
<p>No problem. We are blessed to be able to write those checks on top of tuition at a pricey school. The cost of tuition is a big jump from the prior years’ club costs. But we were surprised at the level of involvement and fundraising at this level. </p>
<p>We continue to play for our athlete’s shoes (not provided) and equipment (did not prefer the school issued) and no gear has been endowed by Nike, or anyone else! All training gear and uniforms must be returned. </p>
<p>I do think this thread is important because it point out that for many of us and our kids, that fundraising and family support continues to important at he college level. There are many who compete without the trappings and swag seen with the big sports.</p>
<p>Expecting some level of fundraising seems pretty reasonable - especially at underfunded schools, non-revenue sports or underfunded revenue sports. Many Public universities are under great pressure to cut athletic programs because of overall budget cuts. If your child has no scholarship this may seem like a lot to ask, but if any scholarship money has been provided, giving back to the team seems reasonable. Make sure you always follow NCAA rules! I also think most coaches are sensitive to families not in a position to donate.</p>
<p>BTW, we did receive a receipt for tax deduction for our donation to the school. </p>
<p>These schools that are having the parent pay for trips or equipment should cycle the money through the school so that it is tax deductible, I would think.</p>
<p>Parent of a senior Ivy athlete here - haven’t ever been asked to make any kind of financial contribution to the athletic program or to subsidize any training efforts. Some free gear provided, probably not as much as at a more competitive DI scholarship program, but certainly all necessary gear is provided by the program. Our athlete is not aware of parents being asked to participate in any fundraising efforts for the other sports at his school, so I don’t think we can assume that those expectations are true for all Ivy’s. Interesting to read about the differences across schools/programs!</p>
<p>Parent of Ivy athlete graduate here. We contributed a lot to our son’s team – the team had a very strong parent organization which sponsored tailgates after every game with a hot meal for the team and bag lunches for the long bus rides home. The parents association asked for a fairly steep contribution to make the tailgates happen – but there were certainly deeper-pocketed folks that stepped up to cover for parents who just couldn’t participate at that level. </p>
<p>We continue to attend some of the larger fundraising events – the golf outings etc – although our son has graduated.</p>
<p>Son is a Ivy baseball sophomore. We have not been asked directly to contribute to any fundraising events or programs yet. I have to admit that son’s Spring Break travel schedule is modest (no FL, CA trip) and that suits us fine. This will be the 2nd year they come to Virginia (where we live) and Wash DC area for Spring Break games. We’ve seen some of the upperclassmen parents sponsor dinners and tailgates at the away conference games, but these were fairly deep pocketed folks as cnp55describes. Son’s team is self funded through large alumni donations, and they seem to be managing the pot of money just fine. There were a number of capital improvement projects, but none were solicited to us. I guess at some point it will be our turn to host & contribute a dinner or tailgate which is fine. I just want a heads up.</p>
<p>@stemit - I would have no problem subsidizing an Ivy ring if it meant a few hundred bucks But your point is well taken that the athletiic dept or baseball team doesn’t want to dip into their “kitty” even for something special as that. </p>
<p>On a seperate but related topic…What truly amazes me is the number of parents that consistently fly out from , FL, TX, CA, OR, WA to the northeast for weekend Ivy League games. This has got to be incredibly expensive. These are parents from both sides.</p>
<p>We haven’t seen our student in collegiate sport this fall. Might try and do that in the spring. The flights, hotel, arrangements for younger sibling, and boarding the dog add alot of expense and cooperation from others…
We hope we get an opportunity.</p>
<p>As one who tries to go the every game - from across the country - I wouldn’t miss it for the world. </p>
<p>I’m sure not going to go and watch him in the real world after college. </p>
<p>For all of us on this board, the college athletic experience is the culmination of a decades long partnership/joint venture which began when some were as tall as our waist and will end at their last match/meet/game - with our adult offspring towering over us. </p>
<p>I venture to say that for all of us, pictures festoon our walls, trophies adorn our mantles, sets of tires were worn out in driving to practices and competitions, evolving to our teenagers driving themselves to those practices and meets. The parent/child relationship changed from total dependence to total independence; from total active involvement to cheering them on from collegiate stands. </p>
<p>With the clock ticking on the primary area of shared interest with my S, I intend to see it all - i’ll work an extra year on the back end! The day he takes off that pinstripe uniform on that last collegiate game, I want to be there - it will be the end of an era.</p>
<p>Stemit, thanks for expressing far more eloquently than I could have done (and I’ve got a pretty fair knack for putting words together) how I feel about the venture/journey. My son is a senior in high school and a DIII prospect at best, and there’s a strong chance that his college choice will take him some place (say, a D1 school) where playing varsity ball (in his case, baseball) will not be an option. So the end you describe may come this year. But, in fact, he was a late bloomer and was ready to have the game leave him behind several times after he turned 12. I consider every additional year he plays (and hence, every year I get to be his designated bullpen catcher and team chauffeur) to be a gift. </p>
<p>I like your attitude of ‘working another year’ on the back end. As they say, no one ever lay on his death bed complaining, “I wish I’d spent more time in the office and less time with my kids.”</p>
<p>Last year, we had at least 6 pairs of senior baseball parents making the flight from the west coast or middle of the country to the east coast for the weekend doubleheaders. I found out later these senior parents made every weekend game. As a freshmen parent, I was in total awe and learned from the upper class parents…the lesson was get your butt to the games because it goes by quickly!</p>
<p>We made about 12 games last year including his first college appearance, and first ivy “W” in New Yok City in front of the whole family and a bunch of friends. Our goal is to make about a half to three quarters of the weekend games this year. Rolfe division schools (H,Y,D,B) will be via plane, and Gehrig division schools (Cor, Pr, Col, Penn), will be a nice car ride 5-8 hours. </p>
<p>As stemit suggests, I will be making it up in the backend. I intend to use half of my vacation time on college baseball games this year. The four years will go quick and I do not want to have any regrets. I’ve got my Garmin and EZpass all set to go, we just need gas prices and airplane tickets to come down!</p>
<p>I fully concur with the commitment to travel. When my D was away at prep school, half way across the country, I made a point of flying to every significant regatta. Now she is in college, again half way across the country. How I wish we were in driving distance! This autumn, we were able to go to one big race, but this spring, which is her active season, I fully intend to go to at least 2 (the most major) if not 3 or more of her races. Yes, it is expensive to buy plane tickets, rent cars, book hotel rooms, etc. but as the above posters have stated, this is just a small window of time. I draw such vicarious pleasure from seeing her perform her sport at a the college level, with a huge smile on her face. I love getting to know her team mates, and their very committed (often more local!) parents. The whole experience is priceless, and if that means giving up pleasure trips so that I can go freeze on the banks of a northern river, then so be it. This is a priority I wouldn’t change for anything!</p>
<p>For airfare, I use [Airfare</a> Deals - Cheap Flights - Airfarewatchdog](<a href=“http://WWW.airfarewatchdog.com%5DAirfare”>http://WWW.airfarewatchdog.com). It’s free and it constantly emails fares on specified routes. When a fare drops into the acceptable range, I snag it. The best fares may last only a day or 2 before the fare is pulled. Last year we were able to travel cross country for as low as $110RT (on Continental).</p>
<p>oh, so true. And just like in high school, the one you decide to miss is the one where they have a breakout performance. I have no regrets about the events I traveled to- it’s going to be over all too soon.</p>
<p>Wow, guys, I’m teary reading these posts, and D is still a senior! As she took OV’s to the other coast, we would wonder what will we do when she’s way over there?! What do other parents do during the season? Now we know. We won’t be the ‘weird’ ones showing up from the other coast!!! We’ll have plenty of company! Time is precious. Thanks for sharing your experiences here.</p>
<p>I should add, as the OP, that while we’ve been finding out about fundraising through your posts, some other interesting things came up. One poster talked about buying rings, others mentioned travel expenses and team dinners. I like being prepared for the kinds of expenses we wouldn’t have thought of without your input. The posts about parents traveling to distant events was also illuminating. I don’t expect to get to all events, but sure plan on catching as many as possible (even if it takes ‘an extra year on the backend!’) Thanks again to all!</p>
But your point is well taken that the athletiic dept or baseball team doesn’t want to dip into their “kitty” even for something special as that. </p>
I have no regrets about the events I traveled to- it’s going to be over all too soon.</p>