Are sports camps and clinics for kids worthwhile?
Minor hockey is over and, although summer and soccer are still a few months away, weary parents have to decide soon which sports camps their kids are going to sign up for -- and for how long.
The cost of sending your son or daughter away for a week or more can be daunting. Some parents simply need a babysitter but, for many, it’s all about helping talented kids realize their potential. And the sky is the limit in that case.
"Camps have cost me my retirement," one worried parent told the Deseret News. "It's cost me not only financially, as an investment, but emotionally, physically, and a lot of time." But he's not talking about pulling junior out, of course.
That "we're on our way to the show" attitude may seem a bit extreme to some but young teenagers looking to play AAA hockey or making the travelling soccer team for their area often don't see it that way. And things are even crazier across the border when it comes to football.
But are these specialty camps worthwhile for all student-athletes, or just the elite performers who hope to compete at the university and even the professional levels? And who draws the line?
How much are you willing to spend to help your kids realize their (or perhaps your) dreams?
By Gordon Powers, MSN Money
Posted by: New Grad | Mar 29, 2021 3:05:12 PM
I have been a dance student and teacher for many years. Trust me, parents will stop at nothing. I families that have uprooted the town they said they'd never leave to pursue their 10 year olds dance career. In Calgary there is a new private sports school that opened up. It costs an arm and a leg to go to, but the registration continues to go up. And again, families uprooting their lives just for this school. I don't think it's worth it. If you have the money to throw away though, why not.