04/01/2025
We love watching our kids compete.
The hustle. The jerseys. The hotel weekends. The pride.
But here’s a question more parents are starting to ask:
What’s the real cost of all of this?
For just one travel sport like softball, soccer, or volleyball, families spend between $4,000 and $8,000 a year.
That includes:
• Team fees
• Uniforms & gear
• Hotels, gas, meals
• Camps, clinics, and private training
Over six years? That’s $24,000–$48,000 per child.
And that’s if they’re only doing one sport.
(Many do two. Some do three.)
Yes, fundraising helps.
But it usually means tapping family, friends, and local businesses year after year to keep things going.
Now consider this:
If you redirected just $5,000/year into a 529 College Savings Plan instead?
With modest 6% growth, you could build $35,000–$41,000—tax-free.
And if you’re in Colorado, you get a state tax deduction too.
Meanwhile:
• Only 0.8% of college students get athletic scholarships
• The average award is about $10,000/year, and it often replaces other aid
• Scholarships aren’t guaranteed… but tuition bills are
Here’s the bottom line:
Travel sports are valuable.
They teach discipline, confidence, teamwork, and grit.
But so does having a paid-for education.
You don’t have to choose between the jersey and their future.
But you do need a plan for both.
If you want help running the numbers and building the legacy, let’s talk.
