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High school sports participation fees aren’t automatic for Michigan schools, but can still pose hardship

Sign at entrance of East Lansing High School in East Lansing, Michigan.
Anyssa Hall
Sign at entrance of East Lansing High School in East Lansing, Michigan.

Playing high school sports comes with a cost - one usually borne by the school or district. But many schools require parents to chip in, to the tune of hundreds of dollars.

Playing high school sports is a rite of passage for many students. Karen Owen has two high school children that both play sports, but their situations are different in terms of participation fees.

Her daughter, a sophomore volleyball player at Lansing Christian, does not have to pay a fee to play sports at the tuition-based private religious school. Her son, a senior soccer player at Haslett High, has to pay a $200 participation fee to compete at the public school.

The fees are primarily intended to cover transportation costs, but according to the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA), it’s about more than getting students from one place to another.

MHSAA first studied how schools utilized participation fees in the 2003-2004 school year. Athletic participation or “pay-to-play” fees are finance assessments made by each school district requiring students to pay for their participation in extracurricular athletics and maintain the program. Each school determines their own amount that will provide for the district’s athletic budget. The study found 22.6% of Michigan high schools had participation fees in 2003. Now, 41% of schools charge.

Haslett High is one of the MHSAA schools that have a pay-to-play fee. Their annual fee is $200 for high schoolers, middle school football students and $100 for all other middle school sports, with a $400 family maximum.

“We’re lucky enough to afford the $200 but I know they offer arrangements for those who can’t,” said Owen. “They do a good job accommodating to others’ needs with payment plans and other options if needed. My kids also do club sports so I feel like this is just another one of the costs that goes into being an athlete.”

Holt High is another part of the 41%. Their booster club is full of parents aiming to take away the potential burden of fees by providing for the community. There’s a booster rep parent for each team and non-profit board of directors to provide consistency in recruiting parents every year.

“As the booster club, we essentially want to boost the athletic revenue and recognition by building the community through fundraising, food, concessions, advertising, partnering with companies and building a welcoming environment during events,” said Chuck Bird, President of Holt High School’s booster club.

The club’s fundraising goes towards new equipment or areas not required within the athletic fees that would advance the athletic program. Each sport has a different scale of needs based on necessary equipment, roster size and travel that are accessed by the boosters and Holt’s advisory board.

“It’s been a very positive experience,” said Bird. “The parents that get involved are the parents who are passionate, but the common denominator is the kids.

“It’s easy to come together at the end of the day and know we only want the best experience for them,” he said.

East Lansing High is on the other side of the athletic fees spectrum.East Lansing used to charge $275 per student to play any number of sports, with a $600 cap per family. They’re now able to provide for their athletes without having a pay-to-play.

“After COVID we felt the fees were a barrier to participation,” said Nicole Norris, East Lansing’s athletic director. “We used to provide scholarships but those can be hard to ask for.”

East Lansing High School collects tax money that goes into a general fund with an average 1% to 1.5% dedicated to the athletic department. Norris assigns needed items such as transportation, officials, and gear that the fund would cover. All extra equipment or bigger items are allowed to be fundraised by coaches within a different account.

“We’ve been very fortunate our business manager is good at what he does,” Norris said. “We found that we could get rid of the participation fees and still pay the bills. Every couple of years we’ll reexamine, take it back to the board and see if we can keep up with that.”

East Lansing High School no longer has to pay, but MacDonald Middle School students in the district still pay the fees ranging from $175 to $225 per person and vary by sport. The city of East Lansing oversees the middle school athletic program while the district manages the high school. East Lansing’s efforts were met with positive feedback from parents and community when fees were eventually removed at the high school level.

“People were overjoyed and grateful to get $275 back in their pocket,” said Norris. “It would be really hard to go back and reinstate charging.”

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