A fresh report from the Ministry of Education shows that the cost to children and young people of playing competitive sport is in danger of spiralling out of control. The report showed that seasons are now longer, training more regular and coaching more expensive than 10 years ago.
The report analysed the costs of 13 sports: golf, football, ice hockey, basketball, Finnish baseball, floorball, athletics, swimming, figure skating, dance, gymnastics, skiing and riding. Some 80 percent of children involved in sport with a club practice one of those sports.
In 2001 the cost of one practice for a competitive sport was between six and 39 euros. That has now risen to between 13 and 58 euros.
According to the ministry’s research, some 11 to 14-year-olds now find it impossible to take part in competitive sport.
The report found that the total sums spent on children’s sport mount up, and are composed of many individual payments. Clubs, associations and municipalities do not always see the total cost to parents, as they sometimes only consider the payments made to them, but licenses, training, equipment, travel and other costs add up.
Many families find the total payments too much and their children end up outside organised sport.
