Please pay for my kids sports

[crappieperchhunter]

Just got back from a local liquor store. A bunch of I'm guessing 10 year old boys in baseball uniforms asking for donations to help pay for there team to go to Cuba. No ticket sales for any prizes so some good hearted donator has a chance for something in return ...just sticking batters helmets in the faces of everybody trying to enter the store asking for money. And a group of parents chatting 10 feet away keeping an eye on things I guess.

 

Maybe it's just me but it really rubbed me the wrong way. I did my share of selling tickets,chocolate covered almonds, casino nights etc etc for my sons sports, but any team he was on never asked for money without something for the donator in return. And to top it off making the poor kids beg in front of the LCBO on a beautiful summer long weekend when they should be out enjoying the long weekend with them.

 

I'm just glad my son was never on a team that thought this was the way to get money for there kids sports, cause I know I would never support it.

 

There I FEEL BETTER NOW.

 

On a happier note. Packing for the cottage so things are all ready to go when the boss gets off work at 5.

[GBW]

I too don't shell out cash for things like that. now when they come around door to door doing a bottle drive, I dig up everything I can to give them because they are working for that money. I noticed something going on at the LCBO today too so maybe it was one of those 'beg for cash' drives going on, duno, tim's was too busy for me to tell.

[cram]

I don't mind that stuff, and without chocolate bars/almonds whatever WAY more of the $$ actually goes to their cause.

[landry]

I never donate money to middle class Canadians to "support" them as they drive their son to sports games in their 50,000$ SUV with 700$ of hockey equip in the back.

I give to real charities.

I refuse to do team fundraisers for my kids hockey - I just throw in $ instead - I am too embarrassed to ask for $$$ to support my family's lifestyle choices.

Landry

[Gregoire]

Being a coach I understand how hard it can be to pay for everything, and see why someone may take the easy way out when looking for fundraising. However, I agree that kids should have to work for the money. It may create more work for me as well in terms of coordinating delivery, tracking money and inventory, but the lessons learned are worth it. Personally I would not just donate money to a sports organization. Donating to a charity is a different story.

[Roy]

Just got back from a local liquor store. A bunch of I'm guessing 10 year old boys in baseball uniforms asking for donations to help pay for there team to go to Cuba. No ticket sales for any prizes so some good hearted donator has a chance for something in return ...just sticking batters helmets in the faces of everybody trying to enter the store asking for money. And a group of parents chatting 10 feet away keeping an eye on things I guess.

 

Maybe it's just me but it really rubbed me the wrong way. I did my share of selling tickets,chocolate covered almonds, casino nights etc etc for my sons sports, but any team he was on never asked for money without something for the donator in return. And to top it off making the poor kids beg in front of the LCBO on a beautiful summer long weekend when they should be out enjoying the long weekend with them.

 

I'm just glad my son was never on a team that thought this was the way to get money for there kids sports, cause I know I would never support it.

 

There I FEEL BETTER NOW.

 

On a happier note. Packing for the cottage so things are all ready to go when the boss gets off work at 5.

 

Good luck with that. I got lambasted 2 years ago for saying the same thing.

[crappieperchhunter]

Donating to a charity is a different story.

 

I agree 100%

 

Good luck with that. I got lambasted 2 years ago for saying the same thing.

 

I wouldn't be in the kitchen here flipping burgers if I couldn't take the heat Roy

[John]

I coached competitive soccer for 15 years and we fund raised for everything other than basic registration. It involved sponsorship in return for advertising on uniforms etc., running bingo's in smoke filled rooms at midnight to 3.00am, car washes, bottle drives, garage sales.........you get the idea.

 

My Grandson plays competitive hockey, (very expensive), they are not allowed to fund raise at all, I guess different clubs look at it in different ways.

 

I just can't figure clubs, coaches and parents allowing players to scrounge money outside liquor stores, beer stores and grocery stores without offering anything or any effort in return, to me it's a form of panhandling......just my .002!

[smally21]

a dude at work is always selling stuff for his kids rep hockey team. fundraiser for a week long trip to florida.

a weekend in new york city. these 9 year olds have matching track suits to wear on the bus to the game. each one has a custom embroidered hockey bag with name and number - i helped him pick them up they were over 200$ each.

they have mmore custom bling than an NBA franchise. they are 9 years old.

 

all these kids live in half million dollar homes and go to school in navigators and lexus suvs.

 

around here you are not sending inner city kids to camp, you are sponsoring jackets and bling to go to expensive tournaments and stay for a week at fancy hotels with giant swimming pools.

 

im with ya. lets get blasted together.

 

if a homeless guy with a coffee cup stands in front of the LCBO he is guilty of a crime called panhandling and subject to arrest or at least given the boot for tresspassing. maybe the homeless guy should get himself a baseball uniform.....

Edited July 30, 2011 by smally21

[Carp]

CPH, I agree with your thinking on the subject.

There should be something in return for people's money.

 

My daughter is on a rep hockey team this coming season. It will cost about 10 times what house league hockey would have cost.

One of the dads is a doctor, but most of the parents have average incomes. To offset the financial burden for some of the player's families, the team is selling tickets for a draw. Prize is $1500. They're calling it "Beer for a Year", but the prize can be spent anywhere. For some on this board, it would be more like "beer for a week".

[Guest ThisPlaceSucks]

talk about a bunch of fuddy duddies.

 

hockey (or any sport really) can cost a family 15000 a year and without this fundraising many simply wouldn't be there.

 

i'm very glad that there was fundraising when i played hockey as it wasn't something that was easy for my single mother to afford growing up.

 

want something in return? how about the knowledge that you're helping out a kid and there might be a few kids on that team too poor to afford what others take for granted.

Edited July 30, 2011 by Dr. Salvelinus

[ketchenany]

Didn't you get asked for a donation by the cashier when checking out your purchase? What is that all about.

 

I tell them to lower the taxes and I may.

[Skud]

I have no problem donating money for kids to play sports here in Ontario. They can spend their own money to fly and play in Cuba.

[Gregoire]

talk about a bunch of fuddy duddies.

 

hockey (or any sport really) can cost a family 15000 a year and without this fundraising many simply wouldn't be there.

 

i'm very glad that there was fundraising when i played hockey as it wasn't something that was easy for my single mother to afford growing up.

 

want something in return? how about the knowledge that you're helping out a kid and there might be a few kids on that team too poor to afford what others take for granted.

 

I don't think that the general feeling is not to donate to kids sports, rather it is that if they want to fundraise they shouldn't just sit outside a business and ask for it; they should do some type of fundraising. In my experience there are many things that an organization can do to raise a decent amount of money. The sad part is that it is probably the parents who are too lazy to organize it so they just decided to ask for handouts. I take issue with the lesson that this type of request teaches our young people.

As was pointed out a lot of this stuff is not for essential things, but rather for luxuries, like matching track suits, or numerous tournaments. I would sooner buy a kid a pari of skates that give them money outside a LCBO so that they can buy a team tracksuit. I could go on a longer rant right now, but I will just end with the fact that sometimes it seems that kids are most interested in how good they look, rather than how well they play.

[John]

talk about a bunch of fuddy duddies.

 

hockey (or any sport really) can cost a family 15000 a year and without this fundraising many simply wouldn't be there.

 

i'm very glad that there was fundraising when i played hockey as it wasn't something that was easy for my single mother to afford growing up.

 

want something in return? how about the knowledge that you're helping out a kid and there might be a few kids on that team too poor to afford what others take for granted.

 

No fuddy duddy here, just asking for some effort for the reward, that's all. Don't expect me when I am headed into the grocery store to drop money into the hands of a few kids yawning away at the entrance with their parents sat under an umbrella drinking lemonade! By the way these are usually soccer teams or gymnastic clubs looking for funds to buy fancy track suits or offset a trip to Texas to play a tournament, not kids who can't afford to play........sorry......

 

Not sure where you get your numbers but $15k is not it. Rep hockey one of the more expensive kids sports here in Burlington costs about $2,000 for registration, jerseys, ice time, refs, etc, etc.....Tournaments can add up to another $2-3,000 depending on the distance. Equipment around $500. It's cheaper in other cities like Oakville for example as they are allowed to fund raise and accept team sponsorship from affluent Mom's and Dad's.

 

As a rep club, if the kid is talented enough and the parent(s) can not afford it there are sponsored players. If the kid wants to play hockey (house league) and parent(s) can't afford it there are many programs offered to allow the child to play either free or partially sponsored.

 

Just sayin'.

[irishfield]

I've never seen winternet go right through the summer! I thought I was the only one not getting out fishing, but I see that ain't so...

 

I'm no stranger to helping out those in need, but at some point they have to find their own dignity ! Many seem to have none left!

 

As for the LCBO check out.. would you like to donate $2 to ......... I have a burr about that, as they won't allow the Crohn's and Colitis foundation of Canada to get in on that windfall. I still however gladly cough up $2 if they say "Sick Kids"... and I hate to say it but that's been a lot of toonies over the last 2 years!

Edited July 30, 2011 by irishfield

[John]

I've never seen winternet go right through the summer! I thought I was the only one not getting out fishing, but I see that ain't so...

 

I'm no stranger to helping out those in need, but at some point they have to find their own dignity ! Many seem to have none left!

 

As for the LCBO check out.. would you like to donate $2 to ......... I have a burr about that, as they won't allow the Crohn's and Colitis foundation of Canada to get in on that windfall. I still however gladly cough up $2 if they say "Sick Kids"... and I hate to say it but that's been a lot of toonies over the last 2 years!

 

Yup, we have donated a lot of loonies and toonies to great causes at the liquor store too...........

[misfish]

Equipment around $500

 

 

That was the cost of just my sons last chest protector John.

 

 

Betty and I were both middle class workers and my son was playing AA and AAA as a goalie.The last pair of pads I bought him were 1200 bucks.

 

We fund raised,draw tickets,the circus would come to town and give a percentage to the team for selling tickets.

 

Now I see the kids at the beer store collecting donations and empties. Nothing for it,but you know what,they could be doing worse things and have no issues with leaving them my empties. It,s not a cheap sport. Hockey that is.

 

 

The one year,he got to go and play in Denver, at the army base.

[crappieperchhunter]

 

 

i'm very glad that there was fundraising when i played hockey as it wasn't something that was easy for my single mother to afford growing up.

 

 

 

I never had an issue with fund raising. It's the "panhandling" outside the LCBO that I take offense with. And perhaps I am a fuddy duddy for expecting some form of a thank you with regards to giving my $$$ to a total stranger to help support there extra curricular activities. I can live with that.

[Dontcryformejanhrdina]

I never had an issue with fund raising. It's the "panhandling" outside the LCBO that I take offense with. And perhaps I am a fuddy duddy for expecting some form of a thank you with regards to giving my $$$ to a total stranger to help support there extra curricular activities. I can live with that.

 

 

I agree 100%. To take it a step further, I hate when some amateur athletes in Canada complain about lack of funding from the government, and I've seen stories about these poor, poor athletes who actually have to work real jobs in order to pay to go skiiing or whatever. Oh no! Heaven forbid adults have to support their own hobbies. I don't ask anyone to buy me new fishing gear to support my dreams. Kids are one thing, adults are even worse.

 

Also, I'm not going to feel sorry for any kids who can't afford to play hockey. There are bigger tragedies in life.

 

Charity is good. Spoiling people with something they absolutely don't NEED is something different.

[fishinmortician]

Im sure we could round up 9 Cubans and save them the trip. Baseballs baseball. I played rep all through ball and never did we travel outside of Ontario. Pay for our kids to go to Cuba...... well mom and dad drink umbrella drinks for a week. My parents would even stop at McDonald's on the odd trip, sounds like the Dr. would stop at Red Lobster with the team after every game. My opinion, get off your butts and earn it!!

Edited July 30, 2011 by fishinmortician

[RyanT]

Have had the exact same thing happen here at the local Ottawa liquor/ store.

 

I don't donate for things like trips to Cuba when there's homeless guys begging for change right bedside the kids in their team's uniforms.

[RyanT]

I never donate money to middle class Canadians to "support" them as they drive their son to sports games in their 50,000$ SUV with 700$ of hockey equip in the back.

I give to real charities.

I refuse to do team fundraisers for my kids hockey - I just throw in $ instead - I am too embarrassed to ask for $$ to support my family's lifestyle choices.

Landry

 

x2 Well said!

 

 

 

[RyanT]

talk about a bunch of fuddy duddies.

 

hockey (or any sport really) can cost a family 15000 a year and without this fundraising many simply wouldn't be there.

 

i'm very glad that there was fundraising when i played hockey as it wasn't something that was easy for my single mother to afford growing up.

 

want something in return? how about the knowledge that you're helping out a kid and there might be a few kids on that team too poor to afford what others take for granted.

 

 

 

They don't need to go take a trip to Cuba to play baseball then... that's excessive.

[Musky or Specks]

My son was an elite travel baseball player from 16 to 18 yrs old Base cost $7500. My choice to pay it. So yes sports can be expensive. I can't imagine what the same type of program for hockey might cost. But panhandling just doesn't cut it. Car Wash is very little dollar layout and heck whenever I see kids doing it I always give them a couple of bucks without getting my car washed because they are trying to pay their own way.