Photo ©Al Macphee/MiraclePR
Children’s sports in Devon can be pricey, and with the high cost of living today, families can struggle. A parent could easily pay £100 and more for kit, annual subs and equipment. Fortunately, no matter which sport your little one plays, you can ensure they get to play without breaking the bank. Read on for some insights.
Don’t Forget About Yourself
If you’re coaching or training with your child, make sure you purchase new athletic wear for yourself. New workout gear will allow you to feel comfortable and confident as you work with your child. Some examples of exercise apparel to get include sports bras, athletic shorts or leggings and tank tops. Fortunately, nowadays, with all the options available, you don’t have to forego style for comfort—you can get the best of both worlds.
Attend Live Sporting Events the Economical Way
If you want your child to see the pros in action, you don’t necessarily have to take them to an expensive top tier club or event. Pre-season is a great time to catch professionals warming up against lower placed sides, especially in football. Keep an eye on your local clubs’ social media and website for games against top clubs. From well-known pros to future stars, you never know who is going to be in the squad (Ed – I remember when Wimbledon F.C. brough the entire Crazy Gang down to Penzance for a summer tournament!) If your child is a cricket fan, it is now commonplace for big overseas stars to play for local clubs.
If you do want to inspire your child by taking them to a big game or event, you can sometimes save money on tickets by purchasing them online in advance. And if you’re not too fussy about the type of event, some vendors let you filter by price to almost guarantee you find a deal. You can then narrow down your options by date and seat location, with, in some cases, the ticket seller offering an interactive seating chart complete with 360-degree preview!
You can also ease expenses by comparing your transportation and hotel options carefully. Use a site such as Kayak to find the cheapest hotels and airfare. If you’d like to compare the price of a flight to driving, you may use a website that offers a petrol expense calculator.
How Sports Provides Value for Your Child
If you are still unconvinced about whether to invest in your child’s sporting interests, bear the following in mind. Once your child grows up and is in the workforce, chances are they’ll need to work as a team. As noted by Allround, you can use sports as a way to teach the importance and benefits of teamwork. You can still encourage your child to be competitive, as long as you stress that winning isn’t everything. Encourage them to overcome failure and just keep trying.
Find Cost-friendly Places to Train
Most clubs, whether we’re talking about football, rugby, athletics or something else, will offer a free taster before they require you to pay subs (membership). Reach out to local clubs and ask about the price and structure of training. Read reviews and look at the club’s social media to get a ‘feel’ for the culture. Safeguarding is very important, so make sure you ask how the club ensures youth coaches are safe to work with your child. For a start, read this safeguarding guidance from the Devon FA.
If your child wants to supplement their sports training with fitness work, contact local gyms to see if they provide any activities for children. After you find a few, compare them based on what your child can participate in and the cost.
Building strength, stamina and co-ordination doesn’t have to involve a gym though. What about taking your child to nearby parks to jog or hike? This is free and allows your child to get fresh air, sunshine and exercise.
Save Money While Keeping Your Child Happy and Active
Your child can be happy and active, and so can you when you comparison shop for sporting equipment and find low-cost ways for your child to train. Remember to budget when going to see a sporting event, teach the value of teamwork and find budget-friendly (or free) places to train. Soon you’ll be enjoying sports alongside your youngster without breaking the bank.
On the topic of budgeting, Clubnets currently provides free websites for 2 leagues and 16 clubs—with more in the pipeline. Email Neil on info@clubnets.co.uk to add your league or club to the list.