Our sports are expensive. I wish there was a way around it, but the equipment-intensive nature of skiing and snowboarding along with the venues in mountain resort towns make it a costlier venture than many other sports. However, in Steamboat, our kids are fortunate to have access to some of the absolute best training venues in the country with the top coaches around. The opportunities for kids in skiing and snowboarding are greater in this town than anywhere else I know. So while participation comes at a price, there is big upside here.

Looking globally at our sport, it is very different in many places in Europe. Kids in the mountain towns go through the ski school, often as part of their school. Costs to families are low. As they move into the clubs costs increase, but as they progress to high levels in their sport, academy programs are supported by government funding such that costs are low and the opportunities are accessible to all economic brackets.

In the U.S., we don’t have government funding for our programs at the club or national team level. (Though we are very fortunate in Steamboat to have the kind of cooperation with club and the City of Steamboat Springs for operations and use at Howelsen Hill, as well as great support from Steamboat Ski Resort.) However, as a community club, we believe it is a primary objective to make sure that local kids who want to ski or snowboard are able to participate. Our model to achieve this involves scholarships, and a lot of work at the club goes into providing scholarship options for families. The new EZ Scholarship is a big step, and it is important that families are aware there are additional scholarship funds for program fees and travel costs available. Because of the costs to participate, families who may feel they shouldn’t apply because they are doing well, should apply. Simply put, when the strain of the cost to participate is making you question whether or not your child should continue, but your child loves to do it and you see the value both on and off the mountain of your child’s participation, it is time to apply for a scholarship. From my view, understanding all of the costs of the sport, I believe many families are more hesitant to ask for help than they should be. Now that the scholarship process is online, there is no reason not to apply.

Another factor that drives up cost in skiing and snowboarding is a perceived arms race to have the best of the best equipment. Thousands of dollars can easily be spent on hundredths of a second on a race course and it simply isn’t money well spent at the junior level. When doing our sports on a budget, focus on getting properly fitted equipment and maintaining it well, but beyond that, no additional investment is necessary. Check out our Parenting for Success article on Equipment for guidance, and ask your coaches for specific advice.

Finally, don’t get caught up in FOMO – fear of missing out. This often manifests itself in chasing competitions in hopes of landing that one result to give your child the advantage. Over-competing has many negative consequences, including lost training time, possible losses in confidence and motivation, and it can be darn expensive. In many cases, it is OK to miss a competition and train at home without any ill-effect on the athlete’s season goals and keeping the family budget in check. Meet with the coach at the start of the season, look at the event schedule, and make a good plan and stick with it. We have some more ideas for managing the season on a budget in this Parenting for Success article.

It does get expensive as skiers and snowboarders get older and more competitive in their sport, but it doesn’t need to get unmanageable. The SSWSC has many resources to help you, and there are many examples of families who have made smart, budget-conscious decisions about how their children participate and found great success. We’re here to help!

Each week Athletic Director Jon Nolting will share his insight about happenings inside the club and around youth sport through the View From the Summit blog post.