As a parent of a non-athlete my opinion would stay the same unless there would a solid outline of why and where the funds go to.

512 4-2 Responses***You will reply to 2 threads. At least 1 paragraph in length. They must be on the same page but LABLED WHO’s is WHOSE. The first paragraph should be labeled (Christopher Nordenson) and the other one should be labeled (Matthew Persell) *** 1. Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not?Christopher Nordenson Many athletic directors at high schools are in favor of a pay to play policy because it reduces budgets, reduces the need for tax increases and reduces the likelihood of sports being cut. Some schools allow those who get free lunches to not pay and those on reduced lunch only must pay 50% of the pay to play fees (Von Dobeneck, 2010). The athletic directors would need to weight if the pay to play would put a strain on their athlete’s family budgets and would in turn lower participation. If I was a parent who had high income, I don’t think that it would bother me that much. I would probably understand that it helps the school with their budget. If I was a low-income parent and the school wasn’t willing to reduce the fee, I would probably not be a fan of this model especially now during COVID. Parents are already paying for equipment, admissions to games and training. If the program my child was in was a small team already struggling to get kids, I would worry the extra fee would scare away potential players and effectively end the sport at the school (Von Dobeneck, 2010). If I was a parent of a non-athlete, I would probably be in favor of the pay to play because I wouldn’t want the taxes to go up first and foremost. Secondly, I would not want the budget diverted from my child’s extracurricular activities to the athletic department or if my child is already paying for their extracurricular activity, I would want sports to do the same. Many schools are already having students pay for music, orchestra, band and even art, chemistry and other academic courses requiring expensive supplies (Von Dobeneck, 2010). Pay for play is an interesting model because I can see it from both perspectives. It will be interesting to see if the pay for play model continues to grow especially during COVID.Matthew Persell Many things in the world cost us some type of monetary denomination. When it comes to sports, athletes must purchase a lot of their own equipment when playing. When it comes to athletes that play 3 different sports that price tag continuously adds up over time. Add in gas, oil changes, wear and tear on the car from all your driving, it all adds up quickly. If an athlete specializes in one sport throughout the entire year, they are most likely playing school sports, travel, AAU, or town/rec. Depending on the area you live in, school sports may have a fee or might be free. Travel & AAU sports tend to have a lofty price to play. You are playing against better competition, better officials, and at bigger venues/arenas. When it comes to high school sports, there should be no pay to play policy. We are in a time of crisis across the world. Millions have lost their jobs and are struggling to put food on the table for their families. Kids need an outlet; they have been inside for way too long with increasing fears. Anxiety and depression have increased tremendously in millions worldwide. By trying to implement a pay to play policy administration will get a lot of push back from parents and players. New Jersey and Michigan are two states that have introduced bills to prohibit sports participation fees (Eyler, et.al, 2018). By taking the step as a state to ensure that student athletes do not have to pay to play at the high school level it shows the backing of the district to show the importance of sport. As a parent of a student athlete I would be very upset if I had to pay for my student to play high school sports. A lot of tax dollars are already going to the school every year and housing is not cheap. Being a single parent would make it even more challenging. If that were to occur, my student would not be able to play sports at the high school level: depending on the price point. As a parent of a non-athlete my opinion would stay the same unless there would a solid outline of why and where the funds go to. Would the cost be more depending on the sport level: middle school, fresh, jv, varsity? It is also challenging to implement a new policy when things have been a certain way for a long time. If a school district does this to bring in more revenue because they need it they should surely look at others way to save money or cut some costs.