The true cost of kids sport

AUSTRALIA'S identity has been shaped by sport and we are so good at it that generation after generation of kids want to be involved. Almost 50 percent of kids aged six to 13 are actively involved in soccer - the most popular team sport - followed closely by basketball, cricket and netball.

Almost 50 percent of kids aged six to 13 are actively involved in soccer - the most popular team sport - followed closely by basketball, cricket and netball.

AUSTRALIA'S identity has been shaped by sport and we are so good at it that generation after generation of kids want to be involved. Almost 50 percent of kids aged six to 13 are actively involved in soccer - the most popular team sport - followed closely by basketball, cricket and netball.

But let's not forget the parents who have to drag themselves and their kids out of bed on precious weekends to hit the road for the next field, arena or court. These unsung heroes sacrifice plenty of time and money for their kids’ sporting pursuits and many wouldn’t have it any other way.

Maria Napthali, mother of equestrian vaulter Isabella 14, and Victor age 11, who plays cricket in summer and rugby in winter, as well as jujitsu, is one of this army of adults who are helping their kids pursue their athletic ambitions.

Maria takes her kids to sport every day except Sunday but even spare moments can be taken up with special training sessions for vaulting – which is gymnastics and dance on horseback.

“We don't have any horses locally so we travel almost two hours each way and the session runs for about two hours. If I'm working I will go after work and help by putting the horse away and do whatever else needs to be done,” says Maria.

That includes leaving her job for five weeks last year to take Isabella to compete in Germany where she won a gold medal for Australia.

“I don't want them to be doing a sport to win, I want them to be active for the benefit of healthy minds and bodies, have a great social community and love what they're doing,” Maria says. “And keep them out of the shopping malls!”

Most Australian parents with children aged six to 18 years old are involved in at least one sporting activity per week and 72 percent of parents says they are more involved in these activities than their own parents were, The AustralianActive Kids Report found last year.

Aussie Parents typically spend almost six hours driving to games and training, another five-and- a-half hours waiting at games and about 5 hours involved with their kids’ sports each week, the survey showed.

Mum of four Katrina Fisher spends about 12 hours a week ferrying her kids to eight different sporting activities each week and spends more than $3,000 a term on tuition and registration fees.

“The biggest sacrifice is family time, such as eating dinners together, lazy Saturday and Sunday mornings together and time for yourself,” Katrina says.

But like Maria, she loves the social skills her kids learn, particularly from team sports, and the fact that it keeps the children active and builds their self-esteem.

“Team sports are important for us as we want to help our kids build relationships and be social outside of home and school,” Katrina says. “They learn to respect authority and to control their emotions. It also gets them thinking about what is good for the team not just themselves and they have to learn how to lose and be a gracious winner.”

Both mothers are also adamant that they do not pressure their kids into doing their sports but once the children take up an activity they must commit to seeing it through.

About 63 percent of Australian parents think competitive sport is making kids stressed, 66 percent believed there is a lot of pressure on children to participate and 61 percent of parents feel everyone is a bit obsessed with children's sport, according to the Australian Active Kids Report.

Dr Stewart Vella, a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Wollongong, has done extensive research into the relationship between sport participation and heath during childhood. The car ride home from sport is a good opportunity for parents to gauge how their children are feeling, Vella says.

“A child may be vulnerable to a certain experience if they have won or lost and what a parent says at this time can be very influential,’’ he says. “Parents and kids need to have the right attitude toward sport, rather than the hours spent. Ultimately the most important message is to have fun, not win.”

Isabella started vaulting almost five years ago and quickly became hooked. Initially she was going to one or two training sessions but now trains up to four times a week. With her eye on competing at world champion level, more money and more time will be needed from mum and dad. Having just turned 14 Isabella is eager to get a job so she can contribute financially.

“You think very closely about how to support your kids to be their best and if that means putting your own personal dreams and goals aside for a little while to help them, that’s ok with me,” says Maria who has missed out on many social events to support her children over the years. “We haven't got them at home for very long so when they go off doing their own thing, I can do mine.”

“Luckily Victor's sport doesn't cost much but anything to do with horses is expensive, it's our retirement money but at the end of the day there's nothing more we enjoy than seeing our kids enjoy what they are doing,” said Maria.

Katrina says she sometimes begrudges the time she give up for her kids but she will remind them that she and their father sacrifice a lot to enable them to pursue their chosen sports.

“Of course seeing them happy and healthy is great and when they get an award they are so proud of themselves that is really nice to watch,” she says. “We have met a lot of families that we have become really good friends with through sports which is great too.” 

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Originally published as The true cost of kids sport