Expense

Expense

by Dr. Andrew Wehrli
September, 2017-- The youth athletic experience has changed. Whether I was on-the-court or riding the bench, high school sports are still some of my fondest memories. I learned life lessons, teamwork, and leadership through sports. In many ways, sports made me the man I am today.

In today’s sporting world, I’m not sure I would have had the opportunity to compete. If that was the case, I may not have gone to college or eventually pursued a career I love. I grew up in a family of four. My parents never went to college. My mom worked multiple jobs to provide for me and my sisters. Club sports were never an option.

Well run youth sports have always come with a cost. I can remember asking my grandma to help me buy my first pair of football cleats because my parents couldn’t afford them. I can remember trying to figure out how to pay $120 to participate in the local USTA tennis program when I was in Junior High. I worked ½ a summer to pay for my first new tennis racket. Club sports today are more expensive than ever. The costs associated with apparel, court rental, travel, additional training, coaching, and equipment add up quickly. Yet, club volleyball in Nebraska is significantly less expensive than other places around the country, but it is still a challenge for many families.

Many of the families in our club have multiple children participating in club sports. Some have multiple children playing club volleyball. Parents want to give each child the same opportunities to excel in the activities their children love. However, club is expensive. The potential return is worth it in many cases, but that doesn’t change the immediate cost of investment. You cannot quantify the cost of the experience or life lessons while you can estimate the cost of a college scholarship. However, a 12, 13, or 14-year old isn’t going to earn a scholarship. It may help her prepare to compete at the next level, but the experience should still be developmental.

If a player is a top-level player in a younger age group, the experience of competing nationally will help her improve because local competition isn’t going to expose her to the highest level of play. If she is a developing player that may grow, gain motor control, or requires more volleyball instruction, does it really make sense to compete in National Level tournaments hundreds of miles away? It depends on the goals of the family. If a family enjoys the social aspects of traveling to national events, has the resources to invest, or simply wants the player to experience that level then it does make sense. On the other hand, a family could reason that fundamental training and local competition is an effective step towards their goals.

At Nebraska Elite we want to address this challenge. As we evaluated the programming we offer, it became clear that we need to offer programs that better match the needs of each individual family. We want to give our community the ability to choose the best fit for their family. Therefore, will continue our Regional Program into 2015. This program will have a fixed cost (no additional fees), a shortened season (December 1- March 31), competes locally (less school and work conflict), and provides the same great training that has made Nebraska Elite the top club in Nebraska.

As always, one of our top goals is compete and earn national recognition! The addition of the regional program only makes Nebraska Elite a better choice for families. The regional program is not a substitute for our National Level Teams. It is simply another option for players to find their way on their volleyball journey. Over the years, we have had players compete on our third and fourth teams make top teams the following year. Players develop differently. The regional program is just another great option to allow our families to reach their goals through a different type of commitment level (financial, time, and travel).

National & Regional Club

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