Fred Bowen's "The Score" column,
October 16, 2008, Washington Post

A Sporting Way to Pinch Pennies

Everyone seems to be talking about money these days. The prices of many things that families buy, such as food and milk, are up. Because they don't have as much money as before, many families may have to be careful about how they spend their money for the next year or more.

What does this have to do with kids who like sports? Shouldn't adults worry about money while kids just have fun?

That's how it is most of the time. But when times are tough and money is tight, even kids can help their families. Here are some things that sports kids can do.

Take care of your sports equipment. Basketballs, soccer cleats, baseball gloves and lacrosse sticks all cost money. Always put all your sports stuff in a safe, dry place after you're finished playing. Don't leave your equipment outside overnight where it could be lost or damaged. That way your family won't have to buy new equipment as often.

When you do buy new sports equipment, stay away from the high-priced, fancy stuff. The Jordan AJF 3s look real cool, but they can cost more than $140. You can get basketball shoes that are just as good for less than half that price. Anyway, wearing the Nike Kobe III shoes won't make you play like Kobe Bryant.

If you play more than one sport or on more than one team every season, you may want to cut back. Kids' sports teams, and especially travel teams, can be expensive. You may have just as much fun playing on a local recreation league team. And you may become a better player if you concentrate on one sport every season instead of playing several sports at once.

Finally, find less expensive sporting events to attend. Going to big-time pro games such as those of the Redskins or Wizards is always exciting. But with the price of tickets, sodas and souvenirs, it can cost plenty.

Lots of area college men's and women's teams don't charge kids much to watch their games. Check out the University of Maryland field hockey team. The Terrapins have a record of 11 wins and 2 losses and are one of the top teams in the nation. Both the American University and George Mason men's basketball teams went to the NCAA tournament last year.

And don't forget your local high schools. High school football, soccer and volleyball games are a blast to watch. You can sit close to the action, and some of the players may be from your neighborhood.

So talk to your parents. See if your family needs to save money. If it does, discuss what you can do to help. Families are like sports teams: They work best when everyone pitches in and helps.

Fred Bowen writes KidsPost's sports opinion column and is an author of sports novels for kids.

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