How much do you pay for kids' hockey?

[endy]

Inspired by the dance thread.
So for all the hockey parents what does it cost?
My DS12 is a goalie.
$650 to sign up. Another $200 if I don't volunteer at a bingo.
Equipment, I shop for deals:
pads minimum $200, chest protector close to $50 regular $200, glove and blocker $130 reg $150 & 130, skates $50 reg $200, stick $130 reg $200, pants $100, helmet $100 reg 200. Lets not forget goalie jock $40, neck guard $40-50, hockey bag close to $100, stick bag $20. I'm sure I missed some.
This is just for starters. He goes thru evaluations this week and not on a team yet.
And then there's the games where you have to drive around the city. We're a city of one million, have a shortage of ice and a surplus of kids who want to play.

 

[wifey1220]

My son is 7yr old and plays on 2 teams. The school team is $400. The team at the local ice rink is $1250 ( but if it is your furst year you pay $600). It cost $120 just to try out. Another $150 for jerseys and now they are asking for another $50 for ref fees. Plus we play 3 tournaments a year which all cost extra. Lucky for us we didn't need any equipment this year he was able to use his stuff from last year. But next year I will have 2 boys playing hockey. Hockey cost more than a disney vacation for our family.

 

[Traveliz]

LOL this is so funny its inspired by the dance thread because I have a son that played travel hockey and then a daughter ten years later who was big into dance.

The owner of the dance studio always says she loves the parents of hockey players cause they don't balk about the dance costs as it does come up less and the hockey parents are so use to the ongoing continuing big bills and costs of hockey.

Liz

 

[endy]

Wow Pittsburg is expensive for fees.
A friends 9 yr old was old a travel team the past 2 years. I think they spend close to 10 grand for the 2 month season. That tho includes 4 of them flying & motel. I don't think most people take the whole family with them. Another guy at work had his son (11) turn down a Europe travel team, that would be cheap!
My son tried out for a roller hockey travel but it only involved 3 weekends within a 3 hour drive. That I could handle.

No charge for tryouts and I think they supply the jersey and return at end of year, the socks you keep as they're likely full of holes anyway.

 

[dispor]

I have a son and daughter who are Squirts. DD is a goalie. Cost of travel hockey for her is $200!!!

Son is a skater and the cost for him is $650.

The goalie equipment is expensive! We were lucky this year - she needed larger pads and the club has a set she can use. We did buy her knee guards this year, since she got a couple hard hits last season. We've been taping them to get them to stay up, but it doesn't always work. It looks like maybe they are supposed to attach to the shorts somehow, but I can't figure out how... (her shorts are goalie shorts) Any ideas?

DD's team plans on 3 out-of-town and 3 in-town tournaments this year. The first one is the Pittsburgh Steel City Tourny. Anyone know anything about it?

DS's team will do at least one out-of-town tourny.

 

[FayeW]

My son plays House League PeeWee (11 & 12 yr olds). Registration this year was $450. That includes evaluations, 20 practice and 20 games (1 of each per week) and playoffs. Once the teams are set they will ask for more money specific for the team, but that is for tournaments, etc. The maximum they are allowed to ask is $150. We can do some fundraising events to reduce that cost as the hockey association sets a maximum on how much each team is allowed to have in it's budget. They also limit the amount that companies are allowed to donate/sponsor.

The jerseys, refs, ice time are already factored in to the registration costs. With equipment, etc, added in we probably average about $700-$750 per year, but we probably double that with extra skills and skating training. This year he went to a hockey camp that was $425 for the week (with professional hockey players on the ice doing drills with the kids), and in June he was doing 2 hours on Mondays at $40. a night. He only started playing 4 yrs ago so he needed the extra practice to catch up to his age group. He just started evaluations today, and the first regular season game should be early Oct. Our season goes to the end of March, and then play offs for April.

Those fees in Pittsburgh are insane!

 

[cgcw]

Sign up for my 8 year old was $825. Two team jerseys were $100. American Hockey League another $45. We're in the Chicagoland area.

We're fortunate that he has most of his equipment from last year when he started playing. Hopefully it will last this season. We have travel games locally but we're hearing of tournaments in the Wisconsin Dells & Michigan areas.

I'm sure there are more costs coming as this is our first year when he's on an official team.

Combining all the other sports he played last year, not counting the cost of equipment, hockey isn't that much more expensive than all the little fees we paid here and there for soccer, baseball, basketball, developmental hockey & football.

My biggest concern is that he's going to get a couple months into it and decide it's not for him. I hope that's not the case.

 

[Dory's Twin]

I easily pay $5000/yr for my HS son to play soccer....Fall on school team, winter he plays indoor, spring he plays Club and summer its tournaments. I was so excited for the HS season because that's a bargain...$1000. for an 8 week season. Yes we have to pay the school fees, bus charges and almost $400 in uniform fees. They also play preseason tournaments so we pay-to-play-and-stay.

All kids' activities are expensive....but cheaper than Rehab.

 

[TN Hockey Mom]

How funny . . . . I just got finished registering my DS9 for his winter hockey session right before I came onto the Dis Boards and found this thread.

I'm not sure about all of his equipment because it's all bought at different times (as he out grows it or if it gets worn out). His newest equipment is his Reebok Pump skates that I got on sale for around $250 and his new Reebok stick that he is getting for his birthday in 2 weeks that I also got on sale (it had been $300 but I found it for $120).

His 16 week house session cost $458 plus a $75 family fee to the rink = $533
This will include 1 game and 1 practice per week.

His Squirt Select Team base fees are an additional $650 (you must participate in the House league in order to be eligible for the Select team). This fee includes 1 practice per week, 2 tournaments (Nashville and Huntsville, AL) and 1 home and away series with another team. In addition to this base cost we of course have to pay for our travel expenses as well (hotels, gas, food, etc.). We also have to pay $50 for 1 jersey and 1 pair of socks and another $100 for our team wind suits. This year I think they're also going to require team polo's (~ $35 each).

We also pay $30 for a 30 minute private lesson on Monday nights (yes, I know that equals $1 per minute - call me crazy). Oh, I almost forgot the $35 to register with USA Hockey.

Not to mention the fact that husband is one of the coaches, so, we have to pay and register him with USA Hockey, buy equipment for him (although not as much) and pay for him to get his coaching certification. My husband and my son also go to the rink 2 extra nights per week and help coach the little kids (cross ice). We get no price break whatsoever in exchange for the coaching.

Last season we decided to add 3 more home and away series. Therefore, we easily spent over $5000 last year just for him to play Winter Hockey and will probably do the same this season. Fall and Spring Hockey are an additional cost per session.

He does one hockey camp every summer for around $400. We also allow him to do one BIG hockey camp every other summer in addition to our local one. Last summer he went to New York for "Boot Camp Hockey" which cost around $1200.

On top of all of that, we also pay an additional $1800 per year to have our minor league hockey team season tickets (Go Knoxville Ice Bears - SPHL Champions). We don't get to go to all of the games because we're traveling with my son on weekends to play in different states (although we're not considered a "Travel Team"). We just can't give up our tickets. We own some of the best seats in the coliseum and we've had them for more than 8 years.

My family thinks we're crazy, especially when we tell them we don't expect the NHL (we know it's a long shot coming from Knoxville, TN) but we want him to be able to play in college if he wants to. One of the doctor's I work for has already told him he'll write him a letter of recommendation to get into his almamotor - Boston College. I explained that we still have a few years to decide where he'll go but I appreciate the offer!

 

[momtris]

My son is a Mite, he's 7. We play $2000 for hockey but it includes the following:

3 hours of ice a week (practice 2X and one night Stick Skills)
appx 30 games for the season
Practice Jersey/Socks
Game Jersey/Socks and shell for his pants
Hockey Bag on wheels with team logo
1 week of Hockey camp in the summer from 7:30-3:30
3 days of Power Skating Camp

It is alot of $$ but at the same time, it is a LONG season Sept-March with him on the ice about 5X per week. Plus camp & gear that he gets is great.

We try to buy a new peice of equipment or two each season. This year it was helmet and gloves which should last a minimum of 2 seasons. last year it was pants and skates. Avg costs are:

Helmet $120
Stick $100
Gloves $50
Shoulder Pads $45

 

[endy]

Holy Batman. Guess I shouldn't complain about the fees we pay.
My son also has been able to get 2 or 3 seasons out of certain pieces of equipment. We did spend around $400 in California last month on some new stuff. Good thing there are several stores here to trade or sell used equipment. Bad thing about my goalie kid is he still needs player equipment for when we get to the outdoor rink (which may be soon as feels like winter already).

 

[pooh17]

NH is expensive! My son is a PeeWee (age 12) on a travel team, and it easily costs us well over $5000 each year. Luckily, he is an only child!!

Tryout Fee - $65
Registration/Tuition - $2200
Uniform (shirts/socks & wind suit) - $250
USA Hockey registration - $30
Fees for 4 tournaments - $240
Summer Practice Ice - $65
Summer Hockey Camp - $400 (1 week)
New Skates - $300
New Stick - $100
New Shin Guards - $50

Thankfully, the rest of his equipment held up this year.

This doesn't include hotel costs for tournaments, gas (many of our games are at least 1 hour away), and other odds and ends like mouthguards and skate sharpenings.

But, its great exercise for him (and he *loves* it). We've met many of our friends through hockey over the years, so it is a social experience for us.

 

[flipflopof2]

My DS this year is a goalie squirt. I guess that I should not complain about our prices. Registration which includes 2 practices and 1 game a week = $640. Our season starts in October and ends in March.

This year the coaches have decided to have 4 tournaments. One in Lake Placid. The tournaments are what costs us the most money with tournament fees, hotels, food and gas.

What most people forgot to add into there expenses was the snack bar. My daughter has to come to most of games and that is where alot of our money goes.

 

[njziggy]

Wow- you guys think you pay a lot!!!! We pay over $3700 for our son to play travel PeeWee hockey. This fee includes a practice a week in the summer, 3 half days of pre-session hockey camp, a weekend Robbie Glantz clinic, about 30 games, 3 tournaments (no hotel costs) and 2 on ice practices a week. The game season here runs about from Sept to March. No uniforms...everything a la carte. I was glad he still fit everything from last year...only had to buy new skates- UGH! Most of his equipment we have gotten used but, couldn't find skates in his size.

Yes, it is more than most people spend on vacation but, he really enjoys it. He is maturing so much & learning much more than the hockey skills that are taught on the ice. We get to spend "quality time" driving to games on weekends. Most people wouldn't understand why we do this but, people whose kids play hockey usually do.

 

[chrisann]

those prices are crazy!!! My son is in houseleague ATOM(9yr olds). We pay $560 for the entire season (sept-march) He's on the ice 2x a week, and it icludes his jersey and socks. Then we just pay for his equipment. Sounds like we get off cheap here!!

 

[dg39]

My dd is on the HS field hockey traveling team. The only thing we had to pay for were the cleats,stick,socks, shin guards and mouth guard. The entire uniforms which consisted of the traveling uniform, home games uniform and the shirt they wear to school when they have a game that day were provided to us. We do have to return them when the season is over. For practice which is everyday except sunday, they wear there own shorts/t'shirt. Transportation to/from the away games are provided for the kids.

We'll buy her the field hockey sweat pants/shirt, for her team, but that's optional.

So far, we didn't have to shell out alot of money and we're hoping it stays that way...

 

[LISMYLIFE]

I just want to share that my High School son has decided not to play this year When figuring out this years budget, we put $600 a month in the hockey fund. This covered last years fees, tournaments, goalie equipment ($2600, and that was only replacing key items), jerseys. That doesn't include gas, meals eaten out....

Let's just say that our Christmas trip to Disney this year just got much more fun, and the kids college funds have taken a great leap! I'm still unsure of what I'm going to do with all of my extra time between football and baseball seasons

 

[erwinc64]

We live in a northern suburb of Chicago. The fee for my son to play on the high school team is $2500. This includes 2 practices a week and about 20 games for the season. It does not include the fees for tournaments.

 

[MomtoEmIs&Ow]

This is why I hope DS doesnt want to play hockey! Its great that all you parents support what your kids love! SO far I am very happy that it's only soccer, and baseball for us

 

[d1gitman]

Nothing

Our DS7 did hockey clinic 2 yrs ago. Missed out in In-Town hockey last year, might do In-Town hockey this year. I have a friend who's DS8 is in his 2nd yr. of travel hockey, 5th yr. overall. The schedules are insane. JMHO but kids this age do not need to be that tied up with any single thing. Also, we try hard to curb the competitive-aggressive activities at such a young age. I don't need my 2nd grader having the "killer instinct" just yet. there is plenty of time when he is older to develop that 'trait'