Some parents have had enough. They’re skipping youth sports this year

Kelsey Patterson left her job last year so she could stay at home with her three kids.

But living on one income has led to cuts to the family's budget, the Indianapolis woman said.

Her 7 year old and 5 year old are enrolled in a recreation league for football and cheerleading, but the $398 cost is putting a strain on the family's finances, Patterson said.

Patterson signed up for a scholarship to help pay for the costs, but was told the funds were depleted.

"We're still kind of in limbo. We're just trying to save enough to pay for it before the end of the season," she said.

Patterson is not alone. The costs associated with youth sports have increased to a point where parents are starting to question whether they can keep their kids enrolled. Costs can be in the thousands of dollars for families, especially those with athletes in travel leagues.

Youth sports is a $40 billion industry, according to the Aspen Institute.

In a new national survey by Accredited Debt Relief of more than 2,000 parents, 44% said they had previously delayed or completely skipped enrolling one of their children in sports because they can't afford…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/money/