allright.
i already couldn't even get a physical this year because it was too much money!
Do you really think I want to spend up to $300?

Who decides if a family can afford the higher "fees"? Some families can afford the $50 fee but, the $300 fee may be out of reach. Is there different earning scales for the different sports? Sports are a part of our society and our school district. These kids learn so much more about themselves and others by participating in sports that they won't never get from a classroom. I have no problem having some of my tax dollars go towards sports activities for these kids. It's better to have them on a field or on a court than to be on the streets causing problems. Would you rather pay now while they are in school or pay down the road when they are in jail?

Here we go again! People are entitled to this, people are entitled to that. Sorry folks! You are not entitled to anything in this world, you earn it! And as I've said before, I don't mind paying for education, but I do mind paying for sports! Sports should have nothing to do with schools. That should be an after school activity. Yes, there is recess and gym where kids can get their daily excercise. Pretty soon we are going to have to clothe all the kids who go to school with our tax money.

"Why can't I, buy a season pass to H.S. sporting events but, teachers and senior citizens get them for free?"--happy campper..
I actually think that's a great point. How about instead of raising fees to that extreme, sell season passes and put all that money right into the athletic fund. Schools could do a lot more fundraising, such little things can make big $$ for the athletic department.

There should be a flat rate for all sports. And scholarships available for kids who's parents can't afford the fees, so that all children regardless of finanical status can play sports.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0920/p12s0...

Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion. I just wish that the more fortunate people would help the less fortunate; and I know many do and I know that you do to. It is just a shame that in such trying times when Rotary Gardens is about to charge fees, fuel prices are going up, food prices are going up, and people are losing jobs, that we have to start charging higher sports fees. Sports keeps kids out of trouble, teaches them teamwork, provides exercise, and gives them a sense of HOPE. The less fortunate get farther behind and lose out on certain "privileges". I guess times are changing and we'll just have to accept that fact.

So I should take that to mean that you won't actually read what I said? Or comment on what was said and not what you think I said? And that you have realized that altho we may not agree, that I _DO_ in fact have the right to my opinion? How about it? Care to consider ALL the points that I made?
.
Oh, and if you think about it, you'd probably figure out that the "mad" part of the screen name has nothing to do with my state of mind, just my name.

Hence the username of MADman196!

Rocket, I'll try this one more time...first off, do you KNOW that I make a good wage? And do you KNOW that I played any sports in school? And if supporting yourself with a job isn't the "real world" as compared to school, I don't know what is. As it is, I don't have anyone in the schools and haven't in several decades...I do have a grandson that will be going, but that's a few years down the line yet.
.
And I never suggested that all families COULD afford the fees, I said that some won't be able to and that's called life.
.
As for the idea that I'd pay $300 for someone to shovel my walks is just a little stupid. HOWEVER, if someone wanted to shovel my walks, he or she would get enough to save and assuming that s/he does more than just mine, there will be enough to pay the sports fees.
.
And are you intentionally avoiding the fact that I said that I don't have a problem with paying MOST of the cost of sports? Or is that just an fact that doesn't help your arguement, so you ignore it?
.
Oh, and TeeTime??? You don't know me,so don't decide what I would do based on something that Rocket has said or you mis-read that I said. I've spent more hours doing volunteer work than the average person. On the order of around 100-120 hours a year, so let that one go.
.
Both TeeTime and Rocket, you seem to be ignoring all that I said and only grabbing on to the parts that rub you wrong. Try reading EVERYTHING that I said first.

Totally agree rocket21. madman1961 probably wouldn't help an elderly lady cross the street. Or maybe he would, because it wouldn't cost him a dime.

Wow maddman, you, an adult, making a good wage, pay for your fun; you da man! And you payed to play sports when you were in school as a kid; in the "real" world, or wasn't it real back then? Oh, that's right "times have changed" and people now believe that if they don't have kids in school or involved in sports, they should not have to help. Maybe we should back charge anyone who has ever played sports in Janesville! That would raise more than enough money. You must live in a cave if you think that ALL families can afford to pay that amount of money and that there are no kids out there working for money? Let me know where you live so I can send some over to shovel your sidewalks for $300.

I feel that the fees should NOT increase. $300 is too much for most families. There has to be some way of subsidizing these fees. Kids need an athletic outlet, and some of it should be paid by the parents. However, I should not be forced to pay for some kid who's parent(s) spend all their money on beer and smokes and complain that they cannot afford the athletic fees.

I think that the schools should start a scholorship program; if the student gets a certain GPA, they should get their fees subsidized. That way EVERY kid has the same opportunity to compete.

No need, Rocket...I've already given you the answer, but I'll say it again, just in case you missed it...
.
..."...that's what happens in the real world that I live in. I have to pay for my fun."
.
In other words, the first rule of life is that life is not always fair and you won't always get what you want.
The second rule is that whining about the first rule will not change it.
Just because mommy and daddy can't scrape up the money for them to play/swim/run/whatever doesn't mean that I should do it for them. I'm all for sports, Rocket...I'm even up for putting up most of the money for them to play...I just think that we shouldn't have to foot the whole bill. If that means that someone might have to mow some lawns or shovel some sidewalks, well, that's what I did to get the things I wanted when I was growing up and it didn't hurt me any. In fact, it helped...taught me to VALUE the money that makes the world go around, not just expect that "someone" will pay the tab

Maybe we should get madman1961 and all other people that are for the high fees together with all of the under-priveledged kids and explain to them why they can't participate in sports!

Rocket...I never once said that I didn't like watching football, including high school football. My point is that if the kids want to play, then the kids will need to pay. Why? Because we, the taxpayers, can't afford to foot the entire bill anymore.

As for kids enjoying school more if they are involved in sports, that doesn't really cover many kids. How many kids are actually ON the football team? How many actually play? Now how many attend that school? And how about the mind set in many sports, but it seems to be mostly football, that if you play football, you are the gods of the campus and the entire student body is there for your amusement? Is THAT what we want them to learn?

I don't actually want them to get rid of sports, just to keep it in proper perspective. Football, baseball, wrestling, whatever are fine activities and if you are good at them, you should be able to do them. And you should be willing to pay for the privledge...that's what happens in the real world that I live in. I have to pay for my fun.

Yeh, let's start eliminating sports. Recent studies have also shown the problems that teens can face with drinking, drugs, and depression. Athletics can help students sidestep such dangers! Whatever we can do to keep them healthy and busy it shoud be worth the extra taxes. Hey wait a minute; if we did eliminate sports, we could then build a larger jail and maybe a new prison. That would help with the unemployment issues and give the kids a place to stay!

madman1961, maybe we should eliminate sports altogther and see how grades improve! Studies have shown that most children enjoy school a lot more and thus help them learn if they can participate in sports. And yeh, life changes, we are not in the sixties anymore! Maybe we should stop and actually think. Maybe it's time we need to pay more taxesand help with educating the young; our future! So stop complaining and go watch a game with a friend. You might actually enjoy watching Johnny or Janey. Heck, you might even see someone you know there.

If only 8 kids want to take French, it's not offered, but 6 play golf and it's NO WAY NO HOW???? What the....

Rocket...what does that have to do with anything? Whether they played sports or not and if they had to pay to play or not isn't the point or the question. Life changes and the sad fact is that right now, in 2008, it costs more to have sports than it did 30+ years ago when I was in school.

Here's an idea that won't go over big, I' sure, but what the hell...might save some money and maybe little Johnny and Janey willl learn something...DROP ALL SPORTS! And then use the money that we've been wasting on them to teach Johnny how to read.

That is what school is for, isn't it? To learn?

I wonder if airforceguy, mmansur, and slainte ever payed for the "their" sports when they went to high school!

Not many Middle school kids can get jobs. That is a novel idea though. Maybe kindergartners could get jobs to pay for there school supplies.

Here is a novel idea, if you want to play a high cost sport, plan ahead for it. Get a summer job and make $300. Put it away in your piggy bank and save it. Then when it is time to pay for your sport, break out your saved $300 and you pay for it. Teaches you the value of, earning your own money, saving, planning, budgeting and pride in paying your own way. Learn to live in the real world today; not sucking off of someone else’s hard earned money.

NO WAY NO HOW NO HIGHER FEES!!!!

Heres a novel idea. Lets use the savings on insurance to help subsidize a healthy activity. It would be a benifit to encourage activity as opposed to what a lot of us are doing right now ( sitting at a computer ) !!1

Who came up with $300.00 for fees???

Since when is sports a right. If you want to play you gots to pay! The public and taxpayers are paying to educate children, not turn them into athletes that could possibly by the slimmest of margins get a scholarship, and then by some miracle make it to the professional levels.
.
Please, give me a break!

It's either individual families paying for their own children to participate in sports or all of us paying for their children to participate. Either way, the cost is going to get covered. But then again, I am for school vouchers so I have the freedom to send my children where ever I choose and not have to fund little suzie and little joey's education from down the street. All the while I am paying a good deal of money to make sure my own child goes to private schools. My tax dollars for my child, yours for yours. Sounds fair to me!

I think sports are wonderful- very good for kids. HOWEVER-The financial duty of the taxpayers is to educate our students, not create athletes. If parents want their kids in sports, they should be willing to pay for that LUXURY. Participation in sports is not a given. Lots of us pay extra to have our kids in sports not offered at the schools, as well as private school tuition. It's time for parents to realize that they have a responsibility to pay for these sports since they abd their children enjoy the results of such participation.

There are so many things that schools need, why not have some of the students 'earn' some of the money to play sports. From picking up trash to tutoring.

I am against the fees. It is very unfortunate already today without the extra fees not every kid can have a chance to participate. Just stop by one of the local youth football fields and start asking some of the kids standing around watching in their street clothes why they are not playing...I did and its because their family don't have the money for them to play. Its not just sports that this happens in...its anything to do with the activities that charge to participate. How sad is it! NO KID who wants to play should be left behind!! Somehow we need to stop the friggin fees and figure out a better way to raise the money so any kid who wants to participate can. $300 to play OUTFRIGGINRAGOUS!!!!

Why can't I, buy a season pass to H.S. sporting events but, teachers and senior citizens get them for free?

From the looks of the poll we have a lot of people with a lot of extra money.

$300 is way to much. Your going to loose athletes if you charge that much and end up loosing money as well.

I have no problem paying a higher fee for a sport that costs more but $300? I think this is a little steep even for families that make decent money. And who decides that families can't afford to pay and have fees waived? Is this based on income or a person simply stating they can't afford to pay?

are you then going to charge less on the basis of which sports bring in the largest return from gate receipts??

It's a tough call. Sports are important to the development of our youth. Those that participate also need to know that these sport activities cost and to keep them they have to pay a little bit more. One doesn't need to go overboard on fees. Increase the fees as needed over a period of time. A percentage increase ( 2 or 3%) should not blow out the budget of many families. Otherwise, just increase fees at the events. Someone will have to pay eventually so lets come up with some ideas that will benefit all concerned without creating hardships.