Team jackets. County activity fee. Mandatory team field trip. New cleats. In a time of economic hardships, the cost of playing a high school sport is getting steeper every season. Equipment has gotten more expensive in the last decade, sports funding is being cut by the school and the Fauquier County activity fee has increased $10 in the last year, from $50 to $60. Sports teams can also require athletes to purchase mandatory apparel and equipment. However, while activities such as academic team and one-act theater competitions are regulated by the Virginia High School League (VHSL), participating students don’t have to pay a dime to participate. The graphic below shows the costs of playing different sports through the school, as well as marching band.

CORRECTION: wrestling should be represented as “mandatory”, rather than optional