So....I recently received an e-mail about this year's cheer shoes. I was informed that they are well worth the "extra couple of bucks" this year and that they would cost $45 per pair. Does anyone else find that $20 more per pair for shoes that will really only be used for 4 months absurd to be called a "couple extra bucks"??

Football parents: I'm wondering how much cleats run these days as well??

Cleats at that age are dirt cheap. Lacrosse cleats are sub $40 . . . or right there. More than youth soccer cleats, but still cheap.

Thanks, Clam. I didn't expect any Eagles parents to actually respond as they don't often....but I had to try.

I mean, the girls use these shoes for MAYBE 4 months....and I'd previously paid $25 and $30 each for their cheer shoes. Now I have to shell out $45 a piece simply because the guy comes to the field and measures them?? I used to sell shoes, I know how they should fit....I don't need to pay someone an additional $40 to do it for me. Ugh.

They have to pay for that new turf somehow!

Eagles don't even use that field! The only time they use it is for the flag football superbowl and that's only because flag isn't recognized by the league!

Eagles games in GE are ALWAYS held at Newton Park, either on the main field, or the secondary one they set up just across from the post office.

I thought I had heard that Gain Ground was trying to recruit contributions from the Golden Eagle parents in order to try and get them time to play on the new field. Not sure if they will be playing there in the near future or not.

Hah! If that's the case, I'm REALLY glad I'm almost to the end of my run with the program. As if the registration fees weren't enough already! Then they REQUIRE additional purchases ranging anywhere from $100-$130 (including shoes)....not to mention extra contributions from all parents for parties before every competition and the end of season party. I refuse to pay more money so my girls can cheer on a flipping high school football track instead of good old-fashioned grass sidelines....the way it SHOULD be when they're kids!

First off, if your sons are in adult sizes, say 10.5, cleats can run well over $50 pair -- and that may be even when shopping the sales tables at Dicks and using a coupon. Then add inserts for at least $10 a pop, since said son had prior growth plate issues prevalent in kids 10-15 who wear cleats.

Secondly, the Golden Eagles organization heavily promoted/supported the Memorial Field campaign, so I'm guessing they have a vested interest. To date, they've played a majority of their games at Newton, though have played a couple (and had to pay to do so) at local hs/college fields when weather made Newton unplayable. So, don't be suprised if you see little green and gold uniforms running around there this season.

Thanks for the heads up on the cleats. Do the boys have to purchase their practice uniforms/jerseys as well? Or are those included in the cost of the program?

Thanks for the heads up on the Memorial Field thing as well. The cheer parents are more often than not left in the dark as to what's going on with the program, we're more or less just handed things and told this is how it's gonna work. It's very frustrating.

Covered in the cost are use of shoulder pads and helmet, and game uniform that you keep at the end of the season. You are resonsible for lower pads, rib guard, and mouth guard. Golden Eagles does sell old pads and old uniforms that can be used practice if you want, but depending on weight and other issues needing special protective gear, you often buy new (hopefully on sale out of season). If your kid played last year, he/she can use last years equipment and pants for practice, if they haven't grown much.

I can understand the safety equipment needing to be purchased....or at least rented or something....

Just blows my mind that we're required to purchase warm-ups (which if you buy them large can be used more than one year in a row) that can run anywhere from $60-$90 total. All so the girls can match. Really?? When I was in cheerleading, we weren't even allowed to wear pants while cheering....legs cold? Wear some dance tights and put pants on under the skirts once off the sidelines....and we were able to bring our own pants. It's nuts.

I'm pretty sure Golden Eagles Cheer is optional.

So mean

Does Lacrosse need any cheerleaders?

quote:

Originally posted by AMH21:
I'm pretty sure Golden Eagles Cheer is optional.

and I'm pretty sure that my children shouldn't be barred from experiencing team sports because I can't afford to pay for extra and unnecessary items that are REQUIRED, but not disclosed upon a non-refundable registration fee.

Clam, I don't know what that video was....but I hope it wasn't mean.

Again, its optional. There are a lot of things we have said "no" to due to lack of funds, can't do everything. Contact the Park District/Golden Eagles, I'm pretty sure there are scholarships available.

Again, I'm aware the programs are optional....but the additional fees should be as well, or at the very least disclosed upon registration. Perhaps it wouldn't be a struggle to obtain these items if I had more than a week to budget for them. And I know all about saying no to things for lack of fundage, please don't assume otherwise.

Tell me....when was the last time you tried to talk to anyone at the park district about these kinds of things? Half of the phone staff doesn't know anything except how to transfer calls and no one is ever available to answer their phones....or return calls. I've dealt with them extensively when I coached the cheer squads a few years ago. It's neither pleasant, 'nor pretty. Thank you.

GESM - I, for one, feel for you. I know I'm virtually alone in thinking this, but I think youth sports get way too sophisticated, way too fast.

That includes even having traveling teams available at age 7 (especially the kind that take any child with the $$, so they aren't even "elite") and things like making parents pay for matching warm ups for grade schoolers or having practice uniforms because it will "look nicer".

But, because I feel that way, I wouldn't even consider suggesting my child try these types of sports. If one of them asked, I'd discuss it with them, but the answer would most likely be no. But, especially with cheerleading/football, the Golden Eagles are the only game in town, it's not like there's a "house" cheerleading league they can be in. Sometimes, I think people need to step back and look at the decisions they are making before they are made. Would warm ups be nice? Sure, but maybe they shouldn't be mandated.

I went into this completely blind the first year, Mama. I just remembered how things were when I was a cheerleader some 17 years ago....simple, fun sports that taught team work and athleticism. I saw the registrations fees and figured they'd just increased since then (and being it's GE, it was a little more understandable)....then I found out about the warm-ups....then the socks....then the lollies....then the shoes. I don't even know HOW I did it the first year. I was paying for my (now) ex-boyfriend's daughter that year, too....

Had I known all of this initially, we'd have stuck with park district gymnastics classes and/or bowling leagues. Ugh.