Club Volleyball costs...how do I pay them?

Question
Hello Tom,

I was surfing the web and ran across your post regarding a child wanting to play Club VB, but parents can't afford it.

All of your answers, I already thought of. LOL

I'm a single mom (I'll be 59 on Tues, Nov 17) of an adopted 14 yr old daughter. She just tried out and made Club Volleyball today. She's ecstatic! Me too, except how in the world do I come up with the $750.00 deposit by Nov 23??

Is it possible for me to get her a sponsor? If so, how would I even go about it? I feel guilty because why should she suffer and not have the same privileges of other teens/girls her age just because she comes from a single parent household. She has all the talent and potential in the world. It's times like this I feel guilty for adopting her. If she could've/would've been adopted by a two parent family, money for such things as club VB would more than likely not be a problem.

I'm busting my butt to find a second job, but no luck. She is agreeing to give up her cell phone, her I-Phone 6S!   LOL Imagine that??!! It's her life! or was her life until VB came along.

Thanks! Just basically wanting to know if it's possible for me to pursue a sponsor for her to play Club VB? The club, of course does not offer scholarships. :(

Julie

Answer
Good evening Julie and welcome to www.allexperts.com!  
At 57, my two stepkids are 28 and 26.  My world would be much different...and much more exciting....if I had one or two youngsters living with me.  

I have a few thoughts:
a) Did that deposit just spring up on you? I mean, did the club not tell you?  I ask this b/c in some cases, there are cheaper clubs in a town.  In Roanoke, for example, we have clubs that will cost a kid thousands and clubs that'll cost many kids $0.  

Before I go on:  Is there time to try out for a cheaper club?  Be careful!!!!!  If you don't get permission to unaccept from your present club, then your family may be labeled as one whose word can't be trusted.  

p.s. Depending on the amount of travel your daughter's team does, you still have to budget for for hotels, gas, meals and team activities. Has your club been upfront with you on that?  do you have a tournament schedule yet?  

b) Did the club know that you were a single mom?  If so, did they also know up front that you would have a problem making large payments?  Yet, they kept your daughter anyway, and assigned her to an expensive team?  Hmmmmmmm.  

Does your club have a cheaper team in your daughter's age group?  
Or maybe there's a cheaper team in an age group above your daughter's age.  For example:  In some clubs, a family will say, "We can't afford the top 15's team.  However, our daughter is good enough to play on our club #2 16's AND on our club's the #3 17's.  We'll accept a spot on one of those teams."  These may not be options now b/c those teams may have their full roster.  But....you may not know unless you ask!  :)   

* Regardless, is it possible to ask the club for some more time to make payments?  My club will sometimes give parents a little more time.  
* Also, does the club offer any fundraisers?  
* Or does the club sponsor tournaments and thus may offer you or the child a chance to work at tournaments?

c) Sponsors!
Yes, clubs have sponsors.  And families have sponsors.  In my experience, most sponsors are friends or family members that have a major stake in a profitable business:  Accounting, law, etc.  In order to find this sponsor, try to think of someone who's a friend, or a friend of a friend, who's charitable.  (If a reader has another idea in finding a sponsor, or if a reader wants to be this person's sponsor, please email me at [email protected])  

d) Your daughter making money!!  
* Can your daughter do some babysitting?  or anything like that?  
* At her school, can she get paid for working the concession stand at the winter basketball games?  
* Sometimes kid can make money working the clock, keeping book, etc. at bball games!  
* Sometimes kids can make money cleaning the bleacher after the game.
* Is her school vball team doing any fundraisers in the next few weeks/months? When I was a head h.s. coach, I would gladly allow my kids to fundraise, then use it for club vball! (It made our h.s. team better in-season!!  So, heck yeah!)
* Are there any clubs at her school that are fundraising now?  Even if she's not a member of that club, they may let her participate if she tells them her predicament.  
** Her phone: OK, maybe she can trade in her phone for a less expensive one.  But, take it away?  Nope.  I wouldn't ask my daughter to do that.  

Now....as for guilt:  My stepkids didn't have their bio-father around much.  I did the best I could.  So will you!  So ARE you!  If you thought to be an unfit adult, then you wouldn't have gotten a chance to be a parent.  You have a kid b/c you have love in your heart!  You'll be fine!  In fact, after reading your note to me, I'm very proud of you!  Very!

Did anything I say bring up any ideas that you want to bounce off me?  If so, then you can email me at [email protected], or you can follow up here.  

What else can I do for you?
If you can ever think of anything, please contact me anytime!
Coach Houser