Charging for admission into home sporting events is an important part of raising funds for various athletic teams. The money raised goes to funding referees, upkeep of fields and equipment needs for all sports. Being the fifth and youngest child in my family, my parents have been through it all: attending softball games, football games, wrestling meets and supporting all of my siblings at as many games they could possibly attend.

Unfortunately, not all parents can attend every single one of their children’s games and this is sometimes due to constant admission costs. High schools should encourage parents coming to their child’s athletic events by either reducing or eliminating admission fees.

Students get a $2 reduction with a school identification card, but parents get no such luxury. It is imperative to promote student involvement at games, but parents of players deserve equal, if not greater, treatment as it is more important for them to see their children play.

After all, coaches always say that the biggest “thank you” should go to parents for all the support they give throughout the season. From hosting banquets to buying and boasting apparel to giving athletes rides home every day after a tough practice, parents do so much for athletes whether they know it or not. The athletic program can at least repay them a little bit by lowering the entrance fee.

Let’s consider football, easily the most attended sport. Even if every football parent came to every game of every player each season, that would only be a loss of about $560 per game for the varsity games. This is not going to break the budget of RHS’ athletic programs. Odds are that if my parents got into each game for free they would actually buy things from the snack bar. That money directly affects the sports programs, so it should be promoted rather than a higher cost of entrance, which doesn’t go directly to sports programs.

Senior Night is the only night of the year where each athlete can choose two people to get into the game for free. Usually parents are selected, but they shouldn’t have to wait for the final home game of the year to watch their child play the sport which both have put so much time into.

Considering all that they do, every student-athlete’s parent(s) deserves to watch their kid play in every one of their games with no cost to them.