The price of the medal: how much does the upbringing of Olympic champions cost

The Olympic fever associated with the Winter Games taking place in South Korea once again brought to the surface the topic of educating future champions.

Photo: Facebook / Team USA

The US team is in the top five in the medal standings, having already surpassed the mark of 20 medals, of which 9 are gold.

Most of the medals in the piggy bank of the US team brought snowboarders, skiers and skaters.

Watching such successes, children are becoming even more interested in sports and filling in sports sections, which are not lacking in the USA.

Most children involved in sports will not get to participate in the Olympic Games, for obvious reasons, but everything can be. If you notice a child with a certain craving and ability, be prepared for considerable expenses for raising a champion.

The most popular Olympic sports are figure skating, swimming, gymnastics and athletics.

Figure skating

Figure skating is among the most expensive sports, with an average of spending ranging from $ 35 000 to $ 50 thousand per year.

After the child has mastered the initial level, private training will follow. The cost of a trainer who has trained successful athletes is estimated at $65 - $120 per hour. Today it is common to work with several trainers during the week. Skaters also have to pay for their time on the ice—roughly $20 to $40 a day, depending on the arena and how much time they spend on the ice.

Choreography for the program is a separate fee, usually from $1500 to $5000. And while skaters may sometimes use the same program for two years, they typically perform new elements each year for short and long programs.

Families also pay for ballet or ballroom dance lessons, individual training in the gym, even acting classes to convey certain emotions through facial expressions.

Skaters also pay for handmade costumes that help tell the story of their program. Some costumes cost $ 2500 and the price can easily grow to $ 10 000.

Figure skates and other equipment costs are often covered by sponsorship when the skater reaches the Olympic caliber. But without a sponsor, high-quality custom-made shoes would cost from $ 800 to $ 1000. Blades cost extra $ 1000.

Swimming

Costs for pool classes may vary depending on the state you live in, but a good place to start is by taking your child to one of the local YMCA family centers that offer different sections ($50 for members, $105 for everyone else).

Check also the information on public pools in your city. For example, in New York, the annual subscription for children up to 18 is free, and for adults it will cost $ 150.

Elite aquatic centers for swimming are expensive. The club in Baltimore, where Phelps started training, takes $ 500 as a registration fee and another $ 175 for additional expenses for each athlete.

Winter training camp for children at this club costs from $675 to $850, depending on whether the children need an overnight stay or not. Personal training costs much more.

Additional expenses are required for swimmer equipment. Of course, children do not need Olympian costumes for $ 500 from Speedo, but, nevertheless, the amounts are quite substantial. High tech swim goggles cost about $ 55.

Gymnastics

First of all, you need to decide on the type of gymnastics that your child wants to do (or you want him to do): sports or artistic. The cost of training differs; one of the criteria is the status of the coach and the place of training.

For example, a multi-month program at the YMCA Center in Austin, Texas for 7-14 children for years will cost $ 56- $ 75 for club members ($ 101- $ 135 for the rest), and 5-month training camp at School Los Angeles gymnastics this year costs $ 1700.

In the case when it comes to training, you also have to pay for the services of a coach. For example, in such a well-known center as Bela and Martha Karoyi, who brought up many champions, training will range from $ 615 to $ 645 per session.

Good news? Gymnastic costumes are not so expensive, unless, of course, do not take into account the outfits of the US team in Rio with various crystals, which cost $ 1200 each.

Athletics

If your child wants to be the next Usain Bolt, at first it may not be as expensive as swimming or gymnastics. Many sports centers have athletics programs at affordable prices.

However, with the transition to a more professional level, the cost of educating the future champion will increase. Sports shoes, for example, cost $ 150 and above, and for every year you need at least a pair of boots.

Individual lessons from not the most famous trainers will cost $50-$100 for each lesson. And the most authoritative mentors are those at the Academy IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., costs $ 55-72 thousands per year of study.

If a child can get into the US national team by his age, many of the costs, including training at training centers, will be partially or fully covered by the organization itself.

Read also on ForumDaily:

Gold price: how much do Olympic champions earn

How much do American families spend on their children's sports career?

Without Minsport: what is the secret of the success of American sports

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