Drowning In Debt
Swimmers talk about the expenses for their sport
Jarrett Alexander completes warmups and gets ready for the first relay race.
September 12, 2019
Swim isn’t used to drowning. Drowning in debt that is.
With most sports at Liberty, you must pay for your own equipment. Boys swim has spent roughly $1,100 on their own gear but when we look at the girls, it’s a different story.
Suits for girls range from just $80 to over $200. Caps and goggles are expensive too and getting replacements drives up the cost of everything. Goggles can range from just $6 to $10 that amount and caps are anywhere from $2 to $40.
“I’ve spent $100-ish for a practice suit and goggles and they’re not even that good of quality,” sophomore Kaytlee Thompson said about her own out of pocket expenses for swim.
Of course, that’s just a practice suit. For swim, two suits are required, a practice suit for practices and a suit for meets. With the cost of both suits plus goggles and caps and of course replacements for items that break, it makes a dent in any student’s pocket.
Another member of girls swim, sophomore Megan Sproull, talks about the effects chlorine has one the gear.
“For goggles, the nosepiece can break and if it does, it’s trash. It’s just trash, that’s roughly $20 down the drain. Caps can break and suits stretch because of the chlorine. Personally, I have spent roughly $200 to $300 for one past season,” Sproull said.
Sproull has spent roughly $120 just for herself and the girls season hasn’t even started. Her suit was roughly $60 to $80. That $120 is only for a suit and maybe a couple of pairs of caps and goggles and that doesn’t even include replacements.
Sproull continues on to talk about if Liberty gives enough funding for swim team.
Jaxon Drezek (middle), Aidan Berry (left) and Austin Conner (right) converse after warmups.
“I don’t really feel that it does, we’ve had to fundraise for everything,” she said.
Sproull talks about if Liberty should fund swim equipment.
“I feel like it should pay for some of it but not all of it because it’s good to bond together. We buy for everyone but we also don’t know how many members we’ll have in the future, so we’re buying more equipment.”
Even though that swim is expensive, it’s worthwhile for bonding and experience. Sproull explains how swim bonding affects members.
“After GAC (Gateway Athletic Conference), everyone is very emotional and the experience is always good. We’re all supportive and always cheer each other on,” she said.
