Cost of Playing Travel Hockey

I dislike the term "travel hockey" because it seems pretentious.  Don't we ALL "travel" in some way or another to get to an indoor rink?  However, because of the various levels of hockey out there (another grandiose term..."levels of hockey") we're going to describe "travel hockey" as hockey that is NOT recreation hockey or house hockey.  We are not talking Junior hockey or Pro's but anywhere from a local travel team that plays in nearby rinks to Tier I teams that travel extensively.  The final amounts for each category get larger the more a team travels. Based on 2013/14 average prices.

GEAR
Gear is gear, or at least you would think so.  These costs are part of the amount due when you sign your youth to travel hockey. 

1. Travel hockey sweaters/jerseys are often intricate and cost anywhere from $100-150 each.  You need home and away color jerseys so figure $300 for travel jerseys.
2. Breezer covers (that cover hockey pants) are usually required for travel hockey.  Approx. $40.
3. Hockey bags are usually team-specific with travel hockey logos/names and run about $100 each.
4. Helmets must be purchased to match the team's colors.  If you have a blue helmet but the team wears red helmets; time to pay for a new helmet.

SIGN-UP FEE
Sign up fees are based on many factors, including ice time, which costs $.  Exact practice and game times will be calculated prior to joining a team.  If ice time in your area costs the current average of $300/hr., each player on the team pays their proportionate share in advance when contracting to join a travel team.  Therefore, cost of ice time is included as part of the amount due when you sign your youth to travel hockey. 

It can cost as little as $3,000 per season (coach pay, coach travel, ice time and tournament fees) to play on a local travel team in an average town.  The higher the level of competition, the higher the sign up fee's will be; as much as $10,000 to $12,000 per year BEFORE personal travel expenses are included.  The higher level of hockey that you play = more $$ to pay.  (Because more practice and therefore ice time is required and coaches may be paid more.)

COACH PAY
Often, the cost of coach pay is included as part of the amount due when you sign your youth to travel hockey.  Some travel organizations give the coach a stipend and/or salary while others just pool payment as a group for all or part of the coach(es) air fare expenses.  Sometimes an equitable portion of coach travel is included in fees of the beginning of the season payment parents make to the hockey organization and sometimes parents have to kick in a little bit more cash later down the road if the team travels more than anticipated due to winning tournaments, etc.

PERSONAL TRAVEL EXPENSES
Flights, baggage fees, hotel rooms, rental cars are additional costs of travel and ARE NOT included in any payment you make when you sign your youth to travel hockey.  We do not include food because hey, you're going to eat regardless.

TOURNAMENTS
Most travel hockey teams plan which tournaments they will attend at the beginning of the year.  Typically, such decisions are based on majority-rule by parents and tournament prices are often included when you sign your youth to play travel hockey.  If a team does well in tournaments, however, they may advance to the next level and require a "surprise" injection of funds from parents.

CONTRACTS
Parents are required to sign a contract when their kid signs up to play travel hockey.  Those contracts are legally binding and usually require payment in full before the season starts.  It is rare to get a refund, but a partial refund could be negotiated if circumstances are valid.