Most VHS students take for granted that playing a sport is only an after school commitment. However, lacrosse, golf, and hockey players have to take something else into consideration. These are pay-to-play sports.

In lacrosse, for example, there is a set fee that all players must pay to the Verona High School Lacrosse Foundation, similar to the requirements of golf and hockey. For a yearly cost of $330, both the boys and girls lacrosse players are able to play for the season.

This seems to be a high price to play a high school sport, but there are ways in which players are able to drastically reduce the cost to play. The major program used to reduce the cost is SCRIP. This program allows for parents of players to purchase SCRIP or money that can be used in specific stores such as Shoprite and Foodtown. A portion of the proceeds then are given back to the players, taking money out of the overall fee to play.

Jody Tole, who organizes and runs the program, explained that the program truly does give back to its players. “A lot of people take up the SCRIP offer, which makes the cost per player go down, and also helps give money back to the program as a whole.”

Another way in which VHS lacrosse helps to reduce the cost to play is through sibling discounts. If more than one child is in the program, you are able to pay a reduced fee, regardless of whether they are on the boys or girls team.

One benefit that comes from having to pay for lacrosse is the school provided shuttle that drives players to Centennial Field, where practice is held every day. This allows for all underclassmen, as well as anyone without a car, to have a simple and easy way to get to practice.

Although the cost of lacrosse, hockey, and golf is unique to certain sports at VHS, the players’ passion for their sports surpasses the price it costs to play.