Athletics Pay-to-Participate Information

Frequently Asked Questions

PAY-TO-PARTICIPATE HAS BEEN SUSPENDED FOR THE 2020-2021 SEASON

What is Pay-to-Participate? 

Pay-to-Participate fees are the student’s portion of the cost to participate in sports  and help insure sports continue to be available to LCPS students.

Who is affected by the Pay-to-Participate in sports program? 

High school and middle school students who are selected to participate on a  school based sports team. There is no fee to try out for the team.

How much will it cost per sport? 

High school sports are $140 per sport with a maximum charge of two sports per  athlete, or a total of $280, for sports with two-way bus transportation.  *Golf will pay $125 per sport, with limited transportation provided.  Middle school sports are $75 per sport with a maximum charge of two sports per athlete, or a total of $150, for sports with two-way bus transportation.

Is there a family maximum? 

A family maximum of $560 may include a combination of middle and high school athletes. 

What if I can’t afford to pay the full amount? 

A reduced fee is available for the Pay-to-Participate sports program for families  who demonstrate financial need. In order to apply for reduced rates, families must  apply online at www.lunchapp.com for free or reduced lunch benefits, which will  also be used to qualify for the Pay-to-Participate reduced fee of $82 for those  receiving reduced lunch and $77 for free lunch qualifiers. 

What if I can’t afford to pay at all? 

Scholarships may be available to students with financial hardships. Families with  this concern should contact their school’s Athletic Coordinator’s office. All  information received will be kept confidential. If the fee is to be waived, a letter  requesting the waiver must be sent to their schools’ Athletic Coordinators’ office.

When is payment due? 

Once the athlete is selected for the team, the participation fee must be paid one  week prior to the first contest. The fee must be submitted online through PaySchools.

Where can I make payments? 

Through your school’s Web page under PaySchools (acceptable payment is by  debit card, credit card or e-check, only).

Where do I complete an application? 

The Pay-to-Participate application must be submitted through the online application forms:

• High School Athletics
• Middle School Athletics

The fee must be submitted through PaySchools.

Will any other fees be assessed once my child makes the team? 

The Pay-to-Participate fee is assessed in addition to any other normal expenses  associated with the team, such as, but not limited to, camps, T-shirts, special  shoes or equipment, personal apparel that will stay with the athlete, banquets,  medals and/or trophies.

Does this guarantee my child equal playing time? 

Payment of the participation fee does not guarantee a minimum amount of playing  or practice time. Fees collected help offset the costs of offering the programs: this  includes practice time, transportation and the possibility of playing time.  Interscholastic sports are of a competitive nature and the coaches have full  discretion about which athletes play and how often.

Is any of this fee refundable if my child gets hurt or drops the team? 

Payment of the participation fee is NOT REFUNDABLE if the student  voluntarily withdraws from the team, if there is a lack of playing time,  ineligibility or if the student becomes ineligible during the season due to grades, if  an athlete is removed from a team for disciplinary reasons, when a cancelled  contest cannot be rescheduled, or when a full allotment of games cannot be  scheduled.  A refund (50 percent) will only be given to an athlete who suffers a season-ending  injury prior to the mid-point of scheduled games, which precludes him/her  from participating in one-half of the regularly scheduled contests. A medical  authorization letter from a physician must accompany such requests.

Which sports are affected?

• Baseball 
• Basketball 
• Cheerleading (Competitive) 
• Cheerleading (Sideline) 
• Cross-Country 
• Football 
• Lacrosse 
• Soccer 
• Softball 
• Swimming 
• Tennis 
• Track 
• Volleyball 
• Wrestling

What happens to the admissions collected at the entry from spectators? 

All ticket proceeds are deposited to help offset athletic programming costs.

If I want to talk to someone about this program, who is the best person to  contact? 

The Athletic Coordinator at your school can assist you.