Popular with many young people, sports degree programs often come with a big bill for parents.
A study by Laval University reveals that nearly 40% of programs cost more than $5,000 a year. The average price is $3,733, and it can go up to $16,000. These are the results of data collected by PhD student Alexandro Allison-Abaunza and Professor Andrea Woodburn from the Department of Physical Education.
Football at $3,072 and baseball at $3,585 are close to the average. But Alpine Skiing at $12,221, Figure Skating at $12,635 and Tennis at $13,199 far surpass it.
“We are witnessing the emergence of exclusionary sports. These are sports that exclude those who are poor,” laments Pierre Lavoie, co-founder of Grand Défi Pierre Lavoie. “Even hockey is considered a sport of exclusion. You have to be rich to play hockey.
The hockey program is indeed above average with a price tag of $5,035. Programs costing less than $1,000 account for barely 1.36% of the supply.
He, who is a true ambassador of physical exercise, points out that sports-study programs are an extraordinary invention and that they are very important for persistence in school and the health of young people. But he believes that they must be more accessible.
“You have to take a break, think, find more inclusive, more suitable formulas, but above all, don’t give up. Sports studies are important,” he says.
The cost of sports studies programs is not regulated by the government, although most are offered in the public network.
Watch the full interview with Pierre Lavoie in the video above.