With hundreds of district and state championships, MVPs and more, it’s no secret that Ladue High School is known for their sports teams. While this does correlate with the talent on the team, another reason for such consistent success is the funding these sports get from the district. New equipment, uniforms, practice areas, coaching and more all go into the MSHSAA teams at Ladue. However, club sports don’t see any funding from the district — no matter how good of a season they’re having.

Ladue Club Hockey is currently undefeated, with a 9-0 record. They often have impressive seasons, such as even winning the Wickenheiser State Cup in 2021. Because of this, the games often bring a lot of Ladue students to the Ladue spectator section, making games quite the spectacle. In addition, more Ladue students have been trying out for the team since it has been doing so well. It is important that young adults are getting involved in clubs and sports in high school, and the more opportunities the better. However, not every student can afford the cost of hockey. 

MSHSAA sports funded by the district only cost $75. Club sports cost so much more than that. The players and their families all have to chip in to be able to afford everything hockey requires. The team has to pay to practice at various rinks, a fee to play in the league, uniforms, skates, pucks, nets and even to pay the coaching staff. 

While MSHSAA only allows certain sports within their program, Ladue should still help contribute to the club sports programs. It is important that all students have equal opportunities to join the clubs and sports they want, and Ladue should help. Hockey isn’t the only club in need — lacrosse, ultimate frisbee and more are also struggling to find support. Ladue prides itself on the number of student organizations and programs available within the district, and they should want to make every club cost friendly. While they don’t need to fund them as much as MSHSAA sports do, a little help could go a long way.