Pinellas County Schools will introduce a new athletic participation fee beginning in the 2026–27 school year, requiring students to pay $50 for each sport they join, with a maximum of $200 per family. The district says the policy is necessary to support expanding athletics programs whose costs have grown bigger than the revenue it currently makes.
District leaders argue that the fee will help stabilize our budgets while allowing the county to grow new sports without cutting existing ones. The revenue is expected to support programs such as middle school soccer and volleyball, as well as high school boys’ volleyball and girls’ competitive cheer.
Superintendent Kevin Hendrick said that expanding extracurricular opportunities is part of a larger effort to make school a place where students feel connected and accepted. He pointed to the district’s most recent end-of-year survey, which showed higher percentages of secondary students reporting that they like school and are willing to try new activities compared with previous years.
Still, some board members and community members worry that added cost could discourage participation, especially in communities already facing financial challenges. Lakewood High School, for example, is a lower-funded school where even a $50 fee can be difficult for families to pull together.
Coach Nicole Tunsil, Lakewood’s Assistant Athletic Director and head coach for girls’ basketball and softball, supports the new policy.
“I think it’s a good thing if it’s going to help us equip our teams with what’s needed,” Tunsil said.
Tunsil explained that transportation and equipment costs have increased a lot, noting that a single bus trip from Lakewood to East Lake can cost between $300 and $400. “People don’t understand that the county gives us some funds, but it’s not enough,” she said. “We have to figure out where to cut.”
On the other hand, Lakewood’s head track and field coach for the past 21 years, Anthony Snead, worries the cost will discourage students from even trying out. “I already must convince students to come out and try it. Trying to get them to pay $50 just to try a sport is going to be a challenge,” Snead said.
Snead believes the fee will hit lower-income schools hardest and could reduce participation in sports like cross country, where numbers are already low.
Junior Akerio Brumadge, who plays football and track, said, “I think we should fundraise the money instead of having students pay extra. We already must pay almost $500 to football for our gear and merchandise,” Brumadge said.
Some students say they may not play sports next year or even consider switching counties because of the new fee.
As the district summarizes how the funds will be distributed, questions remain about whether the fee will strengthen athletic programs or create a challenge for student athletes. For now, the community remains divided on whether the policy will help level the playing field or make it harder for some students to step onto it.
