Cash-Strapped Schools Shift to Pay-to-Play Sports

By Anthony Rios, The Morning Journal

For many years, playing athletics at your school was simple. All kids had to do, depending on the sport, was try out, and if you were good enough — you made the team.

Today at most schools, the parents are responsible for paying for shoes, some equipment and physicals, but things are slowly starting to change.

During these tough economic times, schools are finding it harder to find ways to fund their extra-curricular programs. In Lorain County, Ohio, outside of Cleveland, schools are seeing more and more levies fail and school boards have no choice but...