Being on a sports team has many advantages. However, it can come with a price.

“They made us get these ugly sweatshirts for $20,” senior swim team member Derek Heinrich said. “We also had to have our own stuff like goggles and swim caps just to try out.”

Though swim team can be expensive, the costs are created for the comfort of the athletes instead of having to share equipment with each other.

“Caps, bathing suits and goggles are considered personal items,” athletic director Ray Scott said. “That is why they buy them and keep them.”

Almost every athletic team has ordered extra things for their team this year including sweatshirts, shirts, sweatpants and more.

“I think it shows team unity without actually wearing a jersey,” said Tony Buckler, JV men’s basketball coach. “It represents the team outside school and just shows some spirit.”

Many athletes also say the extras they purchased made the team more unified.

“I liked all the matching stuff we got,” said Hunter Spruill, a freshman JV volleyball player. “They made us look more like a team; it was almost like it pumped us up.”

Spirit packs, matching apparel worn outside of games, were not required, Scott said.

“Each team has the option of buying spirit packs if they want to or don’t want to. It’s entirely up to the head coach,” Scott said. “The easiest way to finance the spirit pack is for the team to have a fund-raiser.”

Before making the team, varsity competition cheerleaders were given a proposed budget of $400 for the entire year. Thanks to a variety of fund-raisers held throughout the year, cheerleaders did not have to pay this amount in its entirety. The cheerleaders say that it was well worth the expense because the items were necessary and cost less when purchased as a group.

“It was a lot easier with Mrs. Pearce getting it straight,” said Katy Crutchfield, a freshman varsity competition cheerleader. “She could get team discounts and stuff that I wouldn’t be able to do individually. It was much cheaper having her organize it.”

While team unity and major discounts are positives to extra things bought on a sports team, many believe that a high school student shouldn’t have to pay to compete in the sport.

“The apparel we got on the team was nice to have,” said Liz Evanoff, sophomore varsity women’s basketball and volleyball player. “The stuff wasn’t a necessity, however. We could have done with out it. If someone couldn’t have afforded the stuff, then it would have been kind of embarrassing for them.”

“I have been part of a team where if someone can’t afford it, the athletic budget or the coaches personal money may cover it,” Buckler said. “Most of the time a coach will try to find the cheapest prices possible or set up fund-raisers.”

As well as making things optional to buy, there are other means of getting around money issues. Many teams, such as the basketball, baseball and softball teams, have had fund-raisers to raise money for spirit packs so the athletes wouldn’t have to pay.

“We had a fund-raiser called the shoot-a-thon to pay for all of our stuff on our team,” said junior Matt Preston, a varsity men’s basketball player. “Every player got 200 shots to make as many as he could. It was a great way to get money so we didn’t have to pay for anything.”

Those athletes who are in favor of making additional purchase say these promote team unity and help display school spirit for all to see.

Sophomore wrestler Cam Brown says this is good in individual sports.

“I think getting stuff that says First Flight all over it is a good idea for the wrestling team,” he said. “In our sport there is much more recognition of an individual than of our school’s name. Having school apparel lets others know what school we are from.”

While the costs of high school athletics may seem daunting for some students, there are ways around the extra expenses. Coaches say it is unlikely that any athlete will be denied the chance to participate in sports due to a lack of finances .

Scott said, “In all my years (of being Athletic Director) if someone needed something, they got it.”