A $530 Swim Fee or a Flat $250 for Every Sport?

East Grand Rapids parents are being asked to choose between steep sport-by-sport fee increases and a flat rate that could cost some families more than they pay today. The City Commission is set to discuss the issue Monday night.

City leaders are reviewing four pricing models for middle school athletics after rising costs for game officials, equipment, and coaching stipends forced a complete overhaul of the current system, according to a July 6 report from FOX 17.

"They're sports, they're supposed to be fun, and you know, making friends and memories, and it puts financial burden on parents," said Gretchen Bird, an East Grand Rapids parent whose sons have participated in city sports for years.

Four Options on the Table

The city is weighing these four structures, according to city documents cited by FOX 17:

1. Option 1: Cost-based fees — The current model, updated for 2026-2027. Fees would range from approximately $144 for track to more than $500 for some sports, including Boys Swim and Dive.
2. Option 2: Flat $250 fee — A single rate for all sports, matching the high school athletics fee structure. This option has support from both the City Finance Committee and Parks and Recreation Commission.
3. Option 3: Demand-weighted pricing — A model proposed by Second Ward Commissioner Chris Wessely in which popular sports pay a 10% premium on top of actual costs while less popular programs receive a 20% discount.
4. Option 4: Gender-combined cost-based fees — Similar to Option 1, but boys and girls expenses are combined for each sport to eliminate gender-based fee differences.

All four options include a $32,300 administrative fee that covers credit card processing, registration software, and a portion of the Middle School Athletic Director's salary, according to the report.

The Numbers Behind the Debate

Under the cost-based model, some of the sharpest increases would hit popular sports:

• Boys Swim and Dive: Up from $217 to $530
• Soccer: Up from $120 to $360 under some options
• Water Polo: Up from $200 to $387
• Cross Country: Up from $111 to $162, or to $250 under the flat fee

"We've had a lot of turnover on coaches," said Andrew Grashuis, who has children in the district and coaches at the middle school level. "Schools are paying three, four times what East is paying right now, and that's not going to draw good coaches longer term."

Why Coaches Are Leaving

The fee review was prompted by the city's need to raise coaching stipends to remain competitive with surrounding districts. According to the East Insider recap of the June 15 meeting, commissioners agreed to raise coaches' stipends from $1,000 to $1,800, with a target of competitive levels between $2,000 and $2,800.

"When you have that turnover, you just don't get that synergy, and that's I think what gets lost in some of this is that you know, we want the cost low. Totally understandable, but to run a sport and have solid coaching, it's a delicate balance," Grashuis said.

Parks and Recreation Director Derek Melville told FOX 17 that the cost increases are consistent with increases the city has seen across all operational areas. The city is aligning its pay with other local middle school programs to attract and retain quality coaches and officials.

Help Is Available

Melville said the goal is to support middle school athletics without creating barriers to participation. Families who need financial assistance can apply for scholarships through the East Grand Rapids Schools Foundation's Jimmy's Friendship Fund, according to the report.

The East Grand Rapids School District did not respond to a request for comment, FOX 17 reported.

What Happens Next

The City Commission discussed the fee proposals at its July 6 meeting at the East Grand Rapids Community Center, according to the East Insider meeting preview. No final decision had been announced as of press time.

The commission also used the June 15 meeting to discuss middle school athletics pricing but did not reach consensus on a fee structure, according to the East Insider recap. Commissioners requested additional information and time to review Commissioner Wessely's demand-weighted proposal before making a decision.

The pricing question will return to the commission for further discussion at a future meeting, the recap stated.