I taught at schools with students who had tremendous talent and dedication. Those same programs were not the wealthiest. Money was, and always is, an obstacle. So, when I say that I’ve had this same objection, I mean it: “It’s just too expensive.”
This is the most relatable objection I could write about. Substitute “We can’t afford it,” and it is still the same meaning. Most of us lead pay-to-play programs, making it even more difficult to choose where to compete, which costumes to pick and what arrangements to select. Unlike many school activities, the competitive arts often require families to carry more of the financial load.
Why Competitions Are Worth It
I will concede that competition costs more financially. However, the value your program and students gain from the experience often reaches far beyond the number on the invoice.
Here are some thoughts you may or may not have considered before:
Competition offers the shared experience of working toward a goal.
As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, you, as the director, get to decide what that goal is. It becomes the standard your program builds from. Traveling to compete tells your students that the work matters, that growth matters, and that their performance belongs in the room. It also shows them that you are willing to keep learning, refining, and improving right alongside them.
Competition teaches responsibility.
I once taught a student who, no matter where we went, would leave something. Whether it was their shoes, socks, costume – or in one case, their entire travel bag – it was always something. Most of you have taught that student, or even been that student. Over the course of their high school career, it progressively improved, and as a result, even their responsibility for things outside of competition improved. A season of competition forces students to take ownership of responsibilities that even the most involved parent can’t manage for them.
Competition builds identity.
Competing can build or refine what makes your group unique and who you are as an ensemble. Results can be disappointing and yet still provide feedback you may not have considered before, leading to significant changes and real improvement in the weeks that follow. As each competition season ends and the auditions for the next year start, what you were able to frame for your students is what they communicate to others. That is your recruitment strategy for the future.
An Impact Worth the Expense
I can’t express how many times we all have had to “make it work” for our programs and students. Every director has to make choices limited by the almighty dollar. The cost is real. There’s no way around that.
However, competing is so much more than spending money. The value and character built around competing is the true reward. Placements come and go, but what remains is the growth students carry with them. They remember the work, the trip, the performance, the people. They remember what it felt like to be part of something bigger than themselves.
That doesn’t erase the financial reality. That never goes away, and it should never be dismissed or minimized. We all make hard choices with limited resources, and not every opportunity is possible every year.
Long-Term Rewards
When competition is framed with purpose, it becomes more than a line item in a budget. It becomes part of how students learn discipline, responsibility, resilience, teamwork, and pride in their program.
So yes, it costs money. But when we are intentional, the value of competing lasts far longer than the receipt.
Sending you “Nothin’ but Love” as you wrap up the end-of-year madness!
Dan Baker