Playing sports is a passion to athletes across the world but not every athlete has the same opportunities as others. Sports equipment comes at many different costs, especially training equipment. It’s known that the better equipment is usually the more expensive. Unfortunately, not everyone is blessed with a lot of money and can afford top-of-the-line training. But does it affect how good athletes are at their sport? Some could argue that it doesn’t while most athletes believe it does ruin careers. 

According to baseball coach Ryan Higgins, more sports equipment for different schools would level the playing field for sports.  

“They are too expensive for most high schools to use it yes, it would be nice to see more competition in the market so prices are driven down,” Higgins said. “Yes, I think it would also level the playing field if prices went down because then smaller urban schools that can’t afford those things would be able to and have the same advantages richer schools have.”

According to wrestling coach Luke Harm, sports should have the equipment open for use by anyone. 

“As far as the bare necessities it takes to participate in a sport I think that should be provided to kids,” Luke Harm said. “For example, as a wrestling coach, we have a  whole box of wrestling shoes that’s basically the only required equipment, so if a kid doesn’t have their own we can provide that for them.” “I do think if the sports were more accessible in price it would increase the participation rate.” 

Some schools are indeed richer than others and sometimes that can be proven on the field but there’s something way more important that coaches look for, motivation. Motivation is something that not a lot of athletes have but it is something that makes a better athlete. 

According to track coach John Wolfe, it’s not about the equipment that makes the player good it’s the attitude of the kid.

 “Not necessarily I think that it (sports equipment) would help in some ways surely, finances are a type of barrier but the biggest barrier to me is not financial constraints as much as it is just mental consistency, consistency in your workouts, and intensity that prohibits more success than just unavailability of equipment.” John Wolfe said. “I think the person that is stronger mentally and more willing to do bodyweight exercises every single day at a high level is gonna be better than the person that has all the equipment in the world but won’t put in the necessary work to receive those benefits.”