I totally agree with you. Here's another thought: If these same parents spent their thousands of dollars on math or science extra help, extracurricular courses or summer camps instead of travel lacrosse and clinics, their kids could get a much more valuable academic scholarship, succeed throughout college and then land a high-paying job once school ended. Great math skills can get you very far in life as math builds critical thinking skills necessary for any rewarding career. It's the nerds that make the big bucks, not the athletes. For every successful professional athlete, there are many more successful businessmen in the corporate world. I also don't understand why parents spend so much money on a sport in which there is no chance of earning a living playing it. If your son is a great athlete, steer him towards the sports that pack the stadiums and are on primetime TV. Lacrosse peaks in college and then it fizzles. It's a dead-end sport. I've been to MLL games. D1 (even D2 and D3) college games much more exciting.