My daughter is in cheer and it hasn't been quite that bad. It was worst at the beginning of last year: the practice schedule kept getting changed at the last minute, I kept having to buy more shorts, shoes, etc. and there was always something else we had to raise money for or pay for outright. I was ready to blow when it thankfully leveled out about mid-year. She thoroughly enjoyed it and is on the squad again this year. The practice schedule is a pain, particularly because we live over a half hour away from the school, and the athletic fee went up but most of the moms seem to be able to keep it real and the majority of the girls follow suit.