Sports-loving family feeling effects of high gas prices

By Anastasia Harbuck

Published: June 26, 2008

Editor’s note: This is the sixth in a series of stories on how high gas prices are affecting Eufaula-area residents.
Payton and Weston Jones love to play ball.
Their parents, John and Patty Jones, love their kids. And while Payton, 10, practices and plays all-star softball with the Dixie Angels and Weston, 13, practices and plays travel baseball with the Eufaula Gators, John and Patty faithfully attend their kids’ games - even if that means going out of town.
Payton and Weston’s games can take the family to places as nearby as Troy, Columbus, Albany and Phenix City and as far away as Cullman. Plus there is Payton’s Eufaula All Star Wildcats cheerleading which can take the family all over the Southeast from Macon to Birmingham to Destin to Atlanta. Add the fact that dad John drives each day to MeadWestvaco from their home on Clayton Highway and mom Patty, who works for MidSouth Bank, makes regular trips to Dothan, and it’s safe to say that steep gas prices figure dramatically into the the family’s’ lifestyle.
Even with their two Honda Accords, John and Patty cringe every time they fill up their gas tanks - which, by the way, costs $55 each to fill. In 2002, it cost only $18 to fill up his Accord, said John.
“We traded in our Ford Explorer when gas was $3 a gallon,” says Patty. “And we thought that was pretty ridiculous.”
If $3 a gallon gas is ridiculous, $4 a gallon is downright absurd. But as they are with all aspects of life, gas prices are shaping the lifestyle of the American family.
The Jones family is no exception. Though they refuse to give up on sports, the Jones family has had to give up on some new things they’d like to try like Payton taking pitching lessons in Columbus and Weston joining a travel ball team in Dothan.
With the costs their sports activities and day-to-day travel expenses already demand, they can’t afford to take on any new projects.  Patty estimates that her family will spend more than $1,500 in gasoline before the summer is over. And that’s just for gasoline. That doesn’t include the cost of hotel rooms, food and tournament admission spent during the trips.
“You spend $10-15 to watch a 2 ½ minute routine,” says Patty of her daughter’s Wildcats competitions.
And Payton and Weston’s parents aren’t the only family members shelling out the big bucks to drive to ball and cheerleading tournaments. Patty and John are both from Jacksonville, Fla. and Patty’s parents still live in Jacksonville which means they have to drive a long way to see their grandkids’ games and competitions.
But the family is actually lucky.
Patty says many parents of her kids’ teammates drive larger vehicles like Suburbans and Tahoes which can cost more than $120 to fill up.
They doubt kids will stop playing sports just because of rising gas prices.
“I think most people have adjusted,” says John. “I think people will spend money on their kids that they wouldn’t spend on other things.”
Payton and Weston certainly aren’t giving up on sports anytime soon - they’ve been playing since they were toddlers. Weston started out playing t-ball when he was 4 and participates not only in travel ball, but also in football and basketball. Payton participates in all-star softball as well as Wildcats cheerleading and gymnastics, but she says it’s all-star softball she loves best.
“With softball, you don’t have to do any tricks or flips,” says Payton. “I play just for the fun of it. That’s why I like it.”
And it’s fairly safe to say, whatever the price of gasoline, John and Patty will be there to cheer their kids on every step of the way.