Kids' sport can be an unequal playing field, as some miss out due to cost.

Kids' sport isn't always a level playing field, it seems, as some Kiwi children are missing out on opportunities to play because their families can't afford the costs involved.

Other parents are taking out a second mortgage to pay for their kids to compete at high levels.

Auckland teenager Jayden is a talented football, tag and touch player who has been invited to travel overseas for sport several times this year, but often can't go because his family can't afford it.

SUPPLIED Sixteen-year-old Jayden (front, with the ball) is a talented football player. But the costs involved in competing at a high level mean he sometimes misses out on opportunities in the sport.

"He was supposed to go to be in Australia for tag this week but for $2500 to fly over and play in that tournament, when we just got back from England and I've just secured a permanent job teaching, the timing's off," his mum Lana said.

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"Sometimes when you can't provide that you feel a little bit like you've let him down, or we feel like we need to get new jobs because he's so talented and we just want him to have the opportunities."

In May, Jayden was selected to attend a football academy programme and trial for top clubs in the UK.

The trip cost $8000 – a sum Lana, a teacher, and her husband, a mechanic, didn't have to spare.

After receiving a small inheritance, they managed to save most of what they needed.

SUPPLIED Jayden with his parents before he left for England for football earlier this year.

But Jayden still wouldn't have been able to pay fees for some of the clubs, so would have missed out on opportunities that others on the trip had.

"He would not have been the same as the other boys. That would not have been good for his confidence," Lana said.

Fortunately, Jayden received a scholarship from the children's charity Variety which made up the difference. Lana is speaking out as Variety launches its annual Christmas appeal.

Variety's chief executive Lorraine Taylor said many kids on Variety's waiting list wanted to do extra-curricular activities but missed out because their families couldn't afford it.

"When families are struggling to put food on their tables and keep a roof over their heads, providing their children with the chance to do anything extra like join a sports team, take part in swimming lessons or learn a musical instrument is just simply unachievable."

A 2011 survey by Sport New Zealand found much fewer students (36 per cent) attending low-decile schools were signed up to sports clubs than those at medium or high-decile schools (53 and 54 per cent respectively).

SUPPLIED Variety chief executive Lorraine Taylor says many families on the charity's waiting list can't afford to send their kids to extra curricular activities.

Ant Ford, founder of the Hand Up Foundation which supports talented but financially challenged youth sports people, said costs for uniforms, coaching and equipment could add up quickly.

"Without a doubt, over a year costs can easily get to $5000 plus . . . I think apart from the major codes it's very much a user pays model."

Some young people were giving up sport to reduce the financial pressure on their families, he said.

"I think everyone would like to think that sport is accessible to every young New Zealander. But the reality is that that's not the case.

"With the increasing inequality in our country I think there's no doubt the number of kids falling out of sport, particularly at elite level, has definitely grown.

"They might come home and use excuses like 'I don't want to play anymore. I don't like playing' – anything to take the pressure off."

Don Oliver Youth Sports Foundation trustee Marc Oliver said he'd heard of families re-mortgaging their homes to fund their kids' sporting endeavours.

"The Kiwi way is to be able to play sport. We half pride ourselves on the thought that all kids get a chance to do things."