Both my husband and I were college athletes, so this was a topic of worry. But decided we aren't going to run ourselves ragged with the travel sports, camps, private coaches etc. it might take to get a child in at that level in the 2020s. Neither of us got sports scholarships, anyway.
We do 4H, which is extremely affordable because it's a state-funded extension program. Right now we pay $25 per YEAR. They have cheap camps, too.
Our kids have also done lots of (non-travel) soccer and flag football, which are relatively cheap at $125/season/child. But that's more like $225/season/child when you add in coaches gifts, bringing snacks and drinks, end-of-the-year pizza party, trophies, buying the cleats and shinguards and balls.
No private instrument lessons here. I hated them as a child, and our kids haven't been interested. The public school offers band or orchestra w/some instruction beginning in 4th grade, and you can rent the instrument for $10/month from the school.
We also do a TON of free activities at the library and parks, local festivals, outdoor movies, free museum admission days, etc. We have a free National Parks Pass because my husband is physically disabled (unrelated to his college athlete days! :-).
I put together an extensive plan for "Mommy Camp" every summer that includes workbooks, the library reading program, science and art projects, a weekly museum or cultural field trip, playdates, and a summer "bucket list" the kids help create. They also do a week at "Camp Grandma," a week of VBS, and a week at the beach.
Even living in The South, we don't have a pool membership (our neighborhood pool costs $1000 to join plus $425 annual dues so $1425 the first year!) Enough friends and neighbors do that we get invited to a pool about once a week, and we have several county-funded waterparks that we could visit dozens of times for the cost of a pool memberships.
We have done some one-off sailing, skiing, and rock-climbing "schools" just so the kids know how to enjoy those activities at a basic level. And swimming lessons (basic life skill).