TB Must Haves

[Rambler34]

Wife packs a bag with snacks, sunscreen, cups for above mentioned hidden beverages, first aid kit, and a few other things you will decide you needed after the first time. Then we throw in chairs and a couple of blankets. The cooler is loaded with more than we ever expect to drink just in case.

From the AC perspective I carry a backpack with an iPad, line up cards, pens/pencils, sunscreen, towel, multi tool, and helmet hardware kits. I was surprised to see how many times I had to change out a clip on a face mask or catchers helmet. I didn't carry it but one other assistant had a glove lacing kit for emergencies which we used several times.

 

[CPEM]

6. Solo cups for drinking certain types of liquids that may or may not be buried in the bottom of your cooler

What are you? Semi-pro? The better method is to stop at a 7-11 and get a Big Gulp cup, lid, and straw.

 

[Bchbum54]

After 4 All-Star seasons and multiple TB tournaments DW and I have it down to the minimal.

A pair of director chairs
1 medium soft case roller cooler with multiple pockets
A handful of frozen water bottles and a dozen cold waters
A couple beers for me
Sun screen, protein bars, seeds and a few more snacks that all conveniently fit in the cooler side pockets
1 umbrella + stand combo

No matter how much food we have prepared in the past DD insist on having something from the snack bar (burger, pizza) so DW and I just quit taking so much food. We usually go out for dinner/lunch with the team after games so that'd another reason I stopped packing for a zombie apocalypse on tournament days. You want to stay mobile too so you can get your crap together fast and move to you the next field quickly to secure your favorite spot to watch the game. I get irritated when a player has their ENTIRE family who never comes to watch them play but decided to support them for just 1 game and they take up all the premium seating area but thats a topic for another thread.

 

[Eric F]

A wagon. Definitely a wagon.

This ^^^ !!!!!

It wasn't until the end of our first All-Star season that I finally figured out this critical component.

 

[grcsftbll]

We always bring lots of food, especially fruit. If we added restaurant expenses to travel ball expenses we'd be bankrupt.

 

[WARRIORMIKE]

invest in anything with Yeti on it. Or the knock off RTIC . They are higher dollar ice chest but durable and will keep everything cold. The Yeti ramblers are the best for cold drinks of any kind! [wink]

 

[marriard]

The longer we do this, the less I bring.

A large cooler with wheels with water and fruit, maybe some chocolate/energy bar
A bucket of balls
A coaches bucket with a Easton sleeve (my glove, balls to warm up pitchers, first aid kit, 100 pens and pencils is various states of usefulness, line up cards, lacing kit, spare armbands, etc)

As coaches we share the 'what to bring' for team warmups/games (my portion is above - one brings ball and tees, one brings wiffle and bownet)
Non coach parents are responsible for shade & chairs for long days. I normally just sit on my coaches bucket.

As a coach I used to bring it all (and lots of things not above) and overloaded a wagon. Now i can bring everything without one - my DD puts her gear bag on the cooler and I carry both buckets and my coffee...

 

[Eric F]

What are you? Semi-pro? The better method is to stop at a 7-11 and get a Big Gulp cup, lid, and straw.

How to keep your canned beverage cold...

Pack ice around it, and it stays at optimum temperature.

Safety tip: This method is not approved for coaches in the dugout.

 

[Dabears17]

1) Screw driver for helmet screws that might loosen up, preferably a leatherman.

2) Flip flops or some sort of comfortable shoes to wear between games.

3) Grapes, energy bars, and/or raisin and nuts mix to get a quick energy pick-up when you have back to back games.

4)We organize two families to bring cold cuts/bread, another to bring plates/utensils, another to bring drinks for lunch, and another to bring dugout liquids and rotate it over the summer. You avoid the pool play dreaded have an hour to find someplace to eat and get back before warm-ups for next game and its much more relaxing.

 

[InsidePitch]

I have actually pared down. DD has her catchers bag that holds everything she will need topically and a backpack cooler that can hold 6-8 bottles, fruit bowl from WaWa and an ice pack. I keep a larger cooler in the truck for replenishing. I bring a backpack with my chair that has built in shade. I'm good to go and I'm not looking or feeling like a camp follower from the civil war.