Tournament checklist

nixxy311 · Feb 25, 2018

DD will play in her first TB tournament this weekend and I’m a huge planner. It’s a one day, 4GG so we’ll be there for most of the day.

We already have the tent and wagon that we usually bring for All Star tournaments but that’s always been at most 2-3 in a day.

Just wanted to get tips on what else to make sure we bring. And ideas on some healthy food items so we won’t have to eat at the concessions and DD doesn’t get too full/hungry.

I have ideas but don’t want to miss something that I didn’t even think about. It’s not too far away but would rather not leave if I don’t have to.

Thanks!

coach james · Feb 25, 2018

Lots of water.
Nuts
Fruit. DD loves grapes, watermelon, or blueberries
Baby carrots
Cheese cubes
Turkey breast
Extra pairs of socks and underwear
Slides or sandals to wear during down time
Chairs
Sun screen

CMMom1740 · Feb 25, 2018

Cooler with plenty of ice, sunscreen, bug spray, reading material for down time, phone battery pack to recharge, sunglasses, visor/hat. In GA, expect to freeze in the AM and be hot in the PM, so dress in layers. Make sure you or DD has extra feminine hygiene supplies if she is of that age (trust me, you don't want to have to find a drug store or Walmart on the fly).

gamommax3 · Feb 26, 2018

CMMom1740 said:
Cooler with plenty of ice, sunscreen, bug spray, reading material for down time, phone battery pack to recharge, sunglasses, visor/hat. In GA, expect to freeze in the AM and be hot in the PM, so dress in layers. Make sure you or DD has extra feminine hygiene supplies if she is of that age (trust me, you don't want to have to find a drug store or Walmart on the fly).

I second the above living in Georgia also, and will add a picnic blanket (cuts the wind if covering with it, keeps butt dry if sitting on the ground), wagon to carry everything in, first aid kit, and candy, a football, and a tablet for my younger one. In my cooler, I always have:

plenty of water and Powerade/Propel, with extras in the car to replenish the cooler as needed
LOTS of fruit
sandwiches or wraps for lunch time
protein bars! Awesome for a quick bite when time is tight
cheese cubes and cheese sticks
quick carb snacks, veggie straws or whole grain goldfish

To be honest, I could go with nothing more than a chair, sunglasses and hat, a cooler, and an extra battery pack for my phone (Gamechanger really drains the battery). Those are my ABSOLUTE essentials for every weekend.

justanotherguy · Feb 26, 2018

SUNSCREEN AND SHADE!!!! You'll be outside all day. My DD is a sunbaby so even if she gets a light burn, she's a tanned beauty the next day. Me though... I might as well be straight outta Ireland. I can feel my skin burning as the sun touches it.

Those cheap walmart or Dick's Sporting Goods pop up tents will work just fine. I have a high end EZUP from my racing days, and it stays hope. The cheapo gets all the use because it's so light and easy to pop up. If a big wind flips it over and tears it up, oh well, I'll get another one.

Second, a nice chair. Spend that extra 30 bucks for the big, comfy, fold up chair vs the 19 dollar special that's at the front of walmart in the big bin.

PNWdad · Feb 26, 2018

Red Solo cups for the beer.

YOCOACH · Feb 26, 2018

I have yet to see anyone mention camping chairs. Gotta sit right? And the bleachers suck! Fruits high in water content such as Grapes, Watermelon, Cantaloupe, oranges, grapefruit, etc. AVOID pineapple as its a natural diuretic and will cause dehydration. Gatorade or equivalent. Remember that it was designed to replenish the body after the game and not during. The general rule my team has is at least a one for one ratio of water to gatorade. I tell them 2 to 1 if at all possible. Peanut butter is a great source of protein and sticks with them longer than carbs. Pickles are a great source of electrolytes without having to drink sports drinks. If you're doing lunchmeat, chicken is the best option since it won't make them sleepy like turkey does. Whole grain wheat or any other whole grain bread will also last them longer than white if thinking sandwiches. Most types of cheese are okay and stay away from soda (pop, coke, Pepsi, mountain dew etc.) Start hydrating on wednesdays. Drink a lot of water between then and the start of the tourney. They can never replace it as fast as they will sweat it out over the weekend no matter how much they drink; especially if they are a catcher or a pitcher.

Gambler Bob · Feb 26, 2018

YOCOACH said:
I have yet to see anyone mention camping chairs. Gotta sit right? And the bleachers suck! Fruits high in water content such as Grapes, Watermelon, Cantaloupe, oranges, grapefruit, etc. AVOID pineapple as its a natural diuretic and will cause dehydration. Gatorade or equivalent. Remember that it was designed to replenish the body after the game and not during. The general rule my team has is at least a one for one ratio of water to gatorade. I tell them 2 to 1 if at all possible. Peanut butter is a great source of protein and sticks with them longer than carbs. Pickles are a great source of electrolytes without having to drink sports drinks. If you're doing lunchmeat, chicken is the best option since it won't make them sleepy like turkey does. Whole grain wheat or any other whole grain bread will also last them longer than white if thinking sandwiches. Most types of cheese are okay and stay away from soda (pop, coke, Pepsi, mountain dew etc.) Start hydrating on wednesdays. Drink a lot of water between then and the start of the tourney. They can never replace it as fast as they will sweat it out over the weekend no matter how much they drink; especially if they are a catcher or a pitcher.

I would have never guessed that pineapple was a diuretic. I will be honest, my first thought was that was something you made up, so I went and Googled it. I was certainly wrong. Learn something new everyday.

nixxy311 · Feb 27, 2018

Interesting about the pineapple!

Ariel116 · Feb 27, 2018

I have this down to a fine art now and can pack for a tournament pretty fast. Tent, camp chairs, wagon, grizzly cooler (that I pre-chill the evening before), Smart-water, cokes (for me and maybe a few for my kid when she wants something with flavor), large backpack filled with go-pro/camera gear & sunscreen, and a bin in my car filled with non-perishable stuff like toilet paper, baby wipes, mosquito repellant, extra waters, etc. In my cooler I bring basics- watermelon, drinks, slim-jims, grapes, cheese sticks, crackers, frog tog, etc. My kid usually just snacks until we can get away for a bit and get something good to eat. We don't play 1 day tournaments any more but when we did, we would bring stuff to make basic sandwiches. If it's going to be below 50, my heater buddy goes too. Now for the really important stuff- throw a roll of toilet paper in your car for when the park runs out. You will thank me later for this tip.

Tournament checklist

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nixxy311

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