That's easy! The fact that we LOVE our young athletes and that we spend A TON of time watching them do what they love!
Here are my FIVE Sports Mama must-haves, regardless of the sport your child plays:
- Smart phone. I use my smart phone to email coaches, text my fellow sports mamas, get driving directions, access our team roster, take photos, and to take videos. Seriously. What can't you do with a smart phone?
- Planner. An electronic or a good ol' fashioned paper one will do. All that matters is that it is easily portable. Your athlete is going to have practices and games, usually at different times and different places. Somebody has to know what's going on!
- Portable seating. Nothing is more uncomfortable than soaking wet (or too hot or too cold) bleachers! Folding chairs and stadium seats are your BFF. You can find folding chairs in all different colors, with cup holders, canopies, and even heated stadium seats!
- Sports mama bag. Your athlete has their bag, but you need one too! What I carry in mine typically depends on the sport as well as the weather. A few things that I never leave home without are hand sanitizer, water, my mini-first aid kit, and snacks for siblings (because they will be hungry- even if you did just leave home 15 minutes ago!).
- Sports Mama BFF. This is a must! There will be days that you simply can't get your athlete to the field or court on time. Finding a fellow mama who can help you out of this bind will make your life so much less stressful. Not to mention how nice it is to just sit back, chat and spend time with somebody who gets you.
Honorable mentions:
- DSLR camera (to get those Instagram worthy actions shots)
- Sunglasses (to keep the sun out of your eyes
andor hide the fact that waking up early isn't your forte!) - Folding sports wagon (to carry ALL the things)
- Cooler (to keep your athlete's drink cold- bonus points for packing extras, in case they or a teammate run out!)
I hope you found this list helpful! Do you have an essential that wasn't mentioned above? Please feel free to share it with us in the comment section.
Happy Sports Mama-ing!
When my children did cross country, or track (long distance was my son, daughter did pole vaulting), I would bring a book to read because sometimes you have to sit far away from the action to see your child, especially the pole vaulter. Having a good book made the time pass when he/she was not competing. (I was also an 8th grade math teacher and I would bring my grading, but not everyone can do that!)
ReplyDeleteA book (or something to keep you entertained)is definitely an essential! And being able to grade papers AND watch your kid practice/compete takes some serious skills, Cynthia! :-)
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