Team Mama Idea: How to Make Senior Night Extra Special!

This past Friday was Senior Night for our high school football team! I don't have a Senior (yet!), but that didn't stop me from volunteering on the committee. If you've been following me along this #sportsmomjourney for some time now, you know I just couldn't help myself.

Here's what we did to make the night extra special for them.

We began by making each Senior player and manager a big head.

Click here for step by step instructions, with photos! We used X-ACTO knives instead of scissors/box cutters as mentioned in the tutorial.

Each player also got a Sports Illustrated magazine cover photo!

We used a template from a past Senior parent. He apparently used Microsoft Power Point to create them. We then printed and laminated each one.

We also spelled out the word SENIORS, followed by the numbers '19  along the fence down by the field using 12oz. orange plastic cups. I found the cups at my local party store.

I think we used close to 250 cups! Moral of the story, buy waaay more cups than you think you'll need. You can always return any unopened ones!


The big heads and SI posters are usually displayed on the fence as well, however, Mother Nature was not on our side at all. It rained cats and dogs all.day.long.

The boys also gave their mothers a flower with a hand written thank you note attached to it.

I would have been a sobbing mess. Talk about all the feels!!!

Thank you, Seniors. You will be missed!




What does your school do to celebrate this special night? Let me know in the comment section below or in the Confessions of a Sports Mama Facebook Group.




***  11/9/19 Here are a few pictures from this year's Senior Night:

And even more ideas from the awesome mamas in our Facebook Group! Have you joined us yet??

Photos submitted by Mindy G.



*** Click HERE and HERE for my most recent Senior Night ideas!!! Be sure to also check out these spirit pins (Personalized as well as Photo Option!), DIY Personalized Football Signs, and Senior Mom Jerseys! ***

Sports Mama Review: SportStar GX-4 Chinstrap

Being a football mom is not for the faint of heart. The thing that helps calm my nerves the most is knowing that my boys have some of the best and safest equipment available. From helmets, to shoulder pads, to cleats. Chinstraps are no exception! Which is why No. 1's chinstrap of choice when playing football is a SportStar.

Why SportStar? For starters, and probably most importantly, it absorbs 92% of the impact on a direct hit to the chin! All other brands on the market range between only 20-36%. That is a HUGE difference! One of No. 1's teammates recently took a hit to the chin resulting in stitches...

Ouch. Not pretty! According to his mother, the first thing the ER nurse asked him was whether he was wearing a hard or soft cup chinstrap. What do you think his answer was? And for the record, he was not wearing a SportStar!


The GX-4 chinstrap also includes a gel pad for extreme comfort.

Both the gel and foam are anti-microbial helping to reduce skin rashes and irritation. What teenager can't use a little extra help in that department?!


They can even be customized to match uniforms!


No. 1 has been a quarterback for seven seasons now and has tried several different chinstraps along the way. The GX-4 is by far is favorite. He says it is "comfortable, easy to adjust, easy to put on and take off" and that the "gel feels good". He also "likes the color" options and "the way it looks".

And my boy isn't alone! 1/3 of active NFL players wear them, including the number one pick in the 2018 NFL draft, Baker Mayfield. He wore it at Oklahoma and is wearing it now with the Cleveland Browns. 3/4 of NCAA FBS programs offer SportStar chinstraps to their players as well, including Michigan, Ohio State, Texas, TCU, Stanford and several other top programs.


Want to be sure that your athlete has the best chinstrap out there? Then be sure to head to your local sporting goods store or visit their website and order them a SportStar today!








*** Disclaimer: SportStar was kind enough to send me their product, however, all thoughts and opinions are solely my own (and my son's!)***

Team Mama Idea: Motivational Bananas For Game Days!

Happy Sunday, Sports Mamas! I wanted to share this easy, quick, FUN idea with all of you for the next time you have #snackmomduty.

Bananas with personalized messages on them! Seriously, how cute are they?! All you need are bananas and a sharpie. You guessed it, didn't you? I waited until a couple of hours before the game to write on them. They were 100% easier to write on than the mandarins I drew on a while back to make into mini basketballs.

Healthy and cute!

I also washed and bagged 500 grapes. Yep, I counted. And apparently I'm not the only one who does. I posted the same photo in the Confessions of a Sports Mama Facebook Group and one mama commented, "Just counted out almost 800 grapes! And I thought I was the only crazy one that counted them before bagging so all the boys get the same amount!!". HA!


Go Spartans!!!






*** Sports Mama Tip: Taking oranges for halftime? Click HERE for the absolute easiest and best way to cut them!

Sports Mama Tip: 5 Tips For Feeding a Large Sports Team + 10 Team Approved Meal Ideas!

If you're ever looking for me on a Thursday afternoon during football season, I can be found at No. 1's high school helping serve him and his teammates their pre-game meals. That's 42 boys + 4 coaches + 2 managers which = a whole lot of hungry mouths to feed!


Here is what we do to make it run as smoothly as possible:

1. Plan ahead. How many people will you be feeding? Don't forget to include the coaches and managers in your headcount! Will you use a caterer or make it yourself? Are there any allergies or dietary restrictions to consider? If feeding the team before a game, be sure to allow at least 2 hours for proper digestion.
2. Keep it simple. This is not the time to test out a brand new recipe from Bobby Flay. Choose one kid-friendly main dish and plan the rest of your menu around it (i.e starch, fruit/veggie, and dessert). Use disposable plates, cups, and cutlery... ain't nobody got time for washing 752 dishes!
3. Ask for volunteers. The more hands the better! The title of this post is How to Feed a Large Sports Team, remember? You will need help setting up, serving, and cleaning up.
4. Serve it buffet style. This is definitely the easiest way I've found to do it. Set everything up on a long table in the order that it will be plated. When I help feed No. 1's freshman football team, we put the plates at the very beginning of the table, followed by the protein, then the starch, the salad/fruit, dessert, cutlery, and finally the bottled water. Assign a volunteer to each item and let them serve the players as they walk down the line.
5. Stock up on PBJs. You're never going to please everyone, ever. No matter how hard you try! There will be picky eaters, there will be parents who complain, don't sweat it, Mama. Keep an emergency stash of bread, peanut butter, and jelly handy at all times. Don't like what we're serving? No problem. Go make yourself a sandwich!

Here are 10 team approved meal ideas:

1. Pulled bbq chicken sandwiches
2. Tacos
3. Lasagna
4. Hamburgers
5. Chicken Teriyaki
6. Sloppy Joes
7. Chili
8. Spaghetti
9. Hotdogs (Click HERE to learn how to make them in the crockpot!)
10. Pizza (Because what would this list be without it?)

Feeding a team doesn't have to (and shouldn't!) be stressful, Mama. I hope you found this post helpful and that you incorporate some (or all!) of these tips into your next team meal.


Bon appetit!

*** Click HERE to read how I keep food warm without warming trays or Sternos!