A Tribute to Football Moms Everywhere

Dear Football Mamas,




Thank you for registering us to play, season after season.

Thank you for helping us to make weight for weigh-in.

Thank you for buying us all of the necessary equipment to ensure that we're as safe as possible.

Thank you for taking us to all of our practices.

Thank you for making sure the fridge is full when we come home starving afterwards.

Thank you for filling our water bottles.

Thank you for washing our uniforms.

Thank you for waking up even earlier on the weekends than you do during the work week to drive us across town for our games.

Thank you for cutting up oranges for halftime and buying snacks to feed our teams.

Thank you for watching us play.

Thank you for always being our biggest cheerleaders, win or lose.

Thank you for wiping away our tears when we feel like we haven't played our best.

Thank you for helping heal our cuts, bumps, and bruises.

Thank you for always having a smile on your face.

Thank you for always being there for us, no matter what.

Thank you for putting your life on hold, for ours.

You're the real MVPs!

Love,




Football Players Everywhere








*** A huge thank you to the awesome mamas in our Facebook Group for submitting all of these wonderful photos! ***

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!

Team Mama Idea: DIY Big Head Cutouts!

Homecoming 2018 is in the books! I still can't believe I'm the mama of a high schooler. Crazy! It was such a fun week. There were spirit days (i.e. Jet Lag Monday aka pajama day, Peace Out Wednesday aka tie-dye day), a pep rally, a parade, the game (we WON!), and the big dance, of course!


No. 1 and his Freshman football teammates marched in the parade alongside their class float and the cheerleaders. Us mamas wanted to do something special to catch their attention, so we made our own big heads!

They were quite simple to make and only a fraction of the cost of the ones they sell online. Want to make one to cheer on your favorite athlete? Just keep on reading!

All you need:

• Cardboard (I found mine at my local craft store)
• Scissors or X-Acto Knife
• Glue
• Large photo of your athlete (Most stores with photo departments can print them in under an hour. Don't forget to check for a coupon! For reference, my photo is a 20X30.)
• Optional: mounting stick

All you do:

1. Glue your photo to the cardboard. (I started with a glue stick but ended up switching to liquid glue.)
2. Allow the glue to dry.
3. Cut "the head" out.
4. Cheer on your athlete!

The team loved them! They all clapped, cheered, and pointed as they walked by.

Us Frosh mamas were definitely the most spirited (and noticeable!) ones there! But you don't have to have a high schooler to make one. Take a look at these proud JMU mamas cheering on their boys. Go Spartans! Go Dukes!

For more fun ideas and to connect with hundreds of REAL Sports Mamas just like yourself, be sure to join the Confessions of a Sports Mama Facebook Group today!




*** Check out these big heads made by some of the awesome mamas in the group:

Sports Mama Review: SISU Mouthguards

What do you look for in a mouthguard? As a Sports Mama to three active boys, I always look for two things; strength and comfort.


But what if there were a mouthguard that provided strength, comfort, hygiene, remoldability, AND freedom?! Enter SISU. They provide all of that! Although their slogan is "More protection. Less mouthguard.", they definitely aren't cutting any corners!

SISU mouthguards are 8 times stronger than 30-50% of conventional ones (depending on the model you get!). They are 1.6-2.4 mm thin, making them super comfortable. Their slim, custom fit allows players to talk, breathe, even drink while wearing them, thus eliminating the need to take them out during the game. Bye-bye germs! And, they are remoldable. How many conventional mouthguards have you had to throw out due to them not being properly molded?


There are four different guards for your athlete to choose from; The GO provides essential coverage, the Aero is for all sports, the Max is for high impact sports, and the Junior is for athletes ages 7-10. No. 2 and No. 3 have been wearing their SISU GO guards for soccer and love them!

According to my boys, they "feel good, stay in place", and they "can talk and drink" with them in. This Sports Mama loves the fact that they are custom fitted (not just a boil and bite) and that my boys actually keep them in their mouths. I don't know about you, but my inner germaphobe cringes whenever I see young athletes taking their guards in and out and touching everything else in between!


They've also been using the SISU Mouthguard Spray. It's cinnamon/mint flavored and can be used to both freshen and clean.

I like that it's easily portable and can be thrown right in my Sports Mama Bag!


The only aspect that I believe they can improve on is having an option with a strap available. There are some youth sports clubs that require their athletes to have guards with straps, especially in football.


If you're in the market for a new mouthguard, I highly recommend checking them out. They even offer night guards for us teeth grinders (be sure to check back soon for my thoughts on it!).


Hit happens; get yourself a SISU Mouthguard!








*** Disclaimer: SISU was kind enough to send me their products, however, all thoughts and opinions are solely my own.***