Last Updated on January 17, 2025 by The Smetz Files
Sports Moms, if you love a baseball or softball player that plays travel ball, read this post of what I pack for weekend tournaments!
There’s a meme with the quote about most people pay money to see their favorite players play, but I’m raising mine. That’s pretty much my life these days, raising two kids active in travel baseball and travel softball. Like it or not, travel ball is part of the youth sports world.
We are entering our third season of travel baseball. Up to this point we’ve stayed primarily local, like within an hour and a half radius of home. It’s been easy to stick with day trips for the most part. We’ve had a few out of state tournaments that required hotel stays, boarding the dog, and more detailed travel logistics.
With two kids now in the throes of the travel baseball and softball world, here are some things I do to plan for out of town weekends on the diamond.
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Planning
A few days ahead, I begin planning. I look at the extended weather forecast and begin thinking about how that impacts our packing list.
I make a list of specific snacks, food, and essentials I need to buy or replenish. Beyond the obvious, here are a few I make sure are in my sports bag.
- Water/sports drinks
- Protein shakes
- Sunscreen
- Bug spray
- Laundry pods
- Quarters (in case the hotel washer/dryer don’t take cards)
- Ice packs
I am anxious we’ll show up with the wrong jersey combination, so I reread the team text thread a thousand times when we pack their jersey, pants, socks, belts, and hats! I have also been known to bring everything, just in case! Don’t forget a separate laundry bag to toss the jerseys in for the trip home.
Nice to have on hand
Extra towels
When the kids are in season we keep a junk towel in the car. This is helpful to keep dirty cleats contained until we can get them cleaned. It’s also nice if you get to the park and everything is wet and you want to dry things off before setting up camp. So, maybe keep two or three in rotation and toss them in the laundry at the end of the tournament.
Baggies
Often the mini fridges in hotels don’t have a large freezer. I take extra plastic baggies. These are helpful for making ice packs from the hotel ice machines.
Charging blocks
Baseball and softball tournament days can be long with extended breaks between games. I keep a few extra charging blocks in my bag to keep everyone’s devices charged. It’s always nice to have a backup for the parent doing GameChanger…just in case!
Don’t forget!
I check out the tournament venue ahead of time to determine what kind of gear we’ll need for the weekend. Bleacher cushions, chairs, tents, fans, etc…the options are endless. Take a look at some of my favorite sports mom gear and let me know what I’m missing!
Here’s my printable packing list to help get your organized!
I don’t like getting caught without something, so I tend to overpack and be prepared for every contingency.
Because I feel the need to be prepared for every contingency, I upgraded to a double decker wagon. Super helpful when the grandparents are with us!
I kept our single wagon for those weekends we have to divide and conquer, so we each have a way to stow all the essentials for our players.
Snag my favorite backpack cooler!
A fellow sports mom convinced me to try snackle boxes. I like these that are dishwasher safe!
What would you add?
