Hello! My name is Jake Nordstrom and welcome to my new blog on the Basics of Baseball. Today, I will talk about the "Ins and Outs of Travel Baseball". I have interviewed some of the guys on my team, and have asked them what their favorite part is about playing Travel Baseball. Hope you enjoy!
Mom’s
Corner
1.
Get a list of all of the team members from the
owner of the team. Create an Excel
spreadsheet of everyone’s contact info on the team. When traveling, it is very helpful to have
parent info, because the boys will tend to “go with their friends…and meet Mom
and Dad later”. A list of contacts helps
reduce stress. Attached is an example of
what can be used.
This list also comes in handy when setting up the Saturday Night Team Dinner. One simple email for a head count of “who’s in” will make it easier for Mom to organize. Some restaurants will even allow a set menu with 4-5 items and will include a drink, a dessert, and a tip for one set price. Just ask. You’d be surprised how many restaurants will do this for you. (Be sure to add enough to cover the coaches in your estimate. They always enjoy being invited).
2. Encourage the parents and siblings to wear team colors and spirit wear. Shirts and hats can usually be ordered with the kids’ uniforms. But if not, simply wearing team colors to help the boys to know that you are there is very supportive.
a. In the first games of the year, print out your team roster and parent contact list. Learn the kids’ names. Learn the parents’ names. This is key to becoming a good, encouraging team. Then, when every team member comes up to bat, makes a great play, or even when they make a mistake…the stands are encouraging them. This is what makes a team…a REAL TEAM! It’s not just the boys…remember that!
3.
Take turns packing a team ice chest. Some kids will bring their own “goodies”, but
the team ice chest should be healthy.
Some suggestions for the ice chest are:
a.
1 case of bottled water (if it’s really hot,
have an extra case of water in the car for games 2 & 3).
b.
1 gallon bag of oranges, sliced into 1/6’s or 1/8's.
c.
Either small whole apples or sliced apples with
a tub of peanut butter for dipping.
d.
2-3 bags of beef jerky
e.
Salted peanuts or assorted nuts for quick energy
f.
Sunflower seeds (just isn’t baseball without
them)
g.
Power bars (Cliff, Luna, Granola, or Kind)
h.
NATURAL SUGAR ONLY. NO GATORADE.
NO SNICKERS…in the team ice chest!
4.
If the tournament is in a HOT location, pack a
bag of towels. You can purchase a bag of
small, white towels/rags at Home Depot.
As needed, soak a towel in the cold, ice chest to get it wet and cold.
a.
Encourage the kids to put a wet towel around
their necks when in the dugout.
b.
Encourage the kids to drink water and to replenish
their bodies with oranges, etc.(They always forget to do this and might need some “subtle”
encouragement from you).
Thank you for tuning into JakePlaysBaseball.Blogspot.com for the last year! Try outs start this month. Tune in for a refresher course on how to have a good tryout.
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Special thanks to the Sliders Family that went to Cooperstown and made my dream come true. Thanks everyone so much!
I would also like to thank my parents for making the Cooperstown Journey possible.
I would also like to thank my parents for making the Cooperstown Journey possible.
