Sometimes life pitches, punts or spikes you an opportunity to travel. Take it and make the best of it. In our family these events are typically 1:1 ratio of parent to kid, as many times the other one has something the same weekend as well. Great memories on the road.
Volleyball tournaments are a blast, for the players, not the parents. Here are my thoughts on sports travel and tournaments.
- Stay with the team, everyone should stay at the same hotel, this makes the rules about bedtime easier as well as gives them great bonding time.
- If you get to pick the hotel, go with one that includes a hot breakfast.
- See the sights, plan ahead and find out what is going on in the area.
- Have a team dinner, go out meet the other parents if you haven’t already. You socializing with other parents is another form of supporting your kid. Are they a bunch of duds, take one for the team and go.
- Pack a cooler, these athletes get hungry. Room service can be expensive and the gift shop is likely filled with overpriced junk food.
- If you are up for it, host a team movie night in your room. The best time had at a volleyball tournament was ordering up a movie in our room and then heading to another parent’s room for beers.
Other sports travel includes out of state games and camps. Many professional sports teams provide some sort of summer camp. Your team is not in your town? Pack up and go find your team. They are typically not outrageously priced as they are a part of the community outreach. Swag and autographs are usually included.