25 Essentials to Pack for Travel Sports

You will always be ready to hit the road for a travel or local sports tournament with this list of 25 essentials you can’t forget to pack. Whether it’s for a soccer tournament, softball, football, baseball, or something else, this list will make tournament packing super easy and prepared for everything!

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The Packing for Sports Conundrum

When my daughters just played rec soccer packing for games was so easy. All of the game gear lived in the trunk, we just slapped on some sunscreen and headed to the fields. Now that they play year-round on a travel team as well as for a rec team, packing is a whole new adventure. Every weekend during the spring, summer and fall we are in another city hours from home, and occasionally in a different state.

During longer tournaments, it’s not unusual for us to spend days at a field in a strange town, and nights in a hotel room. It took several tournament weekends to get my tournament packing just right.

If you’re a travel sports mom, or if your older child is playing at college showcases, you will likely be spending many days on the road and at the fields this spring and summer. These essentials will save you time, money and trust me, you’ll thank me later.

25 ESSENTIALS TO PACK FOR TRAVEL SPORTS TOURNAMENTS

FOR THE GAMES:

1. Cooler

While many tournament rules do not allow coolers on the fields, you should be able to keep one in your car. Fill it with ice and keep your drinks and snacks cool. The ice can also be used if needed during the game if there are any injuries. If coolers are allowed then a good one with wheels is great. Pulling double duty, this cooler can be used for camping and beach trips as well.

2. Sports Cool Down Towel

This towel is amazing for sweltering days when the sun is relentless. My girls pack it in their bags, throw some water on it and keep it on their face and necks during water breaks and half-time to cool them down.

3. Slides/Non-Sports Shoes

The second my kids are done playing, they love to throw on a pair of slides or sneakers so that they are comfortable. This also helps keep their cleats in top condition.

4. First Aid Kit

I love this First Aid Kit by Johnson & Johnson – it’s affordable and filled with products that I know & trust, and has everything that you could need in case of injury in a travel size bag. It even has an instant cold pack in case. Injuries happen! I also carry extra instant cold packs that I get from the Dollar Tree to have on hand. It has saved me a bunch of times, especially with my daughter as a goalie. She has been bumped, pushed, kicked and hit her head several times.

5. Toilet Paper: We’ve all been to that field port-o-potty that is out of toilet paper. Keep a stash of travel toilet paper in your car so there are no accidents on the field.

6. Bug Repellent

Where there are playing fields, there are pesky insects. A trusty DEET-free insect repellent like Ranger Ready ensures a safer and more comfortable game. Ranger Ready is 100% deet free and repels mosquitoes, bugs and ticks.

7. Tide To-Go Pen

These stain fighting pens are an absolute essential on and off the field. I have one in my purse but we also see one in our soccer bag to get pesky stains from setting into our uniforms on long tournament days. If you have kids, even if they are not in sports – you need these!

8. Cash

Parking fees, entry fees, and concessions, many of these are cash only! Take some cash to avoid a trip to the ATM. I always keep about $40 in cash on me, just in case.

9. Sports tent pop-up pod

The weather in NEPA is always unpredictable. We keep this pop-up pod in our car so that we are ready for game day regardless of the weather. Whether it’s a chilly fall or spring morning, it’s raining, – this pod keeps you comfortable during the games.

10. After Bite Itch Relief

Bites can cost a goal. Carry our little helper After Bite for relief from itchy bug bites. Your kids will be back in the game in no time. In case of any bites during games or practices, I keep After Bite for instant relief. This is essential in case one of the girls gets bit, and they are not focused on the bite – they stay focused on the game.

11. Collapsible Sports Wagon

This wagon is a must especially when it’s a long haul with all your stuff from the parking lot to where the field is. This makes carrying all of your stuff so much easier – and bonus, it can be used on the beach as well!

12. Camping Chairs

1 for each person not on the field playing. Coleman makes great camping chairs which do just fine on the sidelines, too. Bleachers are not your friend, your back will thank me later!

13. Hat

If you’re on the sidelines, a brimmed hat will help protect from sun, weather and biting bugs.

14. Hand Wipes and Hand Sanitizer

Nowadays, hand wipes and hand sanitizer are a must. The bathrooms could be too far away, lines may be too long, they could be out of soap, or all of the above.

15. Extra Ziplock Baggies

Fill with ice from your cooler in case of injuries. Ziplock bags that have a zipper are far easier to open and close – they last longer than sandwich bags, too.

16. Sunscreen

An easy to apply, high SPF spray bottle of sunscreen in your child’s bag, another for you.

17. Lip Balm/Chapstick

We always gets chapped lips in the hot sun or the cold so having a tube of lip balm in our bags is a must for everyone in our family at the fields.

18. Adidas Backpack

My daughter has a backpack similar to this to hold all of her soccer essentials for practices, games and tournaments. Most importantly it comes in a wide variety of colors so you can get whatever color scheme you like.

19. Umbrella

The weather is always changing and sometimes we have 4 seasons in one day. Therefore, keep an umbrella stored in the car for the spontaneous rainfall or especially sunny day.

20. Children’s Ibuprofen

Kids ibuprofen and some for the grown ups too is handy during hot days, hard plays, and accidental bumps and bruises. My oldest and I suffer from frequent headaches, so ibuprofen or Tylenol on hand is a must at all times.

FOR TRAVELING:

21. Slippers or Flip-Flops 

Especially when we stay in a hotel room, I like to bring slippers with me for comfort and well, hygiene. Bonus if they are a pair of machine washable comfy slippers!

22. Books/Magazines

My kids love to read. Right now they are obsessed with Warrior Cats and Wings of Fire and this keeps them occupied on long car rides. I personally am enthralled with Colleen Hoover’s books. I started reading It Ends With Us – and it’s so good. There will be down time, trust me! Therefore bring lots of activities and books to stay busy.

23. iPad or Laptop with Streaming Service

Hotel T.V. just plain sucks! To help with this, bring your tablet or laptops and use a streaming service like Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video or Apple TV to watch whatever you like. Connect to WiFi and you’re a mobile entertainment center!

24. Laundry Detergent

If you are leaving for a longer tournament bringing laundry detergent is super helpful in getting out stains and smells of our athletes stuff. Be sure to include a small bottle of detergent and stain remover to help keep those uniforms clean. If you don’t have a washer at your hotel, you can wash the uniforms in the sink or bath tub and hang to dry.

25. Hangers

If you need to bring laundry detergent, be sure to bring hangers. Sometimes the hotel hangers are just plain strange. There’s plenty of reasonably priced hangers that can do the job to hang up any uniforms you need to dry.

So there you have it – my list of essentials for any sports tournament. I hope you find this helpful – let me know if there are any essentials on your list that I didn’t include!