What I Wish I Had My First Tournament Season

Apr 29
3 min read

That first travel ball season… you think you’re ready. You’ve got a chair, a glove, a water bottle—and you assume you’ll figure the rest out. And you will. But looking back, there are a few things that would’ve made those early weekends a lot easier. It’s less about “having everything”…and more about having the right setup.

🛒 I wish I had gotten a cart sooner

This might be the biggest one. Early on, I was carrying:

chairs
cooler
bags
random gear

…back and forth across fields. It adds up fast. Getting a folding wagon/cart changes everything. You load it once, move it once, and you’re done. It sounds simple, but this is one of those things where once you have it, you won’t go back.

🪑 A comfortable chair actually matters

You’re sitting a lot more than you think. Cheap chairs work… but not for long days. Having something comfortable like a solid sideline chair makes a difference by the second or third game. It’s one of those upgrades that seems unnecessary—until you’ve had a few long weekends.

🍎 Snacks are not optional (and not just packaged stuff)

This was a big learning curve. At first, we relied on:

snack shacks
granola bars
whatever was easy

That works… until it doesn’t. Now we always bring:

plenty of snacks
something more filling (sandwiches, wraps, fruit)
food that actually holds kids over between games

Keeping it all in a soft-sided cooler makes it easy to manage, especially when you’re moving fields. Because once kids get hungry, everything gets harder—fast.

🧥 Weather changes more than you expect

This is where New England is just different. You can start the day freezing and end up in full sun. So instead of planning for “the weather,” you really have to plan for multiple versions of the day. We always bring:

a sweatshirt or light layer
something for sun
sometimes even a blanket early in the season

It’s not about overpacking—it’s about not getting caught off guard.

🔁 Between games matters more than I thought

This was probably the biggest shift. At first, we just stayed put and waited for the next game.

Now, we’re a little more intentional:

sit down
eat something
relax for a few minutes
reset before the next game

Nothing complicated—just enough to avoid that slow drop-off in energy.

🧠 And honestly… I wish I stressed less

Early on, everything feels important:

every play
every at-bat
every game

Over time, you realize: it’s a long season, kids develop over time, not everything needs a reaction Sometimes the best thing you can say between games is:“Good effort… let’s go get the next one.”

⚠️ What I’d actually focus on if I were starting over

Not everything. Just a few things that make the biggest difference:

a way to carry your stuff (cart)
a comfortable place to sit
enough food for the day
clothing for changing weather
a simple reset between games

That’s what really changes the experience.

⚾ Final thought

That first season, you’re figuring everything out. Everyone is. But once you dial in a few of these things, the whole day feels different. Same schedule. Same fields. Just a lot smoother.

What we actually bring now

Nothing crazy—just what’s made the biggest difference:

That’s it.