As a new parent to the baseball scene, you may not be familiar with what players need, necessary equipment/gear, or what is expected of a parent. After polling other parents who had been in this situation before, here’s a few tips of the trade and what they said:
GENERAL INFO:
- Pants WILL get dirty. Be ready to wash them or buy a few extra pairs to rotate.
- Parents will be required to work snack bar shifts. They’re fun!
- Fundraising of some sort is usually required.
- Kids will fail more than they succeed. So, it is up to the parents to ALWAYS be positive for every kid.
- Get a good chair (ex. stadium chair) and blanket to use for games. Bleachers can be cold and hard.
- Be ready for snacks after the game.
- Handy items for parents to have on hand: Sunscreen, plenty of water, extra plastic bag for cleaning up trash or dirty cleats, wet wipes, large umbrella or pop-up tent. Always great to have sunglasses and a baseball hat while at the fields.
- Use the Extra Strength Shout to keep pants clean.
- Be ready to give up your weekends during the season.
EQUIPMENT:
Eastview Little League provides a jersey and a baseball hat. Players need:
- Cleats, Pants, Socks, Belt, glove and “sleeves” shirt for cooler game days can all be hand-me-downs
- Every season they will need a new size or a different color and it adds up quickly.
- Boys will need a protective cup.
- Have your own batting helmet and don’t let them share it.
MOST OF ALL, REMEMBER:
- Don’t take it seriously – it should be FUN for everyone.
- They are kids and probably don’t need private lessons.
- Enjoy every minute watching them and constantly encourage everyone.
- It’s for the Kids
- HAVE FUN!