What To Pack For A Lacrosse Tournament
It's officially spring and we’re so excited that lacrosse season is in full swing! There’s nothing more exciting than fresh lacrosse balls, newly painted fields, and weekends packed with games!
Let’s face it: with most of your time spent on the field, especially with tournament season coming up, we’ve put together a guide packed with all the essentials to survive those long tournament days.
If you're new to the lacrosse world, welcome! We’re clearly biased, but lacrosse season is our favorite time of year. With regular games and tournaments starting in March and running through July, along with occasional fall tournaments, it’s important to be fully prepared both on and off the field. So we wanted to cover what to pack for a lacrosse tournament, and have you feeling good about the long day ahead. Tournaments are typically held at large facilities like Stony Brook University or Farmingdale State College, where travel lacrosse teams compete to see who’s the best. Some tournaments also allow town teams to register, giving players of all levels the chance to showcase their skills. Whether you're on a town team or a new member of a travel team, we've got tips on how to pack and prepare to get you through a full day at a tournament.
Essential Gear to Pack for a Lacrosse Tournament
Tournaments usually begin early. We’ve been on fields as early as 7 a.m. for warm-ups and do not leave the fields until 5 or 6 p.m. With that being said, you’ll likely be using the grounds’ bathroom facilities—and we’re going to be brutally honest here: 99% of the time, they’re disgusting. So, to prepare and not be SOL (literally), we suggest packing a roll of toilet paper, a small bottle of sanitizer, and some wipes. We’ve seen port-a-potties run out of toilet paper quickly, and there’s nothing worse than being in one when you need TP. Wipes come in handy for cleaning your hands or for when little ones can’t help but touch all the most disgusting parts of the bathroom. Usually, hand sanitizer is available, but if not, a small bottle will be a lifesaver.
Prepare for a Long Walk and Avoid Going Back to the Car
The parking situation is likely a trek from the fields, and you really don’t want to have to go back to the car or have to leave to get something. So, next up on our list is a foldable wagon. We’ve linked one wagon here that has really great reviews on Amazon. Whatever your price point, each wagon has great reviews, so choose the one that best fits your needs. Like this wagon would be a saving grace, especially if you have little ones tagging along. As well as this one, it doubles as a stroller and a wagon! They’re great for packing everything into and easily pulling it along the grass. We also like this wagon which offers cup holders, and side pockets too.
Pre-plan With The Team For Food and Drinks
Usually, there will be a team parent coordinating who’s bringing food and drinks for everyone throughout the day. A sign-up list is essential for planning and ensuring everything is covered. Here is an example of what past tournament parents have signed up to bring or provide. We suggest avoiding loads of junk food. The kids will obviously go for that first, but it can have negative effects on them during playtime, so we recommend keeping that to a minimum. If you're spending a full day at the fields, it's a good idea to also bring pre-made sandwiches or even wraps. These will provide more sustained energy for the players and can be a much-needed meal between games.
'Hey B-Jelly, What's The Weather Going To Be Like For Tournament Day?'
If you’re from New York or the surrounding tri-state area, you know spring is an unpredictable time of year. One day it’s 20 degrees, and the next it’s 75. There have been plenty of mornings when it’s frigid, and by 1 or 2 p.m., it’s warm and you’re ready to lay out and tan. To prepare for this, we suggest packing a blanket or two. This also comes in handy for the siblings attending, so they can sit on the sidelines. We have a few sweatshirt blankets available on our site if you’d like a lacrosse-themed one, but any blanket will do.
BYOC: Bring Your Own Chair
Next up in our guide is seating. These days are long and involve a lot of walking and standing. So, we highly recommend investing in foldable sideline chairs. We’ve rounded up a few of our favorites here for you to choose from.
Optional essentials that may make life even easier on the sidelines
Now, some optional essentials. These aren’t crucial, but they do come in handy. A portable charger like this one is great if you have siblings attending and they’re using iPads or other electronic devices. It’s always good to have one on hand, especially if you’re the type of parent who records the entire game!
A pop-up tent is another optional but handy item. We’ve seen some parents bring one like this for the little ones, and it’s actually a great way to keep the kids entertained, contained, and out of the elements. To really up the ante and keep the little babes entertained we suggest scooping up some fun things like coloring books, crayons, bracelet-making kits, and a few toys, and they should be all set.
We also recommend bringing sunscreen and bug spray to stay protected from the sun’s rays and keep those pesky bugs away.
Finally, be prepared to spend a little cash money. Tournaments almost always have vendors with great gear to purchase, and your little lax player is definitely going to want some fresh lacrosse swag. Just make sure if you see us there, you hit up our tent first, wink wink.
If you survived the full day and aren’t ready for bed by 5 p.m., congrats! We’re glad you made it through and now have tournament season under your belt.
By now, you should be a pro, and know what worked and what didn’t for you!
We hope this guide has prepared you for the days ahead and helped ease you into the season. Let us know below what else you bring to make life a little easier during tournament season. Drop a comment below, we'd love to hear from you!
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