Sports Mama Tip: 5 Healthy Habits for a Better You!

We are chauffeurs. We are nurses. We are water girls. We are cheerleaders. We are uniform washers. We are photographers. And so much more.


We are Sports Mamas!


And as Sports Mamas, we tend to put our needs last. It’s easy to see how and why this happens. To fall into that non-stop “go, go, go” routine. But guess what, Mama? Without you there is no youth athlete. You play just as big a role in their success, if not bigger, than their coaches do.


Here are FIVE healthy habits to help you not only be the best Sports Mama you can be, but to also help you be the best you that you can be.

1. Eat healthier. The key word is healthier. I know first hand just how tough this can be as a Sports Mama. Especially when you’re constantly running from work to practice and have no time in between to prepare dinner. Use your crockpot (click HERE for 2 weeks worth of dinner ideas!). Keep bagged lettuce and fresh veggies on hand for quick salads. And when you just can’t avoid the drive-thru, try ordering grilled options instead of fried. Grab a bottle of water instead of a soda.
2. Get moving. Get your heart rate up and your blood circulating. Even if only for twenty minutes a day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, stand more than you sit, walk or run the track at your child’s practice. You will not only burn calories by doing so, but will also boost your mood and help improve your sleep quality.
3. Take time out for you. It can be very hard to find me time as a busy Sports Mama. Trust me, I get it! But it is so important that we do a little something for ourselves that makes us happy. Read a book, take a hobby class, get a mani/pedi, have a dinner date with your bff. I recently joined a yoga studio and I absolutely love it! I get an hour all to myself, to stretch, breathe, and meditate. I leave out feeling calm, refreshed, and accomplished.
4. Say no sometimes. Believe me mama, it will be ok. You don’t have to be team mom every single season. You do not have to sign your athlete up for multiple, overlapping sports. You do not always have to be the team Uber driver. You are present. You are enough.
5. Rest. Cliché, yes. But oh so important! Sleep boosts your immunity, helps to reduce stress, improves your memory, and may even help reduce the risk of some chronic conditions such as heart disease and depression.

I hope you not only find these tips helpful, but that you also put them into action.


Make time to take care of YOU, mama! And remember, your kids don’t want a perfect mom, they want a happy, healthy one.

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Sports Mama Tip: How to Coordinate Team Snacks

It doesn’t matter whether your kid plays football, basketball, or soccer. What is the one thing athletes of every sport like just

almost as much as they like winning?!? Snacks, of course!


Coordinating team snack for game days doesn’t have to be a chore. Today I’m sharing my top five tips to help you check one more thing of your team mama to-do list!

1. Figure out all logistics. How many players are on the team? How many games are there? Will you do snacks for both halftime and post-game? Will one volunteer bring the drinks and another bring the snacks? Are there any allergies to be aware of?
2. ASK for volunteers. Do not assign. I’ve been coordinating team snacks for about a decade now, and this is by far my most important tip! You never know what people have going in their lives. Most sports families want to and will help. So let them choose the date that works best for them!
3. Create a sign up. My favorite way to do this is via SignUpGenius. (If your team uses the paid version of TeamSnap, you can create one there as well.) There are tons of themes to choose from, it’s easy, and best of all FREE! You simply input the game dates and the number of volunteers needed. Once you send it out to your team, they can sign up to bring snacks on the date of their choice. As volunteers sign up, you will be notified via email.
4. Send reminders. Because life happens. Another reason I absolutely love SignUpGenius! You can choose how many days in advance you’d like them sent (i.e one day, two days), and tada, it’ll send the reminders for you! I usually have them sent two days in advance to give people a chance to get to the store.
5. Sign up yourself. I like to get my snack duty out of the way early, so I almost always sign up for the very first game of the season. Lead by example and the rest will follow!

I hope you find these tips helpful! Be sure to join the Confessions of a Sports Mama Facebook Group for more tips and to connect with hundreds of Sports Mamas, just like yourself.


*** Have snack duty coming up soon? Be sure to click HERE for some fun ideas and inspiration!

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2 comments:

1. AnonymousAugust 28, 2024 at 1:41 AMWhat if the family doesn’t sign up? Only 8 weeks and 4 families of 11 signed up ReplyReplies
   1. confessionsofasportsmamaSeptember 2, 2024 at 3:47 PMHi there! In that case, I’d send out an email/text stating exactly what you mentioned. Let them know that if there aren’t enough volunteers the team will go without snacks as it shouldn’t fall on the same families to provide them week after week. Hope this helps!

Sports Mama Tip: 5 Tips For Feeding a Large Sports Team + 10 Team Approved Meal Ideas!

If you’re ever looking for me on a Thursday afternoon during football season, I can be found at No. 1’s high school helping serve him and his teammates their pre-game meals. That’s 42 boys + 4 coaches + 2 managers which = a whole lot of hungry mouths to feed!


Here is what we do to make it run as smoothly as possible:

1. Plan ahead. How many people will you be feeding? Don’t forget to include the coaches and managers in your headcount! Will you use a caterer or make it yourself? Are there any allergies or dietary restrictions to consider? If feeding the team before a game, be sure to allow at least 2 hours for proper digestion.
2. Keep it simple. This is not the time to test out a brand new recipe from Bobby Flay. Choose one kid-friendly main dish and plan the rest of your menu around it (i.e starch, fruit/veggie, and dessert). Use disposable plates, cups, and cutlery… ain’t nobody got time for washing 752 dishes!
3. Ask for volunteers. The more hands the better! The title of this post is How to Feed a Large Sports Team, remember? You will need help setting up, serving, and cleaning up.
4. Serve it buffet style. This is definitely the easiest way I’ve found to do it. Set everything up on a long table in the order that it will be plated. When I help feed No. 1’s freshman football team, we put the plates at the very beginning of the table, followed by the protein, then the starch, the salad/fruit, dessert, cutlery, and finally the bottled water. Assign a volunteer to each item and let them serve the players as they walk down the line.
5. Stock up on PBJs. You’re never going to please everyone, ever. No matter how hard you try! There will be picky eaters, there will be parents who complain, don’t sweat it, Mama. Keep an emergency stash of bread, peanut butter, and jelly handy at all times. Don’t like what we’re serving? No problem. Go make yourself a sandwich!

Here are 10 team approved meal ideas:

1. Pulled bbq chicken sandwiches
2. Tacos
3. Lasagna
4. Hamburgers
5. Chicken Teriyaki
6. Sloppy Joes
7. Chili
8. Spaghetti
9. Hotdogs (Click HERE to learn how to make them in the crockpot!)
10. Pizza (Because what would this list be without it?)

Feeding a team doesn’t have to (and shouldn’t!) be stressful, Mama. I hope you found this post helpful and that you incorporate some (or all!) of these tips into your next team meal.


Bon appetit!

*** Click HERE to read how I keep food warm without warming trays or Sternos!

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4 comments:

1. **** April ****August 27, 2021 at 12:21 PMI know this is old BUT I’m new to Varsity team meals! Thanks for sharing this!ReplyReplies
   1. confessionsofasportsmamaAugust 27, 2021 at 12:54 PMGlad it was helpful! I’m heading out in about 3 hours to feed the team before the game 🙂
2. AnonymousSeptember 25, 2022 at 7:56 AMWe are doing a football team breakfast. Any tips?? ReplyReplies
   1. confessionsofasportsmamaSeptember 27, 2022 at 2:10 PMHi there! We’ve done homemade breakfast burritos (I have a blogpost on them), bagels, and even ordered chicken biscuits from Chick-fil-A. Because it’s usually right after morning practice and right before school, we’ve always done a grab and go set up. Hope this helps!

Sports Mama Tip: Rainy Game Day Essentials

Rain, rain, go away. It rained ALL weekend long here in Northern Virginia. Ugh. But, sports must go on! After sitting through four (yes, four!) games in the rain (2 soccer and 2 football), I realized that I have yet to write a post on rainy game day essentials, so, here we are!

• Poncho. My number one essential! I’m currently using this one. It is large, durable, and reusable. My clothes, head, and hair all stayed completely dry. I paid less than $10 for it and is holding up very well thus far!
• Umbrella. A no brainer. I’m on the hunt for a new one. Have one that you love? Please let me know!
• Hat. An added layer of protection under your poncho. I like to tuck all of my hair into mine because curly hair + rain = a hot mess!
• Rain boots. You can even find a pair to match your team colors! No rain boots? No problem! Any pair of waterproof, closed toe shoes will do!
• Layers. Layers and game days go together like peanut butter and jelly. Cold rainy day? Put on a few extra. Warm, humid and rainy? Take a couple off. There’s nothing worse than being too chilly or too hot and not being able to do anything about it!
• Hand warmers. Nothing worse than being wet AND cold!
• Towel. To wipe the rain off of bleachers. To wipe the rain off of yourself.
• Stadium seat/cushion. Because who wants to sit on wet bleachers?! Umm.. not me!!
• Chair. At a game with no bleachers? Bring a chair. You can even get one like this with a canopy!
• Canopy. Speaking of canopies, they’re not just for shade. They work just as well for keeping you (and your Sports Mama bffs!) dry. You can set it up on the sidelines or in the stands. Your choice!

Honorable mention:

Under the Weather Pod. I don’t own one, nor have I ever used one. In fact, I’m not sure I’d ever want to own one. BUT, I know that people are using them. In fact, I saw a mama with one at No. 3’s flag football games last season. And I’ll tell you what. She was definitely the driest person on the field. HA!

Stay dry, Sports Mamas!


Do you have a rainy game day essential that I missed? Let me know in the comment section below or in the Confessions of a Sports Mama Facebook Group!


*** Be sure to click HERE for my warm weather essentials and HERE for my cold weather essentials!

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5 comments:

1. MomstarSeptember 11, 2018 at 11:19 AMGreat list. I use a totes automatic open close umbrella. It’s sturdy and compact.
   https://www.totes.com/p/totes-auto-open-close-sun-umbrella-neverwet-8706
   I also love my Eddie Bauer rain jacket. It has zippers under the arms that they call pit zips to allow for venting.
   ReplyReplies
   1. confessionsofasportsmamaSeptember 12, 2018 at 9:59 AMThanks for the recommendations! I’ll have to check them both out!!
2. UnknownApril 10, 2021 at 10:00 AMHand warmers are a must!!!💜🏈💜ReplyReplies
   1. confessionsofasportsmamaApril 30, 2021 at 6:25 PMYes! Especially during the Winter and early Spring!
3. megforz42July 3, 2021 at 8:19 AMGold umbrellas are definitely a necessity! Reply

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Sports Mama Tip: 10 Ways to Volunteer as a High School Football Mom

Just because your football player has moved on from youth to high school ball doesn’t mean your days of volunteering have to be over. Here are TEN ways that you can help out as a high school football mom:

1. Booster Club. Booster Clubs support and raise funds for the entire program. They are 100% volunteer ran, so parent participation is crucial to their success!
2. Fundraisers. They are vital to high school programs! Funds raised go towards purchasing quality equipment, uniforms, camps and training sessions, as well as other important areas. (Click HERE for my list of top 10 fundraising ideas!).
3. Pre-game meals. Most high schools feed their teams on game day. Feeding a football team aka small army is no easy task! (Click HERE for my tips for feeding a large team!) Volunteer a few hours of your time to help set up and serve the players.
4. Ticket Taker/Sales. Just what it sounds like. You work the ticket booth, usually for the game before or after your player’s.
5. Chain Crew. The best seat spot in the house! You literally get to be on the field. It doesn’t get much better than that!
6. Concessions. Help sell those famous game day burgers and hot dogs! (Click HERE for my tips on running a successful concession stand + a list of the top ten best sellers!).
7. Sell spirit wear. Who doesn’t want to rock their school colors?! Sign up to work the spirit wear table!
8. Team Videographer. At the high school level, film study is a must! One of the biggest ways you can help your team (and coach!) is by filming the games. For the best view, be sure to sit in the press box, or as high up on the bleachers as you can go!
9. Team Photographer. Have a passion for photography? Put it to use by taking game photos and sharing them with the team. You will even be allowed down on the sidelines!
10. Parent Liaison aka Team Mom. Yep, they even have them in high school, Mamas! I’m the Freshman Team Mom this year. Woot woot! My main responsibility is to act as the point of contact between our parents and Coaches. (Click HERE for tips on being a great Team Mom!).

“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.”- Elizabeth Andrew

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