Football Season is upon us! For many of us that means college games, watching our local professional team, and attending our children’s games. Lansing Mom is so excited to partner with Future for Football. We’re bringing you information on preparing for football season, what you need for the sidelines, how to keep that gear clean, and more. Whether you are brand new to the world of football, or a seasoned veteran, we’re bringing you our top tips on what football Moms Need to Know for a Successful Season!
What Football Moms Need to Know: Football is for Everyone
Before we even get started we want to remind you that football is for EVERYONE. Your girls, your boys, little kids and big kids, football is a sport that everyone can enjoy. If you are a Mom interested in getting your kids involved in football but aren’t quite there yet head to the Future for Football League Finder to connect to a local team! Without further ado, we’re bringing you, What Football Moms Need to Know For a Successful Season.
How to Prepare Your Child for Football Season
Did you know that there are so many wonderful options for your kids to play football? From Flag Football, to Touch Football, to Tackle, High School, Recreational Leagues and College there are so many options for your kids to play the game! Getting into sports can be nerve wracking for kids and parents alike. Will they make the team? How do we know where to go? Will we have all the right gear? Becoming a Football Parent can be overwhelming! We’re sharing some top tips on how to prepare your child for tryouts and beyond.
- Finding a Team | Sometimes the biggest obstacle is just figuring out where to start. If you are at the beginning of your football journey check the league finder here. It can connect you to a team near you. Another option is to check your local community teams.
- Prepare for Tryouts | This is an important part of the process. Many teams will hold tryouts, usually for the little ones, everyone will make a team. Make sure you know what the process is ahead of time and prepare your kids. Will they make a team no matter what? Or are only some children selected? Come up with a plan of action so they are prepared. Talk about what tryouts will look like. You can get this information from the organization ahead of time so there are no surprises on tryout day. Remind them this is fun! Helping them to not be worried or stressed is the biggest part of the tryout process!
- Familiarize them with gear ahead of time | Practice putting on all the gear you will need so there are no surprises on tryouts day!
Best Gear for the Sidelines
Many of us know that football season can be all types of weather. From warm sunny days, to Autumn chills. We’re bringing you our top five items necessary for the sidelines this football season!
- Portable Neck Fan | This is perfect for your kiddos, and you. If you tend to be hot on the sidelines. We love this portable neck fan to keep us all cool during hot games.
- Heated Vest | We know temps can range during the season which is why we love this heated vest for the sidelines. It will definitely keep you warm on cool days!
- Portable Folding Chair with Umbrella | This one might seem a little extravagant but it’s perfect to keep the sun out on hot days and the rain out on rainy days. Plus if you have little brothers or sisters watching from the side it’s the perfect spot for them to relax.
- Liquid IV and a large water bottle| Whether it’s just for you, or for your kids, staying hydrated is important. Our family loves the Liquid IV, and a large water bottle is a must for everyone going to the games.
- Trunk Organizer| While this isn’t technically for the sidelines it’s a great option for after the game. Everything goes in the right place and you can toss everything that needs to be washed in one spot!
Best Ways to Keep Football Equipment Clean
What Football Moms Need to Know about keeping equipment clean, is pretty simple, with the right tools. As a Mom who spends a lot of time on the sidelines, I’ve seen it all. Grass stains, tears, the occasional scrape, and of course the sweat! So how do we keep it all clean? Here’s my top tips on keeping your kids gear clean, all season long!
- Don’t let it sit | If you’re using the trunk organizer you can easily have it sorted before you get home. When you get home make sure to take it all out of the car.
- Cleaning pads and equipment | There are tons of different ways to do this. We personally use a mixture of dish soap, rubbing alcohol, water and a couple drops of eucalyptus essential oil. This ensures that no bacteria is growing and helps get out the smell that sometimes comes with pads. We know many people use antibacterial wipes and these are a great option too. Find what cleaning solution works best for your family and go to town!
- Cleaning uniforms | There is a reason that Oxyclean is still around, and we swear by it. Dirt stains, grass stains, and beyond it will get it all out. If your white parts of the uniform start looking a little dingy, add in a little bleach to brighten them up!
How to Have a Successful Game Day
- The number one rule in our house is that Game Day is FUN. It’s not pressure, we remind them that sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose. It’s really about having fun with your teammates. We talk about this before every game just to remind everyone, parents included!
- Prep the night before | Lay it all out. The pads, the helmets, the uniform, water bottle, everything they’re going to need. If you’re prepped the night before you won’t feel as rushed in the morning. There will be no questions about what uniform to wear or beyond.
- Prep your food | Pack the cooler with snacks and drinks, have a plan for breakfast, make dinner a slow cooker meal. Whatever it takes to make the day a little smoother for you and the kids. Planning ahead of time will help you nail the day!
