Travel sports allow athletes to grow their game by playing other athletes all around the state, region, or country. However, the actual travel associated with travel teams can be stressful.
Traveling as a team rather than individually meeting at the tournament destination ensures all of your players make it to the tournament and can be great for team bonding.
However, there is a lot of planning and preparation that goes into making team travel run smoothly. Here are a few tips for traveling as a team.
Designate a Parent or Coach as the Travel Leader
Putting one person in charge can make the communication process before and during travel periods much easier. Have a parent, coach, or team manager oversee communicating the plans to everyone.
While creating the action plan for group travel can be a group effort, having one too many people relaying the messages to the team can be confusing.
The travel leader should send out group notices about the travel plan, answer any questions, and be the go-to communicator while on the bus or plane.
Create a Budget
Create a general budget ahead of the trip that all the families are comfortable with. Budget for the cost of transportation, meal breaks, hotel accommodations, and out-of-pocket costs like spending money for your athlete to buy snacks or forgotten toiletries.
Create a Transportation Plan
Whether your team is traveling via charter bus or plane, have a plan that outlines everything your team should know such as arrival and departure times. If you are booking a charter bus, ensure the bus and the team are ready to hit the road at a reasonable time.
Plan for a couple of hours of breathing room between your arrival and when your team needs to be ready to play. Even leaving just a day early can alleviate the stress of not making it to a game on time or help your team stay calm in a traffic jam situation close to game time.
Plan Meals
Mealtime is an important part of traveling sports to keep your team energized and alert. Setting up team meals is the best way to ensure the team is eating nutritiously without running the risk of one of your athletes sneaking off for a fast food dinner.
Research quick and healthy options parents can provide for in between games or snack times. When eating at restaurants, healthy restaurants or create a general outline of common nutritious items your players should be looking for on the menu.
Proper planning and communication are key tips for traveling as a team. Keeping everyone on the same page will help your trip run smoothly and allow your players to focus on the games ahead.
