Tournaments are not the same as league games and those big tournaments at large venues create a whole new dynamic when it comes to logistics. If you are new to the big tournaments, take a moment make sure you are prepared, as your player will greatly appreciate it. The sheer size and scope of these venues change normal routines and without proper planning, the team will be negatively impacted. A failure to plan is a plan to fail, and that failure will lead to the players suffering.

There are a number of differences between a normal league game and a tournament, but this article is mainly focused on logistical differences. We can hold the players responsible for a lot, but logistics are usually on the parent. Having the logistics dialed in will have a positive impact on the player and team.

The Venue

Venues may have 20+ fields and different parking lots specific to certain fields, bathrooms may only be at certain locations, and team warm ups might not be right next to the field. Those are just a few of the typical issues. I have included a couple of photos and diagrams showing what these venues may look like. It can be a bit overwhelming. Knowing what field you are playing on may dictate parking location, but often there is no field map, so you are forced to make the decision once you arrive at the venue. You certainly don’t want to park on the wrong end of the venue and walk a mile to your field.

Travel to the venue may also be an issue for many reasons; it may be the first time that the team has played there, so the team and parents are not familiar with the ins and outs, parking is usually paid and there can be long entry lines (often they don’t go smoothly as people seem to want to argue or haggle with these parking folks at a disproportionally high level). Additionally, these venues are usually a long way from home and often off the beaten path, and for many other teams it is their first time at the venue as well and confusion is the norm! Just getting into to the parking area may take an extra 20 minutes, especially if you have an early game and everyone is getting to the field at the same time. Plan accordingly, as a stressed out player in the car is good for no one. it seems like every year one player gets hit by a car driving recklessly through the parking lot because someone is late.

Planning

Don’t expect to just roll up to the field at your usual time, pop out of the car and get set up. It just does not work that way and unfortunately many first timers think it does. So be early and have a plan. This is one of those times when you have absolutely have to put the player first and go with the flow. These tournaments are not efficient for the parents and coaches, there is just no getting around that. So just be prepared for the chaos and relax while you get to watch the other parents frantically running around, because they failed to plan. Remember, the cost of these high end tournaments may be well over a $1000 and you don’t want to be the parent showing up right at kick-off (with everyone looking at you) and your player in a bad mood!

Questions to Ask the Coach/Manager Beforehand (if they have not pushed this information out)

• What time do we need to show up?
• What time does the warm up start?
• What color are we planning to wear?
• Where will the warm up be located?
• What is the plan between games?
• What field are we on?
• Who has the Tent and the Bench? And do we need them?

Planning factors for Parents and Players

• How long is the drive? Did we plan for traffic?
• Where are the bathrooms? Did we go to the bathroom
• Will we be parking and going together? or will we be dropping off and then finding parking?
• Do we have all of the uniforms needed?
• Do we have a workable food and water plan between games?
• What is the breakfast plan?
• Do we have a wet weather plan?
• What is the dinner and hydration plan the the night before?
• What is the sleep plan the night before and also during the tournament?

Player Impacts

When the players show up at these large venues, they can be a little shell shocked. For many this type of venue has so much stimuli that they get nervous and distracted. There is so much activity around them that they may go into sensory overload and have a hard time focusing. If they feel parent stress, especially from being rushed, that almost always translates negatively to the player. The players being out of sorts can effective the team warm up and often to the start of the game. I don’t know how many times a typical starter has not started a game at their first big tournament because they are just overwhelmed. If your first tournament is at a large venue, then being prepared and be early.

It starts young and making your player responsible for their actions as soon as possible. This responsibility will pay dividends in the long run. So making them accountable now is a key to future success. Please see some of our other articles on injury and nutrition and being prepared for games. I am a big fan of checklists and I have attached one here that  you can print out. Give to your player and they can check their items off the list the night before the tournament.

If you can get your player to pack the night before, you  will have much less stress heading to the tournament. If you have a morning game, think about your breakfast plan the night before as a proper breakfast can make all the difference. It is a true team effort to get the best out of every player!

Conclusion

Tournaments are great fun for the team and parents. This is usually where teams bond and everyone gets to know each other, especially those out of town one tournaments that force interaction between the team! If you are not rushed, you will have a great time, so just plan ahead. Please check out our other soccer posts here.  The game is great and the kids go through it very quickly, so enjoy every minute of it.

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