End-of-season celebrations allow the team to keep the spirit strong.
As a travel soccer mom and team manager, one thing I enjoy is planning team events. I like it even more when other parents help out (or offer locations for parties).
Connor’s team has 19 other boys on it. It’s a Junior Academy travel team and, in theory, if all of the boys continue to play or don’t get moved up a level, they could be on the same team until they are 11 years old. Getting them to connect off the field seems like a good way to complement their on-field chemistry.
Last season, we (I) didn’t do much outside of the scheduled soccer stuff – practices and games. I arranged a holiday gathering, but I waited too late to plan it. It was our family and one other family, plus our coach.
We met up at a place called Boxcar Arcade, which is a video game bar. Relax, it’s open to those 21 and under until 9 p.m. We went early.
At the end of the season, a family volunteered to host a pool party at their house and provide kid-friendly drinks. We used the leftover money to buy pizzas, I made a soccer-themed sheet cake, and everyone had a blast (even the coach).
This season, we set up the tent for our first home game and used that as a meet-up spot with drinks and snacks for both players and parents. I was very fortunate that other families have offered to bring (or just brought) snacks. Last year, we didn’t do snacks at all, so this has been amazing.
The kids eat (they don’t sit, they stand and watch the next game and then they play a mini-game on the sidelines) and the parents talk.
That tent has come in handy for both rainy days and hot, sunny days. It’s bright orange and all the players (and their parents) know it’s “their spot.”
This year, we had a lunch meet-up at a local pizza place after the Adidas Clash Tournament, which was our final game of the fall season. I think we had 12 players there. I’m in the middle of planning our holiday gathering, probably at Boxcar again, and figuring out the coach’s gift.
Tips for planning a team gathering:
• There is no perfect date or time
• Pick a date and time and give at least two weeks’ notice
• Make sure it appeals to a broad audience and budget
• If you’re not feeding folks, pick a time that falls between lunch and dinner
• Relax
• Poll team parents or ask for help or ideas
• If you are feeding kids, do snacks and ask parents to bring specific items (2 bags of barbeque chips, for example)
• If you’re holding it somewhere public, ask the vendor to donate a room at no charge
And, most importantly, don’t stress out. This is for kids who play in rain, heat and ice. The only thing they expect to have is fun. Good luck!