☀️Youth Sports Summer Survival Guide: 10 Things Every Parent Needs
Youth Sports Summer Survival Guide: 10 Things Every Parent Needs. From sweaty sidelines to beach days to long drives — here are the things helping us stay cool, calm, and connected this summer. Some are products, some are ideas — all of them are making our lives easier, better, or just a little more fun.
1. 🏖️ Car Cabana
The MVP of summer tournament and beach or camping life – and created by a Mom, of course. Pops onto your car door and gives you a private space to change clothes, regroup, or just get out of the sun. Every sports family should have one.
2. 🥤 Owala FreeSip Water Bottles
Straw and pour in one bottle, fun colors your kids actually like, and no leaks. We’re obsessed. Durable enough for beach days, backpacks, and sideline spills — and they’re the one bottle my kids don’t lose.
3. 🧊 Chill Pal Cooling Towels
We keep a few in the freezer and toss them in the bag before we leave. Instant relief on hot days — around the neck, over the face, whatever works. A total sideline essential.
4. 🏕️ Academy Camps
Academy Camps aren’t your typical summer camps. They mix traditional camp fun with high-level sports training and mindfulness. They’ve been a great partner, but I’d share this even if they weren’t—I truly believe in what they’re doing. And no, I’m not getting paid to include them. I love the idea that your kid can unplug, have fun, and stay sharp without feeling like they’re falling behind.
5. 🧴 BU Sunscreen
My beach volleyball player loves it — and that’s saying something. It’s reef-safe, non-sticky, and actually feels good on your skin. We’ve tried them all — this is the one we keep rebuying.
6. 🚰 Sports Hydration Guide – Johns Hopkins
If you only read one hydration resource this summer, make it this one. It’s clear, quick, and packed with tips on how to help athletes stay safely hydrated.
7. 🧠 How to Beat Burnout This Summer
Some kids use summer to level up—more reps, more training, new skills. But for many, what they really need is a reset. This article breaks down how to approach summer in a way that protects your child from burnout—physically and emotionally.
8. 💨 Ausic Portable Misting Fan
Small but mighty. This rechargeable misting fan runs for hours and cools everyone down in the heat of summer games or training sessions. Bonus: it has a built-in lantern for late nights.
9. 💧 DripDrop Electrolytes
They taste great, work fast, and my kids remind me to pack them. Especially helpful on tournament days or during intense training weeks.
10. 💤 Protect the Off Days
This might be the most important thing on the list. Plan and build in actual rest. Not recovery workouts or light training — just let them be. True rest fuels performance and happiness. Don’t underestimate it.
