If you’re attending a University of Michigan football game for the first time it’s nice to know what to expect ahead of time so that you can have a great experience.
I’m sharing pre and post game tips to help you have the best game day.
…football
Football Fun With Big Game Bingo – Free Printable
Watching the Big Game with football fans of all ages?
I’m sharing a great way for kids to engage more while watching the game with a football-themed Big Game Bingo card.
These printables can help younger kids and non-football fans enjoy the game more and be less of a distraction for party guests who want to focus on watching the game.
…Try Bowling With a Twist at Fowling Warehouse Cincinnati
Ready to try something new?
Fowling Warehouse Cincinnati is the only place in Ohio where you can play the original football bowling pin game.
Brings friend or family and play on 30 Fowling lanes inside a giant 46,000 square foot building.
…Fun things to Do in Canton
Living in a house of boys, I knew of Canton, Ohio as the home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but I honestly didn’t know much about what else the city had to offer.
To my surprise, Canton can be a great destination even if you are not into football.
…How an Injury Prevention Program Benefits Student-Athletes
As a parent with two sons who play high-impact sports, injuries and concussions are always a concern in the back of my mind.
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Ways to Save Time Back-to-Sports Shopping
Back to School also means Back to Sports for our family. I’ll admit that I love our summer sports hiatus because summer flies by too fast as it is.
My boys start school mid August and fall sports start practicing a few weeks before that. When practices begin before school starts, you have to be ready.
I’ve got one in football and one playing fall baseball for the 1st time this year which will keep our family occupied for a while.
I didn’t want to spend a ton of time shopping for sports equipment which made a trip to Dick’s Sporting Goods a convenient stop.
This post is sponsored by Vocalpoint and DICK’s Sporting Goods®. All opinions are my own.
So what do you need to do before you shop to save time?
- Get a list of equipment that you are responsible for from the coach
- Check for online coupons
- Bring your rewards card
- See what still fits. You don’t want to discover that your child has outgrown their cleats, apparel, or equipment after you went shopping.
- Check what the team colors are so that your apparel selections and shoes don’t clash.
- Find out how many days a week you will be practicing and when the games are so that you can plug them into your calendar. Ideally, you will want to have your shopping done before the 1st practice so that your child is prepared.
- Get a sports physical- Most teams require them and after the physical, you will find out if you need to purchase any additional items to assist with playing the sport. For example, you might discover that your child needs glasses made for sports or a brace for more support. Also, get the physical marked for any sports that you think your child might play to save time and money.
- Condense your errands. The less stops the better because your time is valuable too.
- Get advice and check out reviews from others about brands and equipment to use for the sport they are playing.
- Set a budget and let your kids be a part of the selecting process. Give them a price range to choose from and watch them become savvy budget shoppers instantly because now they view it as their money. This also helps them prioritize and determine which items they want to spend more on.
When it comes to selecting items, I let my husband take the lead in guiding my kids because he all about sports, ALL the time. Dick’s Sporting Goods is one of the few stores that my kids don’t complain about going to.
If anything, my kids want to stay longer because they start to sneak over to check out the shoes and athletic apparel for back to school clothes. In their world, comfort and athletic clothing is king.
Here are some items to check off if your kids are playing football or fall baseball.
Football Player Checklist
- Cleats
- Mouthguard
- Water bottle
- Helmet- optional
- Bright Socks – These are a great way to identify you kid on the field
- Practice Football
Baseball Player Checklist
- Baseball Helmet (optional)
- Baseball glove- lefties need to make sure that they get a special glove
- Baseball Bat
- Water bottle
- Baseball
Carpool Checklist
- Water
- Snacks
- Air freshener – Because your nostrils will burn after you carpool a group of middle school boys after they’ve been practicing in 90 degree heat.
- Something to read- sometimes practices go over and you end up waiting in the parking lot for a while
Sports Parent Sideline Checklist
You can read all of my sideline essential here.
We found EVERYTHING that we needed at Dick’s Sporting Goods which relived my stress and made my boys very happy.
The selection is very large for just about any sport in store and there are also items available online as well.
Would you love to win a gift card to Dick’s Sporting Goods?
You can find out more Dick’s Sporting Goods locations and merchandise from their website.
5 Reasons to Bring your Boys to the Ballet
I recently took my boys to their first full ballet performance to see Peter Pan by the Cincinnati Ballet. I didn’t give them a lot of notice of our upcoming adventure in case they decided to give a lot of resistance to the idea. My kids are pretty used to trying different experiences all the time so they were not too shocked when I told them our evening plans.
Peter Pan was probably the perfect 1st performance for them because there was flying, lots of actions scenes and humor. My younger son was a little confused in beginning and asked why no one was speaking. It helped that they already had a general idea of the storyline too.
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Playing Football with a Pro ~ Experiencing Pro Camps
Both of my sons recently attended a football ProCamp with Chicago Bear running back Matt Forte.
We were really impressed with the structure, the coaches and the interaction with the camp’s namesake.
The camp was 2 days long from 9-12 on a Saturday and Sunday.
The kids could also purchase an optional $10 wristband for lunch each day. The cost of the camp included a t shirt, Matt Forte autograph and team picture with Matt Forte.
Before the camp started, kids could play Pop Chips bean bag toss and receive samples from several of the camp’s sponsors.
The kids were divided into groups by age, each age group had their own coaches.
The coaches were very positive and did a great job of helping the kids learn proper form and techniques.
On the first day, Matt Forte shared with the kids about working hard, making good choices and being a leader.
My observation was that Matt Forte is a genuine role model for the kids. He was out there on the field giving each age group time to interact with him. He really seemed to enjoy the kids and tried to give each kid some attention.
It’s not every day that you can say that your kids have played football with a current NFL Pro Bowl player.
Both of my kids caught passes from Matt Forte during their scrimmage time. like I wrote before, he did a great job of dividing his time so that he could play with each age group.
On the last day, the kids ran in heats to determine who were the fastest campers. The fastest campers got to run in a heat against Matt Forte. They tried but didn’t stand a chance.
I feel like my kids do have an advantage going into the fall football season because of this camp.
It was a great experience for both of my sons.
ProCamps offers a variety of camps for different sports.
Since 1998, ProCamps has developed, marketed, and operated sports camps and related events for professional athletes in the National Basketball Association, National Football League, Major League Baseball, National Hockey League, Professional Golfer’s Association, and Women’s Professional Soccer.
You can find out more about ProCamps from their website.
Disclosure: I was given complimentary camps for review purposes. All opinions are my own.
$20 off Discount Code ~ ProCamps for Kids coming to Chicago Area
Are your kids HUGE football fans?
You are invited to attend one of two great football ProCamps coming soon.
The campers will experience various stations, specializing in fundamental skills of football. Individual groups will be small to assure that each camper gets maximum instruction from the top football coaches in the Chicago area. Each camp is open to boys and girls in grades 1-8 and focuses on footballfundamentals.
Brian Kelly
Join Notre Dame Head Football Coach and two-time Coach of the Year, Brian Kelly for football instruction and fun at the 2013 Adidas Brian Kelly Football ProCamp in partnership with Citi. Kelly will be on site to direct the camp, 27 Jun 2013 from 9:00AM-12:30PM at Plainfield East High School. Kelly will talk about the finer points of the game and beyond.
Campers receive an autographed team photo with Kelly, A Limited Edition Brian Kelly FootballProCamp T-Shirt, goodie bag and the opportunity to win additional prizes. Cost of the camp is $99. Spots are limited, so campers are encouraged to register early.
SAVE $20 off this camp if you go to www.procamps.com/BrianKelly and use promo code: USFAMILY
Matt Forte
Join Chicago Pro Bowl running back Matt Forte for football instruction and fun at the 2013 Citi Matt Forte Football ProCamp.
Forte will be on site to direct the camp Jun 29 and 30th, 2013from 9:00AM-12:30PM at Niles West High School . The campers will experience various stations, specializing in fundamental skills of football. Individual groups will be small to assure that each camper gets maximum instruction from the top football coaches in the Chicago area. Camp is open to boys and girls in grades 1-8 and focuses on football fundamentals. Kelly will talk about the finer points of the game and beyond.
All campers will receive a limited edition Matt Forte Football Procamp T-Shirt, exclusive autographed camp team photo with Matt Forte and have the opportunity to participate in contests and win additional prizes. Cost of the camp is $149. Spots are limited, so campers are encouraged to register early.
SAVE $20 off this camp if you go to www.procamps.com/MattForte and use promo code: USFAMILY
Disclosure: I am a US Family Ambassador and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending events and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, US Family has provided me with complimentary tickets to US Family events that apply.
Fantasy Football
I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I know of a place that is open to the public where you can play football in a college stadium. This has been a favorite pastime of my boys with their dad for years.
The University of Cincinnati ‘s football stadium is where all of my kid’s fantasies about playing football for college/pros one day are given new life.
During a recent visit to Cincinnati we took some time to stop by and play for a bit.
Due to bad knees, Grandpa was recruited to be all-time quarterback and I was even drafted to a team.
It’s a sad day when your 5 year old knows more about plays and the game than you do.
I was also outrun and outplayed by 5 year olds too. They did let me get my one moment of glory by scoring a touchdown.
That day there were students playing frisbee on the other side of the field and a kicker practicing field goals. All of us still had plenty of room to play.
If the stadium field if occupied when you visit, there is also a practice field close by you can also use to play on.
Check out the University of Cincinnati for directions to the stadium and schedules for the upcoming season.