Not sure what to put inside your softball mom bag that would be the most helpful for your role as the Team Mom/Bench Coach, without packing everything, including the kitchen sink? Look no further, we got the list of all the essentials for your Team Mom Bag. This list is good for pretty much every girl’s sport.
Whether you’ve been elected, chosen, or guilted into the position of softball team mom, it is a role not to be taken lightly. Besides being the emotional support when girls are feeling down, moody and insecure, (remember we are talking about tween/teen girls), you are also the resource for anything that can go down during a game. I am a firm believer that every softball team needs an honorary Softball Team Mom. (No hard feelings dads, but you just may not cut it for certain situations).
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Are you the Team Mom, Bench Coach or Assistant Coach?
You may not even be the official Softball Team Mom, but you might be the most reliable fan at your kid’s games. That counts too. You’re the mom that the girls can run to when they need something bad!
Now, you are in luck!
I have a post of the essentials for your car during travel softball games, called How to Best Prepare your Car for Travel Softball. That is a comprehensive list of everything you might want to have in the car for any softball situation, including everything from a game in your town, to the next town over, to a weekend full of Tournament Ball in another state.
But your Softball Mom Bag for the Bench Coach is not so complicated. No flashlights, blankets, or rolls of paper towels here.
Right now we are talking about basic items you may find helpful to have on hand when you’re on the bench with your team. Things you’ll get asked for a lot and items that will make you the star your girls depend on to make games go smoothly.
Never again feel like smacking yourself for forgetting sunscreen and needing to pay $15 a the local gas station for an $8 tube of SPF.
There are really just 6 Easy Tasks for Successful Softball Season Prep every softball mom wants to check off to have a smooth season. Let’s just say preparing your Softball Mom Bag can be #7.
Be sure to scroll to the bottom to get a printable copy of the Softball Mom Bag Packing List.
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Chewable Snacks for the Softball Mom Bag
First, let’s address the fact that the girls are ALWAYS hungry during games. Don’t ask me why? Maybe not even so much hungry, but feel the need to do something with their mouths to keep themselves occupied on the bench or while waiting their turn to bat.
We are not talking about game time snacks that a mom or dad might donate for the team to snack for a particular game, like watermelon slices or fresh fruit or apple sauce cups or something like that.
Here you only want to add a few non-perishable items that hold up well in the heat.
Think sunflower seeds, chewing gum, and Twizzlers. Those are some favorites our girls have loved over the years that hold up well in your Softball Team Mom bench bag.
Gummies and fruit leather are popular as well. Nothing that would melt in the heat, like chocolate.
Having some chewable snacks handy will help with anxiety and nerves some girls can get, especially if it’s their turn on the bench for an inning.
If you have girls on your team with Juvenile Diabetes, please get educated from their parents on what you may need to look out for concerning this athlete to make sure her blood sugar doesn’t get out of whack, and she is taking the snacks in that her body may need.
Minor First Aid Supplies
A small first aid kit (a gallon ziplock bag will do) with some basics you may encounter during most games will be helpful for you as the Bench Coach. Keep it simple with the following:
Instant ice packs for minor sprains and bruises that may occur, like a ball hitting a shin, ankle, foot, elbow, hand, face. Or for twisted ankles, etc. These are soft until you crack/twist them. Then they get instantly cold. Very handy and every single Team Mom/Bench Coach should have these handy. This is one item you may find yourself restocking in your Softball Mom Bag after games pretty regularly.
Bandages for minor cuts, first aid wash/spray, and bug bite cream.
Ibuprofen for swelling, headaches and menstrual cramps (remember tween/teen girls). Let me say loud and clear, never, ever, administer medicine without the permission of the athlete’s parents. But I will tell you, those parents will be grateful you have some on hand for them to give their child in the event of an emergency.
Personal Care Products the girls will thank you for
Ponytail holders and bobby pins.
Personal Hygiene products. This is awkward. But not if you are prepared! So be sure to have feminine hygiene products stashed in a baggie inside your Softball Mom Bag. Something will happen and someone will need supplies. You’ll save her life if she knows she can come to you discreetly for help.
Eye black stick. Many players find eye black handy to reduce glare from the sun, some just like to paint their faces with warrior designs to intimidate their opponent! Either way, having a stick of eye black in your bag may come in handy during the season.
All of that can fit in a quart-sized ziplock bag.
Protection from the Elements
Sunscreen and bug spray. (Placed inside a ziplock bag to catch leaks).
Plus a poncho or umbrella for sudden rain showers.
Clean up products every Softball Mom Bag should have
You will need one of the following items during the season guaranteed. So stock ziplock bag with:
- Wet wipes,
- Antibacterial hand sanitizer,
- A roll of toilet paper for the porta-potty,
- Facial tissues,
- Makeup wipes,
- and doggie poop bags for the fields, just in case.
I would put this ziplock bag on the bottom of your tote or backpack since it will be the bulkiest.
Miscellaneous Supplies for the Game
A gallon ziplock baggie with scissors, pens, pencils (for keeping up the scorebook), sharpie markers, notepad, parent emergency contact list. If you use a backpack style bag, these would fit easily in the front organizer zipper pocket.
If your team has a banner for the dugout, then add zip ties to your baggie and make certain your scissors are tough enough to cut those down.
Boredom Busters for in between a double-header game
Deck of cards and a coloring book with crayons (Yes, still fun for teenagers. Shoot, adults still love to color.)
Small Pouch of your Purse Essentials to throw in your Softball Mom Bag
A softball mom bag needs to have a small pouch where you can toss your wallet, keys, lip balm, and phone to locate it easily after the game. Plus, you won’t need to carry your purse too. One less bag to carry. I like to choose mine in really easy to spot color or pattern, so I can find it in my bag quickly.
And lastly JUST IN CASE:
You may even want to keep a portable smartphone charger and a charged-up camera (smartphone camera counts) for capturing fun moments on and off the field inside your Softball Mom Bag.
What kind of Softball Mom Bag should you get?
All these little ziplock bags and items should easily fit in a large beach bag type tote bag, or a backpack (which might be more comfortable to carry). This is all about personal preference here.
Check out these fun and practical options:
- Softball Beach Bag Tote
- Softball Open Top Rectangular Utility Tote
- Softball Organizer Utility Tote
- Backpack
Call to action: Set up your Softball Mom Bag now
Put your team bag together this weekend. Restock it weekly and keep it in your car ready for game time. Don’t make it too heavy where you’ll want to leave it in the car. The bench is the handiest place for these items, so you have them quickly on hand when you need them.
GET YOUR PRINTABLE LIST of the Softball Mom Bag Contents Here
Below will be a link to get a printable list in our Resource Library to get started stocking up your own Softball Mom Bag. Perfect for Team Moms, Bench Coaches, and Assistant Coaches to take to Softball Games.
Have fun and play ball ya’ll!
Other practical Softball Posts:
- Ultimate Softball Equipment List
- Travel Softball Car Packing List
- Softball Shopping Resources
- Mom’s Playbook for Conquering Softball Season
- Healthy Game Day Snacks to Make You Queen of the Cooler
- 28 Fabulous Gifts for Softball Players Who Love the Game!
Chandra is the chocolate-chip loving mother of 2 teenage girls who started over again with a baby boy in her 40’s! She is the author of The Mom’s Playbook to Conquering Softball Season. She gives other moms the tools they need to prepare their daughters for real life. Her content is centered on helping girls grow up to be well-rounded, equipped, expressive, confident, intelligent, capable, kind and independent.
