It’s one of the main reasons every kid on your youth travel sports team got involved. Improving skills, competing against other top teams, and maybe a bonus of traveling to some awesome places, playing in tournaments is what youth travel sports is built on. Most youth sports teams attend multiple tournaments all over the country every year. Some even travel and compete 30 or more weekends a year. Because of how rapidly youth travel sports is growing, more and more tournaments are being established and sport complexes built to accommodate the seemingly unending craving for competition among the country’s best youth teams.
You might find your team traveling to an increasing number of tournaments. The likelihood of attending one that isn’t up to your standards becomes a greater possibility as you venture deeper into the youth sports competitive scene. You can’t account for everything that could happen on your trip, but it helps to know exactly what you should look for while you do some research for a prospective tournament.
Location is important
The evolution of travel sports has become a major part of life for the families of team’s participating in it. So much so that these families sacrifice many of their weekends to travel so their kids can play. The huge chunk of time and amount of money families spend on youth sports has resulted in a decline in families taking other vacations. To alleviate this issue, many families will take a little extra time before or after the tournament and spend a couple days enjoying a mini vacation in the area where the tournament was played. The term “tournacation” (tournament + vacation) has been coined from this idea and is now a popular saying among the community. One of the most influential factors to consider in the planning stages for deciding on a tournament is its location.
How close is the venue to a major city? If you’re lucky it might already be located in one. Are there a lot of kid friendly attractions within a reasonable driving distance? It may be a busy weekend, but your team is going to find themselves with some free time. Not having anything to do can be a recipe for disaster and your trip could quickly go off the rails. Even if you happen to be going to a destination that isn’t near a big city, there could be plenty of fun options for your team. This criterion is a necessity for a successful tournament trip. Especially since this excursion might turn into a short family vacation for some of your team’s families. It’s critical to find tournaments at or close to entertainment packed destinations. A good question to ask to figure out if the location is a good fit is, could an entire family come on this trip and have a good time?
Research the sports complex beforehand
The quality of the complex is just as vital as its location. There are numerous determinants that make up a great sports complex, the more of them your tournament venue has, the better. You don’t need to go to a facility that goes on for what seems like miles. The size of the complex should be able to comfortably fit the number of teams competing. The larger the tournament, the larger the complex needs to be. Find out as much as you can about the fields/courts as you can. Ideally, they are kept in exceptional conditions. Make sure the facility has sufficient parking as well. Some other things to keep in mind are the restroom situation, how accessible is the complex to attractions or cities, are there concession stands or nearby places to eat, and does the venue itself have some exciting things to do, such as a climbing wall or a trampoline park.
Competition is the name of the game
Travel sports are centered around high skilled competition. Much of the draw for parents and kids is the level of competition they play against. Participating in more established, well-known tournaments will typically yield a higher level of competition. In order to become the best, you have to beat the best. Scoping out the other team’s that plan to attend the tournament gives you a clear picture as to what your team will be up against. Considering the inverse, if your team is still figuring things out and not playing to their full potential yet, you can base your tournament search on smaller, more regional events that will be a better fit.
Tournament directors are a crucial piece
Tournaments are only as successful as the tournament director who runs it. A knowledgeable, established tournament director should never be overlooked. The more organized and transparent the director is, the more you can be assured that your team’s tournament experience will go off without a hitch. When the tournament director is consistently communicating, everyone can easily stay up to date. Ideally, the director is communicating multiple ways. Whether that is through email, social media, the tournament’s official website, text, or call, the more vocal the director is leading up to and during the tournament, the more smoothly you can expect the tournament to run.
Likelihood of coaches and scouts attending
One of the goals for some kid athletes is to hone their skills and become talented enough so they can get offered an athletic collegiate scholarship. Not all athletes are destined to play in college or the pros, but for those who are striving to do so, they are going to want exposure to college coaches and scouts. A sure fire way to raise the chances of your team playing in front of coaches and scouts is to compete in major tournaments that attract teams from all over the country. Coaches and scouts flock to large talent pool sites. Even if none of your athletes are on a coach or scout’s radar, just being there at the right time could present some exciting opportunities.
Having a checklist when you research possible tournaments is extremely helpful. While it’s unrealistic to only join tournaments that satisfy every item on this list, or your own personal checklist, knowing that a tournament fulfills a good portion of your requirements is a comforting feeling. Next time you’re looking to sign your team up for a youth sports tournament, make sure it’s the right one by using these suggestions to help you search.