Youth Baseball: Cooperstown Dreams Park Tips and Tricks (Part 10)

Tips for players from a player

Baseball Equipment: 


Here a Top 20 list of baseball equipment things you will need for Cooperstown Dreams Park.


1) Fielders Glove(s) - If you play more than one position like catcher or first base make sure you have all of your gloves. Note to kids flying to Cooperstown: I would pull your glove(s) out of your baseball equipment bag and carry it on the plane. If the baggage is lost, you could borrow a bat without much concern, but you would not want to play without your trusty glove.
2) Bat - If you are flying you will not be able to carry your bat on the plan you will need to check it.
3) Cup
4) Sliding pants - bring several pairs
5) White baseball pants - no pin stripes. No side piping. The pants must be all white. Bring at least two pairs.
6) Cleats. (Note if it rains it would be nice to have a back up pair, but not necessary. My cleats were wet the entire week)
7) Batting gloves if you use them.
8) Baseball belt - Red or Blue would look best. 
9) Batting helmet
10) Fielding helmet if your team uses them
11) Catching gear - chest protector
12) Catching gear - shin pads
13) Catching gear - helmet
14) Extra pair of shoe laces - mine broke in a game recently (not in Cooperstown).
15) Eye black if you use it
16) Sunglasses if you use them
17) Sports Necklaces - they say you cannot wear them, but many kids do.
18) Water cooler bottle
19) Case of Bottled Water
20) Your confidence


Entertainment


Here a Top 10 list of entertainment things you will need for Cooperstown Dreams Park. There's lots of down time. You'll need to bring some form of entertainment.


1) IPod - don't forget the charger and headphones.
2) PSP or similar hand held gaming system (with games). Don't forget the charger.
3) Books if you can read with lots of distractions
4) Playing cards 
5) Your team pins
6) Team towel to collect pins on
7) A list of all the teams to reference when you are collecting team pins.
8) A vinyl bag to carry all your pins and the towel. Our team bought vinyl backpack bags with our team logo on it. Side note: You will be amazed how heavy all the collected pins will be.
9) Money for the arcade, concession stands, team trip to Cooperstown and the Cooperstown Dreams Park Store.
10) Cell phone - My cell phone broke right before I was leaving for Cooperstown. There were lots of times that I wanted my cell phone to contact my parents but could not. (From StatsDad: There were lots of times I wanted to contact my son but could not.)


For the Barracks

Here is a Top 25 list of things you will need for Cooperstown Dreams Park barracks. 








Put your name on everything.


1) Sheets for a twin size bed
2) Pillow and Pillow case
3) Sleeping bag
4) A clip on fan
5) An extension cord

6) A lock for the footlocker - best to get a lock with a combination and not a key. The lock needs to fit a small hole. The bigger locks will not fit.
7) Bring a swimsuit to shower in. It is a group shower and everyone wears swimsuits.
8) Bring water shoes, flip flops or similar to walk in an out of the shower.
9) Soap (I recommend a liquid body soap in a bottle so you do not need to carry a slimy bar around).
10) Shampoo
11) Two towels - the towels do no dry very quickly and sometimes one is in the laundry
12) Toothbrush in a carrying case.
13) Toothpaste
14) Deodorant
15) Axe body spray
16) Any medicine you take
17) A Sharpie - you will want to put your name or number on all the Cooperstown Dreams Park issued clothing and baseball cap.
18) Gym Shoes
19) Socks
20) Shorts
21) Tee Shirts
22) Underwear
23) A jacket or sweatshirt - the nights are cool in the mountains especially if you are competing in one of the earlier weeks.
24) Sweatpants - again it can get cool at night.
25) Bottle of Febreze - the room smells after a while.


Things not to bring


1) You do not need any team uniforms - my mom packed all my team uniforms. Cooperstown Dreams Park gives you all the uniforms for the games. They also want you to wear the Cooperstown Dreams clothing when you are going out to Cooperstown and restaurants as a team.
2) No food is allowed. Some kids brought in Powerbars and candy. But there is a strict rule against bringing in food to protect against any food allergy issues. (This is StatsDad. I heard lots of parents say, "they will not let the kids bring in food so that we buy their food. We let little Johnny sneak in food." What are these parents teaching their kids? They are basically telling little Johnny it is OK to break the rules that you do not feel are just if they cause you inconvenience or money."  Teach your kids to follow the rules.)
3) A bad attitude. Most kids were nice. But some were jerks.


The Main Point


I interviewed my son so that you can have a complete list of all the things you will need to be prepared for a great week of baseball.