Our first tournament, I forgot the sunscreen, brought one banana for a six-hour day, and didn’t know the check-in closed 30 minutes before the first match. We’ve been the unprepared family. This checklist exists so you don’t have to be.
Print it. Laminate it. Keep it in the tennis bag.
The bag: what to pack
Racquets and gear:
- Two racquets minimum, both strung. (One racquet is a gamble — strings break, and they break at the worst moment.)
- Overgrips — at least two fresh ones
- Shoes: the match pair plus a backup. Blisters and blowouts happen.
- Socks: three pairs. Feet sweat, socks bunch, blisters end days.
- Wristbands and a hat or visor
- Towel — a real one, not the tiny club towel
Food and drink:
- Water — more than you think. A gallon jug for the family plus the kid’s bottles.
- Electrolyte drinks or packets (for multi-match days and heat)
- Bananas, energy bars, sandwiches — real food, packed for a full day, not a snack
- Between-match food: something with carbs and a little protein. PB sandwich, pasta, rice cakes + turkey. Nothing new or exotic on tournament day.
The parent survival kit:
- Sunscreen (apply before leaving, reapply every 2 hours)
- Folding chair — never assume seating
- Shade: umbrella or pop-up tent for all-day events
- Phone charger / power bank
- Cash — some venues are cash-only for food or parking
- A book. You’ll wait. A lot.
- Basic first aid: blister pads, athletic tape, ibuprofen, ice pack
Documents and admin:
- Tournament confirmation / registration details (screenshot on your phone)
- USTA or UTR membership number, if required
- Medical info: allergies, emergency contacts, insurance card photo
- Draw and schedule — screenshot it, don’t rely on venue wifi
The night before
- Bag packed and by the door. Not “mostly packed.” Packed. Check the list above, physically touch each item.
- Clothes laid out — match outfit, warm-up layers, backup shirt.
- Draw checked: match time, court location, check-in deadline. Screenshot everything.
- Route planned: drive time + 30 minutes buffer. Morning traffic to a tennis venue you’ve never visited is not the time to discover road construction.
- Normal dinner, normal bedtime. Nothing new, nothing late. (See our tournament sleep rules for the full plan.)
- The conversation: one calm minute. “You’re ready. Have fun tomorrow. I love watching you play.” That’s it. No tactics, no goals, no “this one’s important.”
Match day: the parent’s rules
- Arrive 45 minutes early. Check-in, bathroom, find the court, settle. Rushing is the enemy.
- Let them warm up properly. 20 minutes, their routine. (We have a full warm-up guide — the short version: dynamic movement, mini-tennis, rallies, serves last.)
- During the match: be a statue with a smile. Sit where they can see you if they look, but don’t perform. No coaching — it’s against the rules in most junior events anyway. No audible reactions to errors. No pacing, no phone calls, no coaching the opponent’s parents with your eyes. Clap good points from both kids. Your face should say “I’m happy to be here” whether they’re winning or losing.
- The 3-foot rule: if you’re close enough to the court that your kid can hear you breathe, you’re too close. Give them space.
- Between matches: food, shade, rest. No analysis of the last match, no preview of the next opponent. Let them decompress.
- Hydrate on schedule, not when thirsty. In heat, that’s every changeover.
After the match: the conversation
This is the highest-leverage parenting moment in junior tennis, and most parents blow it.
The first 10 minutes: say nothing analytical. Hug them (if they want one). “I love watching you play.” That’s the whole speech. If they lost badly, they’re grieving — don’t coach grief.
What never to say in the car home:
- “You should have…” (anything)
- “Why did you…” (anything)
- “That kid wasn’t even good” (invalidates their feelings)
- “Do you even want to play?” (never ask this after a loss — ask it on a calm Tuesday if you must)
- Silence-as-punishment. If you’re quiet because you’re upset about the result, they know.
What to say instead:
- “What was the most fun part today?”
- “What are you proud of?”
- “Tough one. Want to talk about it, or want music?”
- Later — hours later, or tomorrow: “Anything you want to work on this week?” Let them bring the analysis.
The 24-hour rule: no serious match analysis for 24 hours. Emotions lie. The match they “played terribly” often looks different on video or in the morning. Coaches analyze; parents support. Stay in your lane and the lane works.
After the tournament
- One easy day. No training the day after a tournament. Rest, school, normal life.
- Restring if needed — check the racquets before the next event, not the night before it.
- Log it: what worked, what didn’t, what to pack differently. A notes app entry after each tournament builds a personalized checklist over time.
- Celebrate showing up. Tournaments are hard — early mornings, nerves, long days. The kid who competes regularly is building something regardless of results. Say so.
The prepared family isn’t the one with the most expensive gear. It’s the one where the kid walks onto the court thinking about tennis — because everything else was handled the night before.
Leave a comment