Sunday, August 28, 2011

Win $100 Gift card to Dicks Sporting Goods!



It's the end of the game... you've spent the week driving carpool, picking up kids, washing uniforms & packing snacks... It was a tough game,  your sitting in the stands waiting for your kid to walk across the field and talk to you so you can all go home.

Your hoping for a face like this:


The "I'm so happy, I had a great game, worked hard and had fun with my team"  face... Hopefully you get that face.  

Sometimes you do... sometimes you don't.  Sometimes there are cheers and sometimes there are tears... such is the life with a teenage athlete. 



My oldest plays field hockey.  It's a tough sport, highly skilled and physical.  The games are usually low scoring, fast paced and quite aggressive.

I always hope for that "face" at the end of the game.  But what happens when you don't get that face? I've been thinking about that a lot this year. We have had our share of ups and downs when it comes to playing sports.  I can honestly say that my daughter has done more "growing up" playing that sport that almost anything we could have done.  She's learned to deal with disappointment. She's learned what it means to work on a team. She's learned to speak up for herself and most of all she's learned that rewards come from hard work.

Gatorade asked me to write a little bit about how I support my young athlete... I've been mulling on this thought for about a month. How do I support and encourage her?  I drive her to practice, make sure she has healthy food to eat, I try to be at all of her games... but what is it I could share here with YOU about I how support her.  Then I started thinking about it and realized one of my FAVORITE things to do to support and encourage them is with crafts... hey this is a crafty blog!

We've done a few crafty things with the team over the years.  Last year we had them over to make tie dyed t-shirts.... I made a photo album for the coaches last year... but my favorite job of all is as the team photographer!   (I'm just an amateur but they don't care).


You see, the girls work hard and they want photos of themselves "in action".  I love to go to the games patrol the sidelines and try to get that "perfect" shot of them.  It's become quite a fun challenge for me.  After the games,  I come home and upload the photos to facebook. The kids have fun tagging themselves & their friends, they make the photos their profile pictures and best of all, most of them "friend" me on facebook.

The season is just starting for us. After a summer full of 6 AM practices it's time to start playing Field Hockey!! I'll have my usual place on the sidelines, camera in hand but this year, I wanted to do something a little extra too. So I decided to make them all GAME DAY SURVIVAL KITS.



Since nutrition is so important to young athletes, I tried to pull together a bag of goodies for them to take to the game, full of things to help them be prepared to play!

I worry a lot about my daughter eating right during sports season. I feel like I have to watch her so closely to make sure she is getting the proper amount of vitamins and protein.  Those kids work so hard and as her Mom, it's my responsibility to provide her with healthy things to eat.

I included some good carbs (apples, bananas, their favorite protein bar & trail mix) and a G Series Perform from Gatorade.

Did you know that G-series Perform is the best Gatorade for them to drink WHILE they are playing? I didn't... It helps athletes replace fluids, replenish electrolytes and refuel working muscles during exercise. I read a bit about it and think it's pretty cool that they have different formulas for different stages of play. And G -Series Prime from Gatorade is a good one for them to drink 15 minutes before they exercise because it provides pre-game fuel in the form of carbohydrates.

Also in the bag,  since it is field hockey, I included some bandages (for bumps and blisters), kleenex (incase of a hard defeat) and some cute hairbands (because it never hurts to be cute when you play). 

If you'd like to make your own SURVIVAL KIT- I've uploaded the graphic I made for the front of the bag online. You can download it (click here to download the PDF) and make your own (I've included some other color schemes and one without a field hockey stick).


So now you have a fun crafty idea to support them when they play but I've got a more serious question for ya'll ...  It's easy to think of what to say when they win and the game goes great, but...

"What do you say when things don't go their way?"

When they think the coach was mean, or the other team was unsportmanlike, or they are disappointed in how they played.  

Gatorade is thinking about this too: For more information and to encourage moms to support their athletes as they BECOME, Gatorade will donate one dollar up to $10,000 to the Women’s Sports Foundation for every pledge we receive at Gatorade Moms.

I've noticed with my kids that confidence is one of the greatest assets a young athlete can have. What has worked for you with your kids?

Leave a comment here and let me know your BEST MOM advice you'llx be entered to win a:

$100 Dicks Sporting Goods Gift Card!

Rules:

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You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry
methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

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on this post

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this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about
an alternate form of entry.

For more chances to win check out the Gatorade Round Up page at BlogHer!

Sweepstakes Dates from 8/29/11-9/30/11

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

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238 comments:

«Oldest   ‹Older   201 – 238 of 238
Angel Jacklyn said...

I HAVE A HABIT OF SAYING "NEVER GIVE UP" WHETHER IT GOES THEIR WAY, OR NOT =)

kytah00@yahoo.com

Angel Jacklyn said...

2ND ENTRY TWEET @ http://twitter.com/#!/kytah00/status/119608977851039744

kytah00@yahoo.com

Julieh said...

My advice is to teach them its not about winning, but doing your personal best.honeypie411 at yahoo dot com

Kathryn Blogger Blog said...

Hi-I love shopping with dicks sporting goods! not just for sports-hunting-fishing and camping :-} I'd love to recieve this giveaway!
kathryn tufts
kathryn20000 twitter
kathryn66@comcast.net

Julieh said...

tweet:http://twitter.com/#!/honeypie411/status/119610183289798657

Kathryn Blogger Blog said...

I tweeted on twitter....
kathryn20000 twitter
kathryn66@comcast.net

http://twitter.com/#!/Kathryn20000/status/119610893200928769

Kathryn Blogger Blog said...

I shared this on my facebook!
kathryn tufts facebook
kathryn66@comcast.net
kathryn20000 twitter


http://www.facebook.com/GamerGalLvzGms/posts/255869884454475

Tabathia B said...

Never judge always encourage their decision on the field and always be the one yelling their name
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

Tabathia B said...

tweet
http://twitter.com/#!/ChelleB36/status/119614044935168000
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

ms-texas said...

It's not whether you win or lose - its how you play the game!

debbiebellows (at)gmail (dot)com

Unknown said...

"Never forget to remember what people like, love and collect."

Unknown said...

https://twitter.com/#!/spacebarshift/status/119683121670139904

Erin from Long Island said...

As a life-long athlete, I usually know exactly how they feel before the game/match/meet is over. I have a good idea how to cheer them up and help them improve!

Erin from Long Island said...

tweeted

https://twitter.com/#!/erunuevo/status/119699327991021568

Denise Donaldson (MistySunrise) said...

My best advice is, You dont always win, so just enjoy the game. :)

itsjustme62613 at gmail.com

Denise Donaldson (MistySunrise) said...

tweet

http://twitter.com/#!/MistySunrise/status/119701909954248705

itsjustme62613 at gmail.com

Unknown said...

I always made sure they knew that win or lose they could feel good if they played well and had fun.

discriminating_diva at yahoo dot com

Unknown said...

http://twitter.com/#!/dddiva/status/119759217606402048

discriminating_diva at yahoo dot com

susansmoaks said...

my best mom advice is to do your best and forgive yourself, you will make mistakes, but as long as you learn from them and move on you'll be fine
susansmoaks at gmail dot com

Crystal F said...

We just tell our girls that it's okay. That as long as they did their best, that's all you can ask for. We also tell them that everyone has a bad day even professional sports players. Thank you!
crystalfaulkner2000 at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

I tell them as long as they do their best and play as a team they are already winners wilcarvic
[at]gmail[dot[com]]

Unknown said...

We cheer them on, let them know it's ok to lose as long as they do their best. trinitygsd at yahoo dto com

Kellie Conklin said...

My best advice is to be at as many (if not all) games as possible and be honest when giving support on how the child may have done that day! I think it's important to show them that you are actually paying attention and trying to help them! Thanks!
Kconklin1028@gmail.com

Erica C. said...

I always say that it's a learning experience and that the next time they are in a similar situation, they'll be able to look back at this and be able to do something different.
ericacarnes(at)gmail(dot)com

Amy delong said...

2 sons in football,basically we support them no matter what,go to every practice/games
my hubby also coaches our youngest team and just basically positive reinforcement
ardelong2(at)gmail(dot)com

js22 said...

Yup, they need confidence in their ability. I'm sure parental attendance at their games helps them to do better.
Thanks for the giveaway!
email in blogger profile.

js22 said...

tweet- http://twitter.com/#!/js22222222/status/119877302493523969
email in blogger profile.

~*~lilshuga2001~*~ said...

I encourage to be a team player, and it doesnt matter who wins, as long as they had fun trying :)

Brian E. said...

Thanks for the giveaway...aside from the standard, "We'll get'em next time", we offer our kids support & encouragement by dissecting the games and learning from any mistakes made in a game: teachable moments that will prepare them for the next match, and will hopefully lead to a better outcome in the future; most important we teach them to do their best !

senorpiero [at] yahoo [dot] com

Brian E. said...

Tweet: https://twitter.com/#!/brianpiero/status/119885090162622467


senorpiero [at] yahoo [dot] com

brich2222 said...

My advice is to always encourage the kids and tell them how well they are doing.

brich22 at earthlink dot net

brich2222 said...

tweet
http://twitter.com/#!/brich2222/status/119897411987582976
brich22 at earthlink dot net

slehan said...

No kids, but I believe that it should be fun to do sports.
Thanks for the contest.

slehan said...

http://twitter.com/#!/slehan/status/119914894442246144

~dab said...

It's only a game, and it doesn't define who he is and the kind of man he'll become.

Bree said...

hi! I found this on pinterest, I love the pdf you made for the bag!! it says it is unavailable though.. is this something you have somewhere else for download? or could you send it to me? I would love to use it this spring for our teams! Thank you, and sorry to bug! :) Love your blog by the way!

Anonymous said...

Don't talk about the game in the car ride home!

Melissa said...

I can not download the field hockey printable. Can you help me out please? Thanks!!

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