⚾️🎾⚽️ Let’s Be Sports Real… Keeping Up with the Latest Sports Gear Is Basically a Full-Time Job

If you’re a sports mom, you know there are approximately 4,872 things you are expected to keep track of at all times.

Schedules?

Got it. Snacks?

Packed. Water bottles?

Probably. Where did the other cleat go?

And apparently, I’m also supposed to know which bat is the latest and greatest?!

Because somewhere along the way, my children decided that being a sports mom also meant becoming a part-time equipment specialist.

And honestly… my brain has officially left the chat. 

 The Bat Situation Is Getting Out of Hand

Let’s start with baseball and softball because… WHY ARE THERE SO MANY BATS?!

My kids will casually walk into the house and say:

“Mom, I need the Ghost.”

Okay. Cool.

Then:

“Actually, the new Hype Fire is.”

Oh. Of course it is.

And then come the numbers.

30. 31. Maybe 32.

Then we’re talking -10, -8, and now -5.

Excuse me?!

I’m standing there trying to figure out if we are talking about a bat, a math problem, or a secret code I was supposed to learn somewhere along the way.

And heaven forbid you accidentally buy the wrong one.

Because apparently there is a very specific bat for a very specific age, size, league, swing, drop, barrel, certification, moon phase… okay, maybe not the moon phase, but you get my point. 

I swear I used to think buying a bat meant:

“Does it look cool and will my kid hit the ball with it?”

Now I need a spreadsheet.

 And Then We Enter the Tennis World…

Just when I think I’ve mastered baseball bats, tennis comes along to humble me.

Suddenly we’re talking about strung racquets, head sizes, grips and apparently my 10-year-old has somehow aged into adult racquets?!

HOW?!

Wasn’t she just using a junior racquet yesterday?!

And now I’m being told she needs a 1 or 2, not a 3 or 4.

I’m sorry…

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?! 

I’m standing there nodding like I absolutely understand while secretly Googling everything under the table.

At this point, I’m pretty sure my kids know more about sports equipment than I do.

 Then Soccer Decides to Join the Chaos

And then we have soccer.

“Mom, we need a size 4.”

Okay!

Wait…

“No, we need a size 5 now.”

A SIZE FIVE?!

Apparently, we have graduated.

Again.

And somewhere in the middle of trying to remember which kid needs what size soccer ball, which cleats belong to whom, and which bag has the snacks, I start questioning whether I actually have three children or three professional athletes with equipment managers. 

 And Let’s Not Forget the Clothing…

Now let’s talk about the real betrayal.

Their growth.

Because there is nothing quite like spending money on a brand-new outfit, jersey, hoodie, pants, or sweatshirt and thinking:

“Okay! We are set for the season!”

You feel accomplished.

You feel responsible.

You feel like you finally have your life together.

Then approximately seven days later…

 THEY NO LONGER FIT. 

WHAT?!

I literally just bought those.

And don’t even get me started on cleats.

You finally find the perfect pair. You buy them. You feel proud.

You think:

“YES! We are going to survive the entire fall season!”

Two weeks later:

“Mom…my toes hurt.”

You look at the cleats.

You look at their feet.

You look at your bank account.

And suddenly you realize your child has apparently grown three shoe sizes overnight.

 

The Struggle Is REAL

Being a sports mom means constantly trying to stay one step ahead of the newest gear, newest equipment, newest trends, newest bat, newest racquet, newest cleat, newest ball…

All while your kids are growing faster than your Amazon cart can keep up.

And listen, I LOVE watching my kids grow.

I love watching them learn new sports, get stronger, improve their skills, and find things they’re passionate about.

But could they maybe grow at a financially responsible pace?! 

Just once?

Because between the bats, racquets, soccer balls, cleats, apparel, bags, gloves, helmets and approximately 900 water bottles…

MY WALLET IS TIRED.

So, if you’re the sports mom standing in the sporting goods store trying to remember whether you need a 30, 31 or 32… a -10, -8 or -5… a size 4 or 5… a 1, 2, 3 or 4…

I SEE YOU!

You are not alone.

We are all just out here trying to keep up, keep them equipped, keep them comfortable, and hopefully keep a little money in the bank account.

Because Let’s Be Sports Real… growth is important, inevitable and something we absolutely want for our kids…

BUT COME ON.

Can we get at least one full season out of something before they outgrow it?!

— Let’s Be Sports RealReal life. Real sports. Real moms. Real struggle.