The Letterman Co.’s newest guest blogger and newbie Texas mom Brittany, sheds light on navigating the shark waters of collegiate sports.  A mom of two girls and an ex-collegiate athlete herself, she knows what it takes to survive the sidelines while the little ones run up and down the soccer field or any field aimlessly, complain about being too hot, or too thirsty and how to be admitted into the elusive sports parent circle.  In this two part series, Brittany breaks down fashion, comfort and easy snack and dinner ideas for those days your running around from sport to sport!

PART 1: Sports But Make It Fashion

Soccer mom. Two words that can simultaneously send shivers up your spine while also consuming you with envy. Think, the mom version of Regina George from Mean Girls circa 2004. We all know the type; minivans full of perfectly pristine and manicured children piling out at every practice and game. The soccer mom seems to always exit the van in slow mo with shiny hair, bedazzled pins with their children’s number and a Yeti cooler on wheels with gourmet snacks for what seems like the entire town. 

Meanwhile, we’re just lucky that our kids are there on time with both shoes and a water bottle! How do these moms (and dads) make it seem so effortless to be so put together in all aspects? What do they know that we don’t? 

I think it comes down to organization and time-management. Easy right? Being a mom of two little girls ages 4 and 7, I have entered the world of Soccer Moms. And I will admit that I have been that mom that has been late to practices and games and had my eldest daughter cry during water break at soccer practice because I left her full water bottle on the kitchen counter.  Bet you can guess I wasn’t invited into the parent coffee circle. Working a full-time job, managing my husband’s work travel schedule with my girl’s extracurricular schedules, and making sure dinner is made (most nights) is a lot.

Our family of four recently made a big life-change and moved from Long Island, NY down to the outskirts of Dallas, TX. I didn’t think soccer moms could be worse than New York, but I was wrong. Being in mostly warm weather year-round, that means more sports! ALL. THE. TIME. These moms are incredible; it’s a full-time job! If their kids aren’t in cub scouts or girl scouts, they are playing soccer and on the swim team. On their off season, the kids golf and dance and apparently do anything and everything that is offered down here. It’s dizzying. So, I’ve made it my life’s mission to not be THAT embarrassing to my kids or myself. I’ve got calendars hanging on what seems like every wall in my house; one for when my husband travels for work, one for my work, one for the girls’ activities, etc., etc. And in my mission to reach that shiny gold soccer mom status, I’ve learned a few things along the way. Trust me, I’m still reaching for the stars, but I’ve picked up a few tricks from my new soccer mom friends along the way and I’m here to share them with you!

First off, being in Texas, after God comes football. And with that comes beautiful weather for Friday night lights and sitting on bleachers. However, being a native of Massachusetts and having lived in New York for 12 years, I know that a lot of places turn cold for the football season.  Not a football parent? We know that baseball season is just around the corner and what is more unpredictable than Spring weather? So, with that being said, here are some suggestions to keep you comfortable, fashionable, and well fed for those busy nights during the week and early morning practices on the weekends; whatever sport your children may play!

There is nothing worse than a flat butt, or a cold butt from hours spent sitting on bleachers. I personally know from my girls’ gymnastics and years ago from being on the swim team. Bleachers are beasts. So, I humbly thank whoever invented the stadium seat for bleachers. I’m still bitter that I didn’t think of it though. Amazon offers different styles for this amazing invention, even ones with heating and massage capabilities! You can find some awesome options HERE. If your kid plays a sport that doesn’t have bleachers as an option, have no fear! Think luxury meets convenience. I’m talking about the Zero Gravity Lounge Chair, and no, this isn’t your grandfather’s lounge chair. I’m talking about 1.2mm thicker steel tubing with e-coating compared to traditional steel tubing. Mean nothing to you? Ya me either – important thing is this baby is rust resistant! Yay for actual soccer moms who sit through rainy games! But in all honesty, this chair has a headrest, you can fully recline and the most important feature of all – it has an adaptable cup holder for large capacity. Special Yeti cups anyone?? Watch your kid in comfort!   

Now that our butts are taken care of, let’s move on to the more important categories, fashion. If we are going to keep up with Regina George, we need to make sure that we are outfitted in the comfiest and most festive gear, while of course being as fashionable as possible. That’s why I love The Letterman Co.’s Adult Varsity Jackets. These varsity jackets are made to order and my personal favorite, the patches are made in the USA and hand finished in California! They are a soft cotton blend brushback sweatshirt fleece Baseball Jacket with chenille. They offer custom embroidery such as your last name and child’s number and even the most stylish soccer mom will be asking you where you got your jacket! It’ll also take you down memory lane to high school wearing your boyfriend’s letterman jacket. You were cool then; you’ll be cool now. You’ll thank me later.

If you want to go a step further, they have a matching varsity jacket for your kid! This is perfect for heading to the field and afterwards. Nothing like team unity when the entire family shows up dressed to kill! The soccer moms will be shaking in their perfectly clean tennis shoes.   

What goes better with a custom Varsity jacket than a Team ‘Let’s Go’ Pennant also from The Letterman Co.? White poster boards are so 2022.  With these adorable flags, you will be the most popular mom in the group. They come in a set of four and you can outfit your entire family cheering section! Families that cheer together stay together, right? The Pennants are handmade with wool blend felt, cotton twill ties and wooden sticks. You can choose your custom color and font to match your kids’ teams! If you’re flying solo, have no fear! Check out the custom pennants just for you! And again, all made in the USA! We love to see it! 

Honestly, the Letterman Co. has gifts for the whole team. If you’re really looking to stand out check out all these great options! The Letterman Co. has so many options, whatever your need! From customizing your kids’ room, to a thank you for the coach and more, The Letterman Co. let you achieve soccer mom status!

Stay tuned for PART 2 where Brittany will dive into the foodie world of collegiate sports and how to make your life easier!