Tag: Baseball

  • How to Boost Your Team Spirit

    How to Boost Your Team Spirit

    As a coach, your mandate goes beyond Xs and Os. One of the most important things you can do for your team is to ensure that player morale and team spirit is always high, win or lose.

    Team spirit is not just for lower level youth teams either; even at the highest levels, a happy team performs better. There are many ways to maintain a positive team culture that fosters motivated players. Here are some of the most powerful ways to build and maintain team spirit that we’ve learned from working with so many teams across so many different sports!

    Pro tip: if your team is smaller than average this year, then you should consider putting everyone together on a sprinter van rental. A sprinter van is a type of passenger van that provides comfortable accommodate for up to 15 travelers, as well as their gear.

    Organize team building activities throughout the season

    In the pros, teams host “rookie dinners” every season, where the whole team goes out to a fancy dinner and is sure to rack up a healthy bill — which is left to be paid by all the team’s first-year players. While you might not do this with a youth team, you can take lessons from this big league tactic and come up with a team tradition of your own.

    Going to an escape room is not only a fun activity for a big group — it’s a team-oriented challenge that can teach you a lot about the mental makeup of your players. During the game, natural leaders will emerge from the pack to advance the mission for their team. Problem-solvers will shine in areas where they’re most talented. And as a coach, you’ll learn a lot about who can perform under pressure — and who can’t. Most importantly, however, you’ll see how well your players work as a team.

    One of the best outings for a sports team, though, is going to see a game at the pro level — i.e. watching the very best players at the sport your team plays. It’s always a valuable experience for young, developing players to watch professionals play their sport. And there are little details that you, as a coach, can pick up on and apply to your own team that you might not be able to witness when you watch the game on TV.

    For example, as a baseball coach, you might learn something about what the shortstop does in between pitches? As a football coach, you might learn how to work with your quarterback when the defence is on the field. And as a hockey coach, you can learn something bout facilitating line changes with a bench of 20+ players?

    And when it comes to transporting your team to-and-from the team building activity of your choice, you might want to consider renting a school bus or minibus to ensure everyone gets there safe and in one piece. But make sure to check out a few of these resources before booking transportation:

    Communicate

    Keep those lines of communication open! In order for each player on the team to feel equally valued, it’s important that information is distributed fairly amongst all team members. You never want players to gossip, or for information to trickle through the grapevine, so it’s important to be transparent and up front about many things. Important team matters should be communicated in a professional fashion so that everyone hears the news, lineup, game schedule, or other things at the same time in the same way.

    One method is to hold a weekly info check-in during practice where you can relay important information to your players all at once. That way, questions won’t be repeated and can be answered once and for all.

    Of course, in 2019 and beyond, a lot of our communication is not done face to face — and that’s okay. Oftentimes it can be more effective to communicate via our phones or email addresses. You could start a WhatsApp group, a Facebook message, or a text chain for quick updates. You shouldn’t bombard or spam your players through these channels, though. So make sure to set rules on how often updates are sent, and who can and should respond. No one wants another dreaded group chat flooding their phone every day!

    No matter how you choose to communicate with your team, you should do so regularly and have several methods and channels for doing so. Your messaging should be clear, concise, and organized in a way that you answer as many anticipated questions as possible.

    It’s also important to avoid going outside the boundaries you set. For instance, if your own child is on the team, they might be privy to information before their team mates. That wouldn’t be fair for the other players, so you’d have to make sure to prevent that from happening. When it comes to communication, no one should receive preferential treatment.

    Set realistic team goals

    Maybe you’ve heard of SMART goals: Expectations that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound. Goals that meet each of these five criteria have a greater chance of being achieved. And goals that are met (and surpassed) can bring teams closer together and set them off to a head start on the next challenge.

    While youth sports are about fun, they’re also a way to prepare kids for real-life situations they’ll encounter later on. One of the ways you can prepare them for the “real world” is to teach them how to attack goals, especially as a team. When they enter the adult world, they’ll often be tasked with goal-setting and teamwork, and they’ll be able to draw from their minor sports experience where they hadn’t even realized they were learning applicable and enduring skills.

    “Have fun”… but actually, have fun

    How many times have you heard a coach say that the number one rule on his team is to have fun? Now, how many times have you seen a coach follow through on that? 

    Often, all it takes is reading players’ facial expressions and/or body language to know whether or not they’re actually having fun. But at the end of the day, as you hear in so many preseason speeches, the goal of youth sports is in fact to smile, laugh, and make memories — along with developing skills and bonding with teammates. If it weren’t fun, we wouldn’t be doing it. So it’s one thing to set fun as an objective for the year — it’s another thing to make sure that sees through during the year. 

    Have post-game treats at the ready

    Who doesn’t love post-game treats? Sure, oranges at halftime are nice, but once the game ends and the physical exertion is over with for the day, a round of popsicles, donuts, or if the players are old enough, beers, is a welcome reward. Everyone loves the coach that surprises her team with a postgame trip to the ice cream parlor! That kind of thing might get tough on the wallet, so you can make a list and take turns among players (or parents) bringing or paying for the post-game snack.

  • Hockey Coach’s Checklist to Planning The Ultimate Away Games

    Hockey Coach’s Checklist to Planning The Ultimate Away Games

    Away tournaments are a big part of every hockey season. Registering for the tournament, booking a hotel, and perhaps even fundraising are all important steps toward getting your team to the big competition. One other step you might not have considered (until it’s too late) is transportation. Having each player find their own ride is not a suitable solution for a team of 15 or so when the tournament is a few hours away.

    The solution? Rent a team bus to get you to and from the overnighter, carry team equipment, and bring the team to each game.

    Transportation

    Travelling to and from an away hockey tournament by bus is an experience players tend to remember fondly for the rest of their lives. The team bus is where memories are formed and bonds are tightened. In order for all that magic to happen, you’ve got to book a reliable bus for your team.

    Start by consulting our Quick Guide to Choosing a Bus Type. Once you’ve reserved your charter bus of choice, your next step should be to ensure the safety and fun of your entire team throughout the trip. Create an attendance list to ensure all players board and debark the bus together every time — you can sort it by jersey number, or by forward lines and defence pairings.

    Psst: if you are planning a trip for a group of smaller than 15 individuals, you may want to consider using a sprinter van. Bus.com offers two types of sprinter van rentals: one that comes with a chauffeured driver, and one that can be driven by any member of your team with a standard driver’s license.

    Equipment

    Hockey players are some of the pickiest athletes when it comes to equipment. Everything has to be just so, from the type of stick tape they use to the way their skates are sharpened. Have your trainers reference our checklist to make sure they don’t forget anything at home.

    Player Equipment

    • Skates & laces
    • Game & practice hockey socks
    • Athletic socks
    • All-in-one jockstraps
    • Shin pads
    • Hockey pants and shells
    • Game and practice jerseys
    • Shoulder pads
    • Elbow pads
    • Neck guards
    • Mouthguards
    • Helmets & cages
    • Hockey gauntlets
    • Sticks
    • Stick tape
    • Hockey tape

    Goalie Equipment

    • Goalie sticks
    • Goalie masks
    • Blocker & trapper
    • Goalie skates
    • Goalie cut practice & game jerseys

    Team Equipment

    • Pucks
    • Pylons
    • Skate sharpeners
    • Shooter tooter

    Accessories

    • Team duffle bags
    • Team tracksuits
    • Headphones
    • Water bottles
    • First aid kit
    • Sports drinks
    • Helmet decals

    Accommodations

    The team hotel is another one of those off-ice memories hockey players hold onto. Who can forget meeting in the hallway for a late-night game of mini sticks? Given that your players might monopolize parts of the hotel, it’s probably best to keep the team together by booking a hotel room block — i.e. a designated number of rooms reserved for your team in one area of a hotel. Before you book, keep in mind that some hotels are better than others at accommodating sports teams. Holiday Inn Express will likely provide a discount for your team if you ask; La Quinta specializes in large groups; and Best Western is known to sponsor youth teams.

    Planned pit stops

    Hockey players like to move, so as fun as the bus ride is, they’re going to need a few pit stops along the way to stretch their legs and burn some energy. Think about leading a short team jog or stretching circle to avoid restlessness. Make sure you factor those stops into your calculated ETA so there are no surprises along the way.

    Get some sight-seeing in

    Depending on the location of your away game, plan some fun activities away from the rink for an unforgettable team bonding experience.

    New York City

    No one ever had any trouble finding tourist activities in Manhattan. Between the Statue of Liberty to Washington Square Park to the Central Park Zoo, New York City never sleeps, or even naps for that matter.

    Hockey arenas in NYC 

    The most famous arena in the world, Madison Square Garden, is home to hockey’s New York Rangers. If the Blueshirts aren’t in town, you can catch the Islanders — but check the schedule, because they split their home games between Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale and Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

    Los Angeles

    LA’s surrounding areas have some of the best hiking around. Take your team on a workout along the Griffith Park or Runyan Canyon trails, or check out the iconic Hollywood sign. 

    Hockey arenas in LA

    At Downtown’s LA Live, the Kings home is the Staples Center, a legendary arena within a bustling complex of restaurants and bars. Make sure to pass by the Wayne Gretzky statue!

    Miami

    Can you think of a better place for a hockey tournament in the middle of January than Miami? Show up to the rink in shorts and sandals, and relax at the beach before the game.

    Hockey arenas in Miami

    The Florida Panthers play at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, about 40 minutes from downtown Miami. Florida’s other NHL team, the Tampa Bay Lightning, play about 4 hours northwest.

    San Francisco

    As one of the hilliest cities in North America, the City by the Bay provides wonders such as the windy Lombard Street and the historic cable cars. 

    Hockey arenas in San Francisco

    The closest NHL rink to San Francisco is found an hour and a half south in San Jose, home of the Sharks.

    Montreal

    Hockey is religion in Montreal, which you’ll learn as you walk the streets and notice all the locals decked out in its home team’s bleu-blanc-rouge (red, white, and blue). Hockey fans should take a walk to the iconic Montreal Forum, home to the city’s pro hockey team between 1924 and 1996, and home to 24 Stanley Cup victories.

    Hockey arenas in Montreal

    The historic 24-time Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens play at the Bell Centre, perfectly located in downtown Montreal. It’s one of the most exciting venues to catch a game at, and it can be mind-boggling to stare up at all the retired numbers and championship banners.

    Toronto

    The Hockey Hall of Fame is downtown Toronto, and a must-visit for any hockey player or fan. Just down the street: Wayne Gretzky’s Restaurant, which doubles as an eatery and a shrine to The Great One.

    Hockey arenas in Toronto

    The Toronto Maple Leafs play their home games at Scotiabank Arena, steps from the CN Tower on Bay Street. A Leafs game is one of hockey’s toughest tickets, but you can also check out the minor league Marlies, who play at the Coca-Cola Coliseum just a few minutes west down the Gardiner Expressway.

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    Ready to plan your team’s bus trip itinerary? Get started now.

  • How to Navigate Last Minute Bus Booking

    How to Navigate Last Minute Bus Booking

    When it comes to booking a trip, you don’t always have the luxury of planning very far in advance. Whether you’ve been informed you need to organize a last-minute business trip, want to take off on an impromptu ski weekend with friends, or you simply just… well, forgot to plan your group transportation to an event, there’s no need to panic. While we generally recommend booking a charter bus six months prior to your departure date, that’s merely to ensure that you secure the best bus for your group’s needs. There is always a solution when it comes to last-minute booking.

    But, first things first: you need to have at least a few details sorted out before you go ahead and book your ride. Here’s what you need to have prepared before going ahead and confirming your bus rental.

    Know your route and the number of people you need to move

    This is pretty standard stuff. Pinpoint where you’ll need to be picked up from, whether you need to make more than one stop along the way to your event, and where you’ll need to be dropped off in order to confirm your bus trip itinerary. Then, tally up a headcount for all passengers. Depending on the size of your group, you’ll want to look into booking one particular bus model over another.

    For your convenience, we’ve broken it down rather simply. If you’re a large group on the road for hours at a time, we recommend travelling by coach bus. If you’re organizing a shuttle fleet to and from, say, a conference, a minibus would be your best bet. We also offer school buses and mini coach buses for rent, which are great for everything from weddings to field trips.

    Still not sure which bus type is best for you? Check out our Quick Guide to Choosing a Bus to get a better picture. Every bus model has its strengths, so it’s all about finding which one is best suited to your type of travel experience.

    Be flexible

    Let’s be real, here. Booking anything at the last minute will have its consequences. While our Booking Specialists and logistics team will do everything in their power to try to conjure up the perfect bus for your eleventh-hour travels, it’s important to be realistic in terms of your expectations. Adding a splash of flexibility to your disposition will go a long way in terms of your overall satisfaction with your trip. This could mean anything from being able to push your departure time by a few hours or by booking a bus model that may not have all the additional amenities that you had in mind, but that still gets the transportation job done.

    At the end of the day, you’ll have a ride to your event that is safe, direct, and keeps your whole group together – and isn’t that really the main goal? Once you’ve got these instrumental details figured out, you can start building your trip itinerary.

    Finalize and communicate your itinerary

    Alright, it’s almost go-time! Now it’s time to get in touch with your Booking Specialist in order to confirm all of your bus booking details. Make sure that you have the phone number of both your Bus.com representative and your bus driver on-hand, just in case an erratic speed bump presents itself at any point before, during, or after your travels. Our customer service team is there 24/7 to take care of any hiccups that may arise.

    Once that’s done, it’s time to spread the word. Send off a company email blast, a Facebook group message, a message via carrier pigeon, or whatever to your group members letting them know how you’ll be getting to your event. Make sure to include the precise dates and times of your trip, along with any other pertinent details (your accommodation’s address if you’re staying overnight, crucial things to pack, etc.).

    Some extra things to organize (if you have time)

    Last ditch attempt at on-the-road entertainment

    This entire trip is last minute. The chances of you having thought ahead in terms of coordinating some kind of onboard group entertainment are pretty close to nil. Luckily, there are group activities you can pull together quickly that require minimal planning and barely any supplies. If your goal is to encourage some bus-bound bonding, why not consider trying out some games among your group? If you’re more of a strong and silent crew who keep social interaction to an all-time minimum, catch up on some “reading” with our audiobook suggestions.

    Get packing

    Only one main thing left to do: throw some stuff in a bag and hit the road! Just kidding, you’ll want to put a bit more thought into it than that. As your packing starting point, take into consideration how long you’ll be away from home as well as remembering why you’re heading off on the road in the first place.

    Are you heading off to a sports tournament in another city? Don’t forget to take inventory of your team’s equipment, particularly if you’re a football team with tons of gear to lug around. Or maybe you’re heading to a corporate conference, in which case make sure to bring suit bag to keep your conference clothes crisp and wrinkle-free. In any case, be sure to consult our Carry-On Packing Guide for short trips as well as our Packing Guide for Short/Medium/Long Bus Rides to check everything you need off a comprehensive list.

  • 6 Things Coaches Need to Know Before Kicking Off the Season

    6 Things Coaches Need to Know Before Kicking Off the Season

    First of all, congratulations! You’ve been selected to coach the team! Growing up playing sports, we all had plenty of coaches in so many different sports who influenced us — positively or negatively —- and who left lasting impressions on us.

    Now, it’s your turn to leave your mark on a new generation of athletes. You may have a son or daughter on the team, or you may not. The team may be comprised of kids (and parents) you already know, or you may be dealing with a whole new group of players to whom you’ll have to prove yourself. This may be your first foray into coaching, or you may be a seasoned veteran.

    One way or another, coaching a team is one of the most rewarding experiences you’ll ever have. But it’s also one of the most challenging. As the coach in charge, you’ll have to make tough decisions and deal with a wide range of skill levels and personalities – and that’s just talking about the players. So whether you’re learning on the job or are just in need of a refresher after the offseason, here are six areas to execute on to kick your season off on the right foot. 

    Create realistic team goals 

    What do you want your team to accomplish during the upcoming season? That should depend on the age group and level of your team.

    With older and more competitive leagues, the goal may solely be to win. In that case, you’ll want to set the expectation with your players (and parents) that playing time won’t be equal and lineups will be made based on merit.

    At younger ages, you may simply be looking to develop your players’ playing skills. In that case, you’ll preach equal playing time, a commitment to improvement, and hard work.

    A standard coaching practice would be to host a team meeting at the very beginning of the year with coaches, players, and parents all in attendance. This will be your first chance to address everyone, allow them to get to know you, and set those all-important team goals from the outset.

    It will also be helpful later on. After all, if you’ve already communicated to your team that the only goal of the year is to have fun, then you can reinforce that ideology with that certain inevitably angry parent when they complain about their child’s playing time further on down the road.

    Create playbook and practice plans 

    Whether you’ve set a competitive goal or not, it’s important that as a coach, you’re organized with how you’ll be directing your team throughout the year. Each player is on the team for a reason — be it fun, to learn the game, or to improve their athletic skills. And they’ve also probably paid a good sum of money for league fees, ice or field time, and other team expenses.

    This means you need to make the most of every opportunity you get to spend with your team. Each practice should be carefully planned ahead of time (and even sent to your players in advance) so that nobody’s time is wasted.

    Arrive early to set up necessary equipment and prep your assistant coaches with defined roles so you can run a smooth practice. For games, make sure everyone knows their positions, your game plan, and what’s expected from each player. Use the time before the season starts to practice your playbook with your team so they’re ready to hit the ground running. 

    Organize gear and equipment 

    It’s not as exciting as writing lineups or creating game plans, but this is something you need to get out of the way early. You don’t want to show up to your first games of the season without the proper uniforms or having to borrow baseball bats or basketballs from the other team. Make your orders or pickups from the league equipment centre or local sports store as early as you can.

    Once you’ve made your final cuts and finalized your roster, invite your players to a uniform pick-up night. (And make sure to devise a fair system for choosing jersey numbers!) If you’re providing team shoes, helmets, or off-field swag, collect sizes as early as you can and get those orders in right away. 

    Planning some away games or tournaments this season? It’s best to be prepared and make sure that you’ve got everything organized beforehand, especially with all of the equipment that a football team requires to lug around. Additionally, being away from home typically translates into having to stay overnight elsewhere. Here’s your guide to booking a hotel for your sports team

    Compile a contact list 

    As mentioned earlier in this article, two of your most important tasks as a coach are setting expectations and communicating with your team. Start by collecting contact information for each of your players and/or parents, depending on the age group of your team.

    Do you want to communicate with only your players, only the parents, or both? Do you want to send communications via email, by text message, or do you want to employ a team management platform like TeamSnap?

    These are important considerations that you should lock in early on in the year. You may want to bring all options to your team meeting, and leave it up to a team vote. Once you have the ability to communicate with your team, it will be important to do so regularly. How often? Well… 

    Youth sports coach tips

    Send weekly communications 

    How often should you be communicating with your team? Your players and parents will want to hear from you, but not so often that it gets overwhelming or annoying.

    As long as the game and practice schedule is distributed well in advance, then we suggest a weekly communication plan so you can provide updates on things like team performance, upcoming tournaments or fundraising efforts, and team activities like a Christmas or end-of-year party. A predictable weekly email — say, every Sunday night — will help keep your team in the loop and avoid constant, repeated questions from many different parties. 

    Organize team transportation 

    Once your roster is finalized, the jerseys are doled out and the communications are in place, there’s one more thing to take care of that you may not have considered. Thankfully, it’s just about all we think about: transportation! Every sports team has to do a fair bit of travelling, whether to the local field for a practice or game, or to an away tournament for the weekend. Especially for those longer trips, you should consider chartering a bus to keep the whole team together. With a team bus, you can easily transport team equipment, avoid the stress of carpooling and directions, and build team camaraderie and create lifelong memories. Talk about a win-win-win! Be sure to get in contact with a Bus.com booking specialist so that when the question of transportation arises at your team meeting, you’ll be able to answer confidently.  

    If you coach a team that is made up of 15 individuals or fewer, then a sprinter van rental may be the best choice for you. A sprinter van is a type of passenger van that is designed to efficiently transport travelers and their luggage across distances both short and long.

     And remember, if you’re travelling with minors, there are a few additional things to take care of before you hit the road. We’ve got all the details covered in this post. Now, it’s time to get out there and plan how you’re going to take home the gold!

  • Transportation and Youth Sports: How to Responsibly Manage Team Travel

    Transportation and Youth Sports: How to Responsibly Manage Team Travel

    Organizing travel for your youth sports team can be trickier than you’d think. Often an afterthought, getting your team to its destination requires a lot of planning, from deciding which kind of vehicle suits your team best to collecting all the proper documentation required to hit the road with minors. There’s a pretty hefty list of items to get done before you take off on your away tournament travel. For coaches and managers, it’s imperative that you know how to responsibly take care of your youth sports’ teams transportation throughout the season, and this post will provide insight on how to do just that. 

    Finding the right bus for your team 

    Your team bus is the centerpiece of your sports team trip. Whether for a road game, an away tournament, or a team bonding activity, deciding on the type of bus that’ll carry your group is step one. We offer four main bus types: the coach busmini coachschool bus, and minibus. To make your selection, you can consult your Bus.com booking specialist or our Quick Guide to Choosing a Bus Type.  

    Anyone who has coached a team before knows that it’s easier when you can have everyone in one place. If you have a small team, you could all pile into a sprinter van, which holds a total of 15 people. Bus.com offers quick and easy luxury sprinter van rentals that can fit your price range.

    But if you’re still in the early stages of planning, start with one question: What sport does your team play? If you coach or manage a team that carries a lot of equipment, like a hockey or football team, then a coach bus is your answer. If your team doesn’t carry a ton of equipment but has a big roster — like soccer or rugby — then the school bus makes more sense. For the smallest rosters and smallest equipment bags, go with a mini coach, perfect for your swim or tennis team. 

    What about school buses – are those safe for travelling long distances with kids? 

    You may have jumped at the mention of the school bus for a long distance road trip. Sure, those big yellow machines are fine to bring your kids to school and back, but are they safe for highway trips? The answer is yes, and here’s why. Everything about a school bus design is geared for safety: specialized brake systems, lighting, emergency exits, and escape hatches in the roof. Even the high-padded seats are made to absorb the impact of a collision. But what about the fact that these buses don’t have seatbelts? Believe it or not, that’s part of the safety equation, which we explain in this article. Of course, all the safety measures in the world go out the window if the passengers don’t follow the rules. So as a chaperone, you must reinforce these rules: two people per seat, arms and legs inside the bus at all times, and bags on laps or under seats. 

    Charter bus rentals for kids' sports teams.

    Why buses are better than carpooling 

    You may be wondering why you shouldn’t just have parents and coaches take their own cars and split up the players in carpool fashion. Well for starters, a team bus takes the pressure off the parents, who may have to work or have other kids to take care of. One vehicle with a single pick-up and drop-off location is simpler for everyone, keeps more cars off the road (here’s to eco-friendly transportation!), and decreases the chances that some of your players show up late or get lost. A team bus will end up saving everyone money too, when you consider the cost of gas required to send all those cars to the same place. The equipment storage capability of a bus is also a plus that may be tough on parents — have you ever tried stuffing four hockey bags into the trunk of a small car? And finally, and perhaps most importantly for your players, a team bus is fun! When everyone travels together, boring road trips turn into bonding experiences and lifetime memories. 

    Rent a bus for a single game or an entire season 

    Speak with your Booking Specialist about your particular bus booking needs. One of the ways Bus.com makes bus rentals easy is the Book Now, Pay Later option, which can come in handy when you need to rent a bus for several dates throughout the season. Once you receive your schedule prior to the beginning of the season, you can lock in your team’s mode of transportation right away for all your road games and/or tournaments without having to fork over the money just yet. You’ll only have to finalize your payment 21 days prior to each departure date. 

    Kids sports team charter bus rentals.

    Have all documents required for travelling with minors

    When travelling with children that are not your own, there are a few legal steps you have to take. Children under the age of 18 are considered minors, and adults such as sports coaches that travel with minors require a legal document called a Child Travel Consent Form. The document is particularly important if you are leaving the country. The form should include each minor’s passport information, consent, and a signature from their parent or guardian, information about the trip, and more. Consult this resource for more information about travelling with minors. 

    Keep your team happy on the road 

    A few paragraphs up, we mentioned the lasting bonds and fond memories that often cultivate on long road trips with your team. But that stuff doesn’t necessarily just happen all on its own. As a coach or manager, you’ll need to set up your team for happiness and success on the road. Come up with some games you can play as a group on the bus. The license plate game is always a classic; you can drum up a sports trivia game tailored to your team’s sport; or make use of the bus’ sound system for a little ‘name that tune’. Speaking of music, you might want to tap the music expert on the team to drum up a few playlists to get your team pumped up, or to wind down after a hard-fought game. Oh, and snacks. You’ll definitely want to pack some snacks to keep everyone’s stomachs satisfied and minimize the need for pit stops. 

  • Football Coach’s Checklist to Planning The Ultimate Away Games

    Football Coach’s Checklist to Planning The Ultimate Away Games

     As a football coach, each season throws enough Xs, Os, position battles, tough opponents, and hard decisions at you to keep you busy 25 hours a day. Time for planning road trips? Please! You’d better take care of most of that stuff before the season even begins, and streamline it well enough that during the season travel planning doesn’t get in the way of your duties as head coach. If you’re the team manager or travel coordinator, you want to stay as organized as possible so that your head coach is aware of what’s going on, but can lean on you to get things done. 

    Transportation 

    Start with a number. How many people are you transporting? Count up players, coaches, coordinators, trainers, and anyone else that will be travelling with you. Now, take that number and divide it by the number of seats on your school or coach bus to determine the number of buses you need to get your team on the road. Not sure which bus works best for your group? Consult our Quick Guide to Choosing a Bus Type. Our easy-to-read infographic will help you make your decision based on length of trip, group needs, and more. 

    You may want to opt for a sprinter van rental if your team is made up of 15 passengers or less. A sprinter van is a smaller alternative to bus travel, and offers the same level of comfort. Bus.com offers two types of sprinter vans: ones that come with a driver and ones that do not.

    Equipment 

    Before your trip, pull your team leaders together to take inventory of your locker room. How much equipment do you need to bring with you to the away game or tournament? After all, you’ll need to bring all your game day equipment on the road, and may need some extra practice equipment depending on the visiting field you’ll be playing at. 

    Here’s a quick checklist you and your assistant coaches can use to keep track of your equipment and make sure it all finds its way onto the bus. Need help packing? Consult our Packing Guide for handy tips! 

    Game Equipment & Footwear 

    • Cleats 
    • Socks 
    • Game and practice pants 
    • Game and practice jersey 
    • Pre- and post-game t-shirts and hoodies 
    • Receiver gloves 
    • Skull caps 
    • Girdles 

    Protective Gear 

    • Shoulder pads 
    • Helmets 
    • Back plates & rib protection 
    • Athletic cups 
    • Neck rolls 
    • Hip & tail pads 
    • Chin straps 
    • Mouthguards 

    Accessories 

    • Eye black 
    • Hand warmers 
    • Towels 
    • Water bottles 
    • First-aid kit 
    • Energy drinks 
    • Footballs  

    Accommodations 

    For a faraway game, you may want to consider staying overnight to avoid a long drive pre- or post-game. If you stay the night prior to the game, you can ensure the players are in bed at a reasonable hour and won’t have to deal with the challenge of loosening up for a game following a long bus ride. Staying in a local hotel or Airbnb the night of the game alleviates the stress of rushing from the field to the bus and the possibility of getting home super late. Plus, staying overnight gives you the chance to celebrate that big win! 

    The best way to keep the team together overnight is by booking a hotel room block: a designated number of rooms reserved for your squad in one area of a hotel. Sports teams can be a handful for a hotel, so we’ll give you a few chains that, in our experience, are sports team-friendly. Holiday Inn Express tends to provide a discount for teams, and they have a Parents’ Lounge if they’re coming along. La Quinta is a sleeker alternative, but its bread and butter is large groups — read: football teams. Best Western is also known for sponsoring sports teams, plus free Wifi for game planning and free breakfast for your players’ large appetites. 

    Planned pit stops 

    Depending on how far your away game is, you’ll want to take into account how many pit stops you’ll have to make to let your team stretch their restless legs. Incorporate rest stops into your ETA. You can use this time to preach some good habits for your players. Lead a brief yoga or stretching session outside the bus. Create a mini scavenger hunt around your stop and break the players into teams. Or let the players do their own thing — but enforce a set departure time so that you can stick to your schedule. 

    Get some sight-seeing in 

    Depending on the location of your away game, plan some fun activities away from the field. 

    New York City 

    In the Big Apple, you can’t go anywhere without attractions, from Times Square to Central Park to the Empire State Building

    Football stadiums in NYC  

    It’s about a 30-minute drive from Manhattan to the Meadowlands, where the NFL’s Jets and Giants share MetLife Stadium

    Los Angeles 

    When you think of LA, you think Hollywood, the Santa Monica Pier, Venice Beach, and the Walk of Fame. It’s all bright lights and beaches. 

    Football stadiums in LA 

    Just south of downtown, the iconic LA Memorial Coliseum still hosts the USC Trojans football team. Further south in Inglewood, the much-anticipated and recently named SoFi Stadium will open in the summer of 2020 to host the NFL’s Rams and Chargers. 

    Miami 

    Indulge in the glamour of South Beach or the exotic Everglades when in Miami. Take your pick. 

    Football stadiums in Miami 

    The Dolphins play at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, as do the college Miami Hurricanes. 

    San Francisco 

    When in San Francisco, wind your way down Lombard Street, gaze at the Golden Gate Bridge, and stroll the Embarcadero. Just remember, it’s the West Coast. Chill out. 

    Football stadiums in San Francisco 

    The NFL’s San Francisco 49ers actually play much closer to San Jose, at Levi’s Stadium. For coaches that grew up watching games at Candlestick Park, that site is in Bayview Heights, just south of the city center. 

    Montreal 

    Find a little slice of Europe in this bilingual Canadian city. Walk the cobblestone streets of Old Montreal, and don’t forget to stop for a poutine. 

    Football stadiums in Montreal  

    Montreal has never had an NFL team, but it still has a pretty cool football stadium. While you’re on the iconic Mount Royal, pop over to Percival Molson Stadium, home to the Canadian Football League’s Alouettes and the university McGill Redmen, with both city and mountain views for spectators. 

    Toronto 

    Pay a visit to Toronto, the financial capital of Canada with a nightlife to boast about. Climb the iconic CN Tower for the best view of the city. 

    Football stadiums in Toronto 

    The CFL’s Argonauts play at BMO Field, just off the waterfront Lake Shore Boulevard. A few steps to the east, the multipurpose Rogers Centre normally hosts baseball, but has held four Grey Cups and five Buffalo Bills home games. 

  • How to Facilitate Group Bus Pick-up Points

    How to Facilitate Group Bus Pick-up Points

    With everything that goes into group travel—itinerary planning, budgeting, outfit selection—it’s easy to forget about some of the logistics that go into efficient charter bus travel. Choosing a good spot to load the bus sounds burdensome, but, with a little guidance, it’s easier than you’d think. It just requires communication and forethought. Having a clear pick-up plan reduces costs, saves time, and avoids parking tickets. Use this guide to find and secure the best pick-up point for your group.

    Talk the talk: Charter bus terminology

    Being able to clearly communicate to bus operators, municipality officials, and booking specialists is going to make it a lot easier to get what you want out of your charter bus experience. And you’ll sound cool too! Here are a few key terms:

    Staging

    Staging refers to the period of time between the bus’s arrival to your group’s departure.

    Loading

    Loading time depends on your passengers. It covers the time it takes everyone to check in, put their luggage in the undercarriage (if you’ve booked a coach bus), find seats, and get comfy.

    Organize group charter bus pick-up points.

    On-Duty

    On-duty time consists of the hours your driver is “at work.” This includes time when they are not driving, but responsible for the vehicle.

    Driving Time

    This is pretty self-explanatory. It’s the time your driver is driving.

    Deadhead

    Deadhead is the time it takes your driver to get from the bus depot to your departure point, and it is part of the price of the bus rental. It’s also the reason why we try to match you with the closest carrier to your pick-up point.

    What makes the ultimate pick-up point?

    Space! The more the better! Not only do you need space to park your bus, you need space for your passengers and coordinators to mill about and get organized. If you’re in a parking lot, reserve 3 or 4 parking spots (depending on whether you’ve booked a minibus, a school bus, or the full coach). Your pick-up point also needs to be clearly marked to help both your driver and your group members find it. Finally, it needs to be legal. That means speaking to the owner of the space, be that a business owner or municipality. You’ll need them to sign off on your use of the space. Would you want someone parking a bus at your house without telling you?

    If you find yourself traveling with a group of 15 individuals or less, then it might make more sense for you to rent a sprinter van. A sprinter van is a type of small but spacious vehicle rental that can even be driven by a member of your group with a valid driver’s license. Of course, Bus.com also offers the option to rent a vehicle that comes with a professional driver.

    Organize group charter bus loading points.

    How to find pick-up points

    Figure out where your passengers are coming from. If you’re representing a school group, office, or team, it should be easy. This step can get complicated when you’re transporting wedding guests and other social groups. Once you have a general idea of where your passengers are, get on Google Maps and look for big open spaces that are easily accessible by your passengers. If you already have access to a parking lot, you’re in luck. You simply have to coordinate with your bus operator to be in the predetermined spot at the right time.

    How to schedule staging and loading

    As you plan your schedule, remember to add buffer time. Traffic and weather can always impede your timing. If you build in time to respond to unexpected circumstances, you’ll keep calm when it comes to arriving on time. For staging time, you’ll need 15 to 30 minutes. We recommend planning for the full 30, just in case. Schedule your group to arrive 15 minutes before departure, but tell them 20 minutes.

    Note: Staging counts as on-duty time which affects the price of your bus rental.

    Permits—Get ‘em!

    It’s tempting to skip permits, especially when you have to pay for them, but permit violations are far more costly than the permit itself. If you’re in a parking lot, get the owner’s written permission to use the space. If you’re in a pay parking lot, pay for it. If you’re in a city-sanctioned loading zone, get a permit. Just make sure that whatever location you choose, you’re allowed to be there.

    How to organize group bus pick-up points.

    Popular Pick-Ups

    Airport Pick-Up

    Airports are one of the busiest places charter buses frequent, so it’s important to have a plan. Most airports expect charter buses and have designated loading zones. You may not be able to plan a long staging time, so make sure your passengers know where to go. Email everyone a map of the airport with the pick-up point highlighted. You should be able to get a copy of the parking map on most airport websites. It’s also important to account for customs and baggage claims when making your schedule. And be ready for unexpected flight delays.

    Hotel Stays

    Depending on the size of your hotel, there might be a parking area designated for charter buses. If not, you’ll need to reserve 3 to 4 parking spots, especially if your bus is staying over night. Your hotel will be more than happy to advise you on loading zones, so give them a call. Hotel staff are notoriously polite, just like the Bus.com booking and customer service team!

    Landmarks and Museums

    Things start to get tricky when you’re dealing with landmarks, especially when they’re historic and from a time before buses. If no bus parking is available at the location, you’ll need to have your driver drop you off and park elsewhere. If the parking zone is close enough, take a walk and enjoy the neighborhood.

    Sports Facilities and Team Travel

    You’re in luck. Sports facilities are charter bus pros. They’re used to accommodating teams, so they can handle yours. And if you’re just a bus full of fans, stadium staff can direct you to designated large vehicle parking. Despite how accustomed to charter buses sports facilities are, it’s still important to call in advance and reserve parking. The lots get crowded quickly.

    How to plan group bus pick-up points.

    Parking pro tips:

    Big box stores are hidden gems for bus operators. They have massive parking lots that are often pretty empty on weekdays. Talk to the mall manager to request a corner. You can also look for major municipal parks. They usually have designated loading zones for charter buses, and they’re easy to find. Talk to a municipal official to secure a permit.

    Resources:

    /blog/how-to-find-bus-rental-pick-up-and-drop-off-locations-in-a-busy-c/

  • Best Hotels for Corporate, Sports, and Student Groups

    Best Hotels for Corporate, Sports, and Student Groups

    Whether you’re organizing a corporate conference, a sports tournament, or a student trip, one thing’s for sure: you’re going to need to find a place for your group to rest their heads after a long day, especially if they’re coming from out of town.

    If you are traveling with 15 of fewer passengers, then a sprinter van might be just what you and your group need. Bus.com offers two types of sprinter van rentals: one that comes with a professional driver, and one that can be driven by a member of your team.

    Want the best accommodation for your buck? Keep reading to discover the top hotels for large groups and how to book them.

    How to book hotel room blocks

    The simplest way to keep your group together is by booking a hotel room block: a designated number of rooms reserved for your crew in one area of a hotel.

    One great online booking tool is HotelPlanner.com, a partner of Bus.com. Large groups are their speciality, so it’s the best way to get access to online discounts and deals when you’re booking a block of hotel rooms.

    When is the best time to book a hotel room block?

    In short: there’s no bad time if you need to put up a large group of people. If you need 20 rooms or less, ask your hotel for a courtesy room block. This means your hotel will block off a section of 10-20 rooms once your reservation is confirmed, and then add more if needed.

    Need more than 20 rooms? You’ve got two options. You can conduct a rough estimate: tally up an approximate headcount of those travelling with you and calculate how many rooms you’ll need based on that number. Otherwise, go with a more accurate estimate based on who’s able to share a room with other group members. For example, if you’re organizing corporate accommodation, chances are that executives will want their own hotel rooms, while members in other departments may be fine splitting a sleeping space with colleagues.

    Hotel room blocks for large groups.

    Stick to your budget with a hotel room block

    Securing a hotel room block promises to make your planning process easier, and will also probably lessen the damage done to your wallet. It’s common for hotels to offer group discounts, so be sure to ask the hotel’s booking manager about arranging a deal for your stay.

    What information do you need to book a hotel room block?

    When booking a slew of hotel rooms, always remember how many people you’re booking for, any unique needs/requests that your group members may have, and price point. If you want to get a head start on the booking process, we suggest checking out Hotel Planner for your sports team or university group reservations, or Travel Perk for any corporate hotel booking needs.

    Things to consider when booking hotels for large groups

    Corporate groups

    Planning a trip for a corporate group? Stick to your budget by booking a hotel outside of the city centre; rates tend to be much more reasonable than metropolitan hotels. Of course, this probably means you’ll be further away from your conference venue. If you need a quick, comfortable fix for transporting business travellers, charter a corporate bus rental from your hotel. When it comes to corporate-class business travellers, we recommend a coach bus, which comes equipped with AC, audiovisual equipment, reclining seats, and more. For smaller groups, opt for a mini coach – it features many of the same luxuries as a full-sized coach, only with a smaller seating capacity and smaller price tag. If you want to compare different bus models, consult our Quick Guide to figure out which is best for you.

    Pro tip:

    Try and book a hotel with adequate conference rooms and a Business Center. If a last-minute meeting is added to the agenda you’ll have the space for it, and a Business Center permits the more diligent among your group to set up shop with their laptop to get extra work done once all daily meetings are over.

    Corporate hotels for large groups.

    Sports groups

    First things first: confirm your team’s budget. If you find yourself a little short in the finance department, try pitching sponsorship opportunities to hotels. You never know if a hotel will provide a discount for your team in exchange for having their logo branded on your jerseys or helmets!

    Secondly, sports teams like to keep active. Make sure your hotel has access to fitness centres and a pool. Your athletes will probably want to fit in a workout or two in between games, so it’s key to make sure that your hotel has the appropriate facilities to keep your players happy.

    Once you’ve got your hotel sorted, determine how you’ll transport your team from the hotel to the big game(s). If you’re off to an away tournament, consider renting a coach bus to take advantage of its optimal undercarriage storage – it’s perfect for carrying all of your equipment and overnight bags, and it’s far comfier than most other bus models. If you’re not lugging a lot of equipment with you, a school bus might be your best bet. It’s fairly bare bones, but if your only priority is to get to your tournament as easily as possible, it’s definitely a solid choice.

    If you’re a recreational sports team, you’ll probably need to throw a couple of fundraisers in order to cover the cost of your away tournament experience. Check out our infographic to help fund your ride!

    Best hotels for sports teams.

    College groups

    College students are notorious for their ‘work hard, play hard’ mentality. Book a hotel that reflects that lifestyle. Make sure that whoever you end up booking with is okay with a little rowdiness, because let’s face it: College kids are going to party no matter what – not that there’s anything wrong with that! Just run it by the hotel’s booking specialist first and make sure that it’s fine if your group gets a little loud after a few beers.

    Another thing about college groups: They run on a very tight budget. Before you start scoping out hotels, make sure you’re aware of any financial limitations. Don’t worry, though. There are plenty of hotel chains that offer great student discounts. Don’t have your transportation figured out yet? Another way to respect the budget is by renting a student charter bus to get your crew from point A to B.

    Best hotels for college students.

    Which hotel is best for you?

    Corporate groups

    It’s no secret that business groups crave luxury. Choose a hotel that reflects your group’s desires and caters to their needs. Here are our suggestions for classy corporate hotels.

    Ritz-Carlton

    No matter which major city you’re staying in, you’re bound to find the hotel that’s synonymous with elegance: the Ritz-Carlton. They’re the cream of the crop in the world of hospitality, with everything that a world-class traveller could hope for. Of course, they’ve got the digital basics (quality-grade wifi to a check-in/check-out app), but it’s the establishment and its services that really give The Ritz its stamp of high-end luxury. Oh, and if you’ve got a spare afternoon, definitely make time for High Tea!

    Kimpton

    If you’re looking for something uniquely sleek, choose a Kimpton for your corporate hotel stay. Kimpton is the largest chain of boutique hotels in the world, meaning that each location has its own distinct personality. Benefit from their complimentary WiFi when you sign up with their loyalty program – it’ll come in handy when you’re catching up on a few last minute notes before heading to a presentation.

    Kimpton Hotels are perfect for corporate groups.

    Credit: IHG

    InterContinental

    InterContinental Hotels & Resorts is an international luxury hotel brand that has everything and more to please and impress the most prestigious amongst your corporate group. With locations all throughout North America and elsewhere around the globe, InterContinental proudly hosts some of the top concierges and restaurants globally. Your stay with them will likely be unparalleled to any other hotel experience.

    Sports groups

    Sports teams are notorious for being a little bit of a handful from time to time, particularly after a big win. Here are our suggestions for hotel chains that accommodate large groups who tend to get a little rowdy.

    Holiday Inn Express

    Sometimes, simplicity is key. Such is the case for the Holiday Inn Express, which welcomes sports teams through its lobbies all year long. Their rooms are spacious enough to accommodate any and all sports equipment, and there’s also a Parents’ Lounge for younger teams in town for away tournaments. When it comes to price point, try your luck with a sponsorship pitch. Holiday Inns have a history of providing discounts to teams who bear their logo on their uniforms.

    Holiday Inn Express is perfect for sports teams.

    Credit: Booking.com

    La Quinta

    Featuring contemporary rooms and modern amenities, La Quinta Inn & Resorts is a sleeker alternative to hotels fit for a sports team. This chain famously accommodates large groups of all ages, and is particularly accommodating when it comes to parents that are accompanying minors.

    La Quinta Hotels are perfect for sports teams.

    Credit: Booking.com

    Best Western

    If Best Westerns are known for anything, it’s for generously sponsoring deserving sports teams and other youth groups, so have your sponsorship pitch at the ready. Sponsored discounts aside, many Best Western hotels offer free wifi, complimentary breakfast, and the rooms are able to accommodate all sizes of sports equipment.

    Best Western Hotels are perfect for sports teams.

    Credit: Best Western

    Student groups

    Whether you’re heading out of town for a case competition or an extracurricular university trip, there are plenty of hospitality options at your disposal.

    Marriott

    A North America-wide brand, Marriott hotels offer excellent deals for student groups (you can usually snag 10% off). Most of their locations come equipped with classic hotel staples: reliable WiFi, exercise facilities, comfy lounges, and even pools. Perfect for hanging out and relaxing after a student conference!

    Marriott Hotels are perfect for accommodating student groups.

    Credit: Marriott

    Hostels

    If students know how to do one thing best, it’s find a good deal. There’s no better way to save some precious cash than by choosing a reputable hostel over hotel in your area. These days, hostels are much more upscale than in eras past; most are striving for the luxury feel of a hotel while maintaining hostel prices. For example, Denver’s Hostel Fish is a super comfortable, trendy space – and it’ll only cost you $50 USD for a bunk.

    Hostels are perfect for accommodating student groups.

    Credit: Booking.com

    Hotels in college neighborhoods

    What better way to make your student group feel at home than by staying in a college neighborhood? This is a particularly good idea if you’re planning a college campus tour, say, in New York, and want to give your Seniors a real taste for what it’ll be like to stay in their future college town. For example, if you’re in town for a campus tour of NYU, check out CQ Hotel – it’s one of NYU’s preferred hotel partners and rates start at just $169/night.

    Best hotels for college student groups.

    Credit: CQ Hotels

  • A Coach’s Guide to Planning an Away Tournament

    A Coach’s Guide to Planning an Away Tournament

    When you got into coaching, it was probably because you’re an expert in your sport, you’re a proficient manager of people, and you’re a shrewd game planner. You know how to teach the fundamentals of your game and help your players improve on them. You likely didn’t get into coaching so you could book hotels and plan trips — but that’s the reality of managing a travelling sports team. If you dread the logistics, we’re here to help. Here’s your guide to planning your team’s out-of-town tournament.

    How to pick the right bus for your trip

    Choosing the best bus for your tournament can be a bit like game planning for a big matchup; it requires you to assess your team, evaluate the challenges ahead, and make a timely decision that sets your players up for success. Start with your roster — how many players do you have? Depending on how old and how big they are, how much room will they require? Next, consider the trip itself: How far are you travelling, how much equipment are you bringing, and what other needs will the team have? Our four main bus types offer a range of amenities, like air conditioning, entertainment systems, and bathrooms. The coach bus best accommodates the team bringing lots of sports equipment along. The school bus — not just for school trips! — is good for shorter trips. The time and distance of your trip is one of your most important considerations, since you’re paying for your driver’s time. That will make a greater impact than the price difference between the different bus models. For visual types, coaches that like to draw up their plays on a big whiteboard, you’ll appreciate our infographic guide to choosing a bus type, a surefire way to ensure you make the right play call in a pressure situation.

    For team of 15 players or less, a sprinter van may be the vehicle best suited for you. A sprinter van is a type of luxury passenger van that has sapcious legroom and amply storage space. Bus.com offers simple sprinter van rentals that can be reserved in our online trip builder.

    When to book your bus

    In baseball terms, you’ll want to reserve your charter bus in the first inning. In other words, right away. In real terms, six months ahead of the tournament or away game is a good guideline for booking that bus. Now, we know what you’re thinking: We might have our schedule six months in advance of the tournament, but our team roster isn’t even complete yet, so how can we collect money? We’ve got a clutch option for you: Book Now, Pay Later. Using this strategy, the team manager can book their team’s transportation well in advance, but can wait to collect team fees and only need to finalize payment 21 days before the departure date. How’s that for a game changer?

    Charter bus rentals for sports teams.

    How much do charter buses cost

    While prices may deviate by city or time of year, there are four standard price points to keep in mind for our bus fleet: the coach bus at $115/hour, the mini coach bus at $105/hour, the mini bus at $98/hour, and the school bus at $81/hour. Book easy and affordable private bus travel for your team trip using our quote tool online.

    Funding your tournament transportation

    If your game plan includes fundraising efforts to offset the costs of your team transportation, take a look at our bus rental infographic, which’ll tell you exactly how hard you need to go to afford each bus. (Have you noticed, we have an infographic for everything?!) For a lot of teams, away tournaments may not have been part of the original preseason budget. So that team bus might feel like another burden on the wallets of your team’s parents. But if you consider alternative transportation options (everyone takes their own car) everyone will be saving time and money by pooling the costs into one team bus — not to mention the priceless bonds that are formed on those long team road trips!

    What and how to pack for an away tournament

    Uniforms? Check. Equipment? Check. Those are the basics, but have you considered things like food and formalwear? It’s smart to pack healthy snacks on a team bus so the players don’t go hungry, plus you’ll be avoiding a potential fast food stop — never a good idea before a big game. Bigger buses like the coach will offer plenty of storage space for things like a hard cooler or grocery bags. Now what’s that about formalwear? Well, some teams like to arrive at games with their players wearing suits and ties, and your tournament might have a banquet that requires a jacket. These can be tricky to pack, so be sure to consult our carry-on packing guide before you do so. Pro tip for the future pros: If you’re travelling in a suit, take that jacket off as you board the bus. Sitting down with it on will wrinkle it.

    Group transportation for sports teams.

    Transporting Minors

    Travelling with minors? You’ll need to get some documents in order before doing so. Each minor will need to have a signed document of permission from their guardian. The team must designate a chaperone that is responsible for each child, and that chaperone also has to sign a document acknowledging their responsibility.

    Book accommodations and other activities

    When you roll into town in your stylish team bus, your driver can take you directly to the team hotel for drop-off. But before that, we suggest seeking a deal on a hotel to reduce the cost for each player. Most hotels offer a group rate for bulk bookings that can make it a little easier on the budget. While you’re in town for the tournament, you may want to schedule a few other activities during downtime. If the host city has a pro sports team that’s playing while you’re there, why not snag some tickets? If you’re visiting a city most of your players have never been to, arrange a sightseeing tour on the team bus to explore landmarks. And for high school teams, consider meeting with your seniors to discuss visiting college campuses in the area.

    Airport pickup

    If the tournament’s far enough that you’ll be flying in, you’ve just added an extra layer of planning that can easily slip through the cracks. Thankfully, your charter bus can always make that all-important airport pick up to help avoid cab fare and dealing with directions in a foreign city. Your experienced driver will know exactly how to get you to the hotel or field and will take the thinking out of it for your coaches and parents following a long flight.

    Guide to sports bus rentals.

    Show team spirit

    Team spirit isn’t reserved for the field or court — you should bring it with you the entire weekend. Since you’ll be spending quite a bit of time on the team bus, send a message to the whole city that your team is in town by covering your bus in team colours and your logo. Branded bus wraps turn your charter bus into a travelling team mascot and get attention everywhere you go.

    Communication on the road

    For safety and efficiency, you’ll need a convenient method of communication while away from home. What’s the best way for your coaches, players, and parents to communicate during the tournament? Maybe you can create a big text message thread or a Facebook group where everyone can chat. If not everyone has a device they can use away from home, implement a buddy system to make sure everyone is accounted for. Create a digitized itinerary that you can update in real time to provide constant updates.

  • A Coach’s Guide to Planning an Away Tournament in Miami

    A Coach’s Guide to Planning an Away Tournament in Miami

    When it comes to planning that big out-of-town tournament for your sports team, there are just so many things to think about. As the coach, you’ll be juggling hotel bookings while collecting funds, putting together your lineups and training your players for some elevated competition all at the same time. Team transportation is probably the last thing on your mind. Thankfully, it’s the first thing we think about, and we’re here to help. Consult our guide to planning that tournament in one of America’s biggest cities: Miami. Put us in, Coach. We’re ready to play!

    When to book your bus

    Right away! We always recommend booking your bus six months ahead of time, but we recognize that tournaments aren’t always planned that far out. Our advice to you in that case is to simply book as soon as you have confirmed dates and locations for your tournament.

    Which bus is right for you?

    Okay, so you’ve settled on a team bus as your mode of transportation for the big away tournament. Now comes the question: which bus is best for your group? We’ll simplify things for you. If your team has to bring lots of large equipment — we’re thinking football or hockey teams — then you should opt for the coach bus. For shorter trips with less equipment — say a basketball team from within the state — a classic yellow school bus, minibus, or sprinter van might be better. And since the largest portion of the cost of your charter bus is the driver’s time, the price difference between school buses and coach buses isn’t all too drastic.

    Miami charter bus rentals for sports tournaments.

    Funding your tournament transportation

    We know what you might be thinking: a team bus is just one more expense your team has to incur. True, but for all the reasons we’ve already mentioned, it’s just plain worth it. If you need help fitting the team bus into your budget, start with this helpful infographic we’ve put together. Our guide to funding bus rentals puts the fun in funding, and it will open your eyes to exactly what it will take to bring in the money for your team’s wheels. Once you’re ready to book, you can visit our website for a custom quote.

    Packing tips

    Many sports teams enforce a dress code, and if yours is one of those teams that likes to suit up in transit, we’ve got some advice you might be interested in. First, take that suit jacket off when you sit down to avoid wrinkles. (You’ll thank us later.) If you’re travelling with sports equipment (which you probably are) keep it out of the aisles. Make sure to choose a bus with undercarriage and overhead storage to avoid the danger and inconvenience of storing your stuff on or between seats. Finally, your road trip can be a crucial bonding experience for your team. As a coach or manager, think carefully about how to seat your players. If you let them choose where they sit, they’ll probably wind up in the same cliques and gangs as usual, so you might consider sitting players with those they aren’t as well-acquainted with, arranging them by position, or putting younger, quieter players with your team captains and leaders.

    Need more tips? Check out our Packing Guide for Short/Medium/Long Bus Rides.

    Miami sports bus rentals

    Transporting Minors

    Travelling with minors requires a few documents, and it’s best to get these in line as early as possible because you never know how long they’ll take to collect. Each tour or sports group must have a designated chaperone, and that person should be responsible for collecting all pertinent documents and keeping them in a folder during travel. First, each minor travelling in the group must have a guardian sign a document of permission and acknowledge the chaperone has responsibility over their child. Second, the chaperone must sign a document acknowledging their responsibility.

    Airport Pickup

    As one of the United States’ most populous cities and one of its most popular travel destinations, you can be sure that Miami’s airport is super busy most days of the year. In fact, in 2018 it was America’s 13th busiest airport. So it goes without saying that transportation in and out can be a hassle. The charter bus continues to be a great option for airport pickups, and when you’re travelling with a large group or team, that is more true than ever. Forget parking headaches and confusing gate signs — arrive as a team with the help of an experienced driver.

    Important Miami Sports Facilities

    Cobb Stadium

    Cobb is a multi-purpose stadium on the main campus at the University of Miami — or, as students call it, The U. The Hurricanes’ track and field teams, and its women’s soccer team call the 500-seat stadium home. In the Coral Gables neighbourhood, you’ll find plenty of restaurants and cafes where you can grab a bite between games.

    Charter bus rentals to Cobb Stadium, Miami.

    Credit: Pinterest

    Knight Complex

    The Knight Sports Complex was gifted to Miami University by the famous newspaper publisher, James L. Knight, and houses hard surface courts for basketball and volleyball. Its locker rooms and coaching offices are state-of-the-art.

    Miami charter bus rentals to Knight Sports Complex.

    Credit: Pinterest

    Schwartz Center

    The 30,000 square foot multipurpose athletic facility is the hub for Miami U’s student-athletes. It features a 100-seat auditorium, a training room, and a players’ lounge. Browse the first floor for all Hurricanes trophies, from football national championships to basketball regular season championships.

    Riccardo Silva Stadium

    The Florida International University campus features a 20,000 seat football stadium. It was newly renamed for Miami FC owner Silva, who donated money to the school so it could make improvements, including a Jumbotron scoreboard and a FieldTurf Revolution 360 playing surface.

    Miami charter bus rentals to Riccardo Silva Stadium.

    Credit: Miami.curbed

    Watsco Center

    Along with University of Miami men’s and women’s basketball games, the Watsco Center also hosts concerts and trade shows. It’s the largest arena built on the university’s campus.

    Alex Rodriguez Park

    The Hurricanes baseball field is named after the former MLB star who hails from Miami. The field was the beneficiary of a $3.9 million donation by A-Rod himself, the largest gift the school’s ball team has ever received. The team, and the field, has produced gifts of its own in the form of future MLB players Ryan Braun, Pat Burrell, and Yasmani Grandal.

    Sites to visit while you’re in Miami

    Hard Rock Stadium

    If you’re lucky enough to be in Miami during football season, and specifically when the Dolphins have a home game, you should try and score tickets to the NFL’s Hard Rock Stadium during a break in the tournament. Not only will it be a fun afternoon or evening out for the team, your charter bus will make getting there and tailgating a breeze!

    Miami charter bus rentals to Hard Rock Stadium.

    Credit: Seat Geek

    Marlins Park

    For summertime tournaments, what better way to spend a free evening as a team than a night at the ballpark? The 2012-built Marlins Park is a marvel on its own, and it’s a bonus if you can catch an appearance by MLB stars and Marlins division rivals like Bryce Harper, Freddie Freeman, and Jacob DeGrom.

    Miami charter bus rentals to Marlins Park.

    Credit: Fish Stripes

    American Airlines Arena

    Remember that iconic Ray Allen buzzer-beater in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals to send the Heat to Game 7? It’s one of many epic moments that have happened at AmericanAirlines Arena. It was also the home of the infamous Big 3 Welcome Party in 2010, when 13,000 fans showed up to greet new signings Lebron James and Chris Bosh, joining Dwyane Wade.