Tournament Checklist
One of the biggest differences between league play and tournament hockey is preparation.
Tournament weekends often involve multiple games, long drives, hotel stays, unfamiliar arenas, and early mornings. A little planning before you leave home can eliminate many of the problems that first-time hockey families experience.
Check Your Travel Plans
Before loading the vehicle, take a few minutes to review every part of your trip.
Hotel Reservation
Double-check:
• Hotel name and address
• Reservation confirmation number
• Check-in and check-out times
• Number of nights booked
• Room type
• Parking fees (if applicable)
• Hotel amenities such as breakfast, pool, and fitness centre
Save your confirmation email on your phone in case questions arise at check-in.
Driving Directions
Do not rely on memory.
Enter every arena and hotel into your GPS before leaving home.
If your tournament uses multiple arenas, create a route for each location. Some tournaments require teams to travel between rinks with only a short break between games.
Fuel Requirements
Nothing adds unnecessary stress like searching for a gas station when you’re already running late.
Fill your vehicle before departure and whenever the tank reaches half full during the weekend.
Flight Information
If flying:
• Confirm departure times
• Review baggage allowances
• Check hockey equipment policies
• Arrive at the airport early
Most airlines require additional time for oversized sports equipment.
Passport & Travel Documents
For cross-border tournaments, every traveller should verify:
• Passport validity
• Birth certificates (when required)
• Travel consent letters if one parent is travelling alone
• Health insurance information
Nothing creates more stress than discovering missing travel documents at the border.
Prepare Your Vehicle
Your vehicle becomes part of your tournament equipment.
Before leaving, inspect the basics.
Vehicle Checklist
✔ Fuel tank full
✔ Tire pressure checked
✔ Oil level inspected
✔ Windshield washer fluid topped up
✔ Wiper blades working properly
✔ Phone chargers packed
✔ GPS updated
✔ Emergency roadside kit
✔ Snow brush and ice scraper (winter tournaments)
✔ Flashlight
✔ Blanket
✔ Booster cables
Tournament weekends often involve driving in unfamiliar cities and winter weather. A few minutes of preparation can prevent hours of frustration.
Complete a Full Equipment Check
Never assume everything is already in the hockey bag.
Lay every piece of equipment on the floor and physically check each item before packing.
Player Equipment
Confirm:
• Skates
• Helmet
• Cage or visor
• Mouthguard
• Neck guard
• Shoulder pads
• Elbow pads
• Gloves
• Hockey pants
• Athletic supporter
• Shin pads
• Jerseys (home and away if required)
• Practice jersey
• Hockey socks
• Base layers
• Hockey stick
• Water bottle
Equipment Maintenance
Inspect equipment before leaving.
Check for:
• Loose helmet screws
• Damaged skate laces
• Cracked stick blades
• Torn gloves
• Broken buckles or straps
Small repairs at home are much easier than trying to find replacement equipment in an unfamiliar city.
Emergency Equipment Kit
Experienced hockey parents rarely travel without one.
Pack:
• Extra skate laces
• Clear tape
• Cloth tape
• Stick tape
• Scissors
• Multi-bit screwdriver
• Spare mouthguard
• Extra jersey
• Skate stone
• Small first-aid kit
• Zip ties
• Athletic tape
One forgotten item should never ruin an entire tournament weekend.
The more organized your preparation, the more time your family can spend enjoying the hockey experience instead of solving unexpected problems.
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