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How much gear do you buy as parents?  High school and travel and college?  And then what do you do with it?

I look terrible in a baseball hat, so I never get them.  I had two t-shirts for high school, one with my son's name and number.  I bought a bunch of plain shirts in the travel team's colors.  I got a sparkly t-shirt for college.  A t-shirt for each summer collegiate team, plus some other swag items.  Now the question is, for a one-year grad year, do I get anything?!

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I coached travel softball and baseball. So I had the tees, golf shirts, visors and hats with logos.

I’ve never been a fan of baseball hats. I wear visors. I still do cycling and every day warm weather wear.

My daughter gave me her freshman year visor. It was good for seven more years of high school softball and baseball. I purchased college visors of both kid’s schools from the online bookstore. I bought the Northwoods visor. Local people asked why I had a middle of nowhere visor.

The best hand me down was my son’s last years, college, athletic sun glasses.

We live in the land of the Florida Gators so the gear is endless. You name it we have it. I have a whole cup collection from the concession stand. I even have Gator blue and orange Nike sneakers. Alumni Hall is just about on every large campus with the best stuff but expensive so the coach's discount helps.  The local Walmart and  Dollar General are winners for everything. Lots of wrist jewelry and my fav socks and dog gear.

I don't think that I would buy gear for one year, but since you are in state go for it.

The hats..... could open a store with those!

Get whatever makes you feel good and don’t worry about it… I’m on the other end of the spectrum; I’ve got one polo shirt with a small Guardians logo and that’s it… I’ve never worn team stuff, not even hats – it’s whatever’s right for you, there’s no wrong answer.  

As for stuff I’ve kept that his stuff, that’s another story. I’m approaching hoarder status on game hats, I have at least one game hat from every team from t-ball to the MLB. I’m going to hang on to them for his future kids (God willing).

Being from NW Ohio (son played HS and college in NW Ohio) my gear consisted mostly of pullovers and hoodies lol.   Had to wear a pullover for almost every HS game other than maybe the last few games of the year....and maybe the tourney games.   College baseball in Ohio in mid-March is brutal....but fortunately I'm hot blooded and most games could handle the cold in just a hoodie, while other fans were wearing snowmobile suits lol. 

Jerseys? I have bought many in additions to ones that were given to me. My latest purchase is one issued to my son last season. I won it in an online auction/fundraiser. It is a bold colored uniform I like a lot. It celebrates Jewish Heritage Night, presented by the Jewish Community Centers of Long Island.

I really like many of the other theme night jerseys I have, too.
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Last edited by TMM_Dad

If you have a child representing their school in athletics, I say get the gear (hat, jacket, hoodie, polo, tee shirt). When our son was in undergrad we wore the baseball gear proudly when we were in town. Only parents, siblings, and girlfriends wore team gear around the school and at the games.  When he played his grad year at my alma mater, I may have gone a bit overboard, but so do all of the fans, so I don't think anyone noticed.

Enjoy the ride. Get the gear and go to as many games as you can.

@Texas posted:

If you have a child representing their school in athletics, I say get the gear (hat, jacket, hoodie, polo, tee shirt). When our son was in undergrad we wore the baseball gear proudly when we were in town. Only parents, siblings, and girlfriends wore team gear around the school and at the games.  When he played his grad year at my alma mater, I may have gone a bit overboard, but so do all of the fans, so I don't think anyone noticed.

Enjoy the ride. Get the gear and go to as many games as you can.

It is such a short period of time... celebrate it and show the pride. For HS it was only a hat but in college a hat and a sweatshirt.... Go to games and see the country. My favorite memories of my son's baseball journey are road trips: crawdad boils in Louisiana, BBQ's in Texas, UFO parades in Oregon, Beer and cheese in Wisconsin, Fried Chicken and ribs in Memphis. .

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You are all going to think that I am silly but I still wear the T-Shirts from my daughter's years in college.  In fact, I wear them often.  I bought 4 each year since we/she was on the road so much in college and I needed three shirts for each weekend.  I also wear T-Shirts from when I coached HS.  Those shirts were free.  I really don't wear much of anything else.  As I say to my wife when she complains about what I wear, "I don't have to worry too much about what people think.  I'm already married." 

Rookie mistake is the parent going crazy buying swag and fan gear when their son is an incoming freshman. Trust me, I learned from experience. I have hats, shirts and hoodies for a school that my son was only at for a semester. And, 2 years later, I'm still wearing them because I won't waste money and clothes. But, I wish I had spent less than I did.

@Francis7 posted:

Rookie mistake is the parent going crazy buying swag and fan gear when their son is an incoming freshman. Trust me, I learned from experience. I have hats, shirts and hoodies for a school that my son was only at for a semester. And, 2 years later, I'm still wearing them because I won't waste money and clothes. But, I wish I had spent less than I did.

We got lucky my son's freshman year.   He was #4 all thru HS, but it wasn't going to be available his freshman year due to an upperclassmen having it.  We went to the campus the weekend of his offiial visit and he was told the upperclassman who had #4 was changing his number, so 4 was my son's if he wanted it.   He took it.   A couple days later I got an email from the mom of the kid who was previously number 4.   She owned an screenprinting/apparel company and had done a bunch of stuff for the team and parents the previous year.   Since it was her company she said she kind of overdid it on stuff for her family with #4 on it.   She sent me a big box of a bunch of gear with #4 on it.....none of it ever worn and said $50 would take it all.  Enough for myself, my wife, my daughter and some leftoer for friends.    There were at least 3 brand new Nike hoodies in there that were worth $50 each.   I'm actually wearing one now.....it's probably the only piece of team gear that I still wear.

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