College Travel Experience

Not a question I'd bother with in recruiting.

Both of mine are at D1s. One a P5, the other a mid major in a competitive conference. P5 flys for anything over a 4 hr drive. The mid major flys anything over 7 hrs.

They are both given a loaded card for food each weekend. They can use it however they want and if they don't use all of it they keep it. There are weekends where they just used gift cards or coupons and kept most of the money on the card or a bunch of guys will go in and order pizzas to save.

One is allowed to see us on the road, the other is not so we try to take him and a few teammates with us when we can.

Son had the same thing.....a loaded credit card for each road trip.  Depending on game times they would usually just grab a light lunch (or the team would order food to be delivered to the stadium) then maybe a restaurant/sports bar after the games.   The players usually had one night where they could go out to eat with parents/friends....depending on how grumpy the coach was that trip lol.

At the D3 level, on weekly doubleheader days, I have seen everything from parents coach's wife gets sandwich trays from Costco, to mountains of delivery pizza, to parents hold a huge tailgating event and players partake, to dining hall sends bagged lunches. For road trips they go to restaurants. Players can order healthy food, or not.  Definitely not something I would ask about during recruiting.  If a player knows what to eat, he'll  be fine, almost all of the time. At least he'll eat better than a lot of MiLB players, from what I have heard. 

My son is at a D3.  The team has a team parent who coordinates sandwiches for all the doubleheaders - both home and away.  When the team is on an overnight away trip, they will go to dinner at a restaurant.  Their breakfast is usually whatever free breakfast the hotel provides.   If it's a same day trip, they usually get pizza for the bus ride home.  If they are leaving school in the morning before the cafeteria opens, the coach gets breakfast sandwiches for the bus ride.  Each family is asked to contribute a specific amount at the beginning of the season to pay for the meals. 

Son's team took a big coach bus everywhere (10+ hours) except for Spring Break trip and NCAA D1 regionals where they flew on one of their sponsor's (Hedge Fund founder) private jet.  The coach bus had wifi, so school work could be done as well as exams when necessary.  Coaches would proctor exams.   It was a very, very  comfortable bus.

Lunch (jimmy johns, subway, etc...) was typically delivered between weekend doubleheaders and they were on their own for dinner with debit cards.   If my wife and I were visiting, we'd take him out (sometimes with a teammate) for a nice meal...typically steak.

It was a far cry from my experience as a college athlete in the early 80s.  We got $15 cash in a small manila envelope for food (typically dinner), and the student(s) that drove their personal cars for away matches got reimbursed for mileage.  It was not exactly the royal treatment.

P5 and D1 sons so that was never an issue.  They always got food and cards and could go out with parents after Friday night game, lunch Saturday if have late Saturday game and again after game.  Plus lots of meals provided above and beyond cards.

@everypitch posted:

.... Are they well fed with nutrition being important? ...

Hehehe... usually not so much on nutrition.  How many healthy places do you know of that are readily available for a busload of men to quickly and affordably roll in and out of?  ... and everyone being OK with the choice...

If your son has specific nutrition needs, he may need to pack.  ... and likely take a bit of crap.

As always, no doubt there are exceptions.

@cabbagedad posted:

Hehehe... usually not so much on nutrition.  How many healthy places do you know of that are readily available for a busload of men to quickly and affordably roll in and out of?  ... and everyone being OK with the choice...

If your son has specific nutrition needs, he may need to pack.  ... and likely take a bit of crap.

As always, no doubt there are exceptions.

My son said when the bus pulled up to a place for dinner on the way home chances were it was the nearest Burger King or McDonalds.

I’ve recently noticed when I’m in Maine Little 10 and NESCAC D3’s stop at Panera. It’s near the closest turnpike entrance/exit to Southern Maine and right off the turnpike for Bates and Colby.

I wouldn't call Panera healthy. But it’s a step up from fast food.

My son (at a D3 ~10 years ago) still hates Golden Corral to this day...  Ironically a question we never thought of asking, but I agree we never would ask!  Other than the Spring Break tourney, away games were day trips - up early, back late, probably got pizza. Pizza and fast food in general is a college staple anyway especially because the cafe at the college didn't stay open extra late when practice ran long (something my D2 son also experienced).

Son is at a D2...a lot of what they eat relies on the mood of the coach, but generally they get $30 handed to them for the two days.  Breakfast is free at the Hampton Inn they stay at in each town.  Lunch is usually catered, something like McAlister's between games.  The coach will often buy them dinner or stop between two restaurants like a Chick Fil A and McDonald's for the trip home.  They dont fly anywhere but furthest team is less than 8 hrs bus ride away.  Home games are the worst, between games they usually get a small lunchable.  Son is usually starving at home games by mid-2nd game.

I disagree about asking. It's about who you ask and when you ask. If you are seriously considering a school, I would ask if your son could talk to a player from your region/who plays his position/who has his intended major (pick one) and you can ask the player. If the decision is close between two schools, those things can actually make a difference. JMHO

True story:  college coach once told parents before the season regarding a 8 day road trip "If you want to give me the money for your kid before the trip with instructions to give a certain amount per day, I'm OK with that. We've had situations in the past where kids have spent it all on the first day or lost it in card games. I would rather play banker than see kids go hungry because they have no money left."

D1 Mid major, 2015-2017:  cash for the weekend in envelopes.  Usually hotel was situated near restaurants.  Most Saturday night away games we took son and a friend or two out to eat with us.  Sometimes the bus would stop at a full service grocery store, or stop at a convenience store/gas station depending on location, on the way out of town.  One of the players was gluten intolerant, but would not tell the coach.  He traded his sandwich for the chips of another player and never felt full.

I would give extra cash to son on some away games, like the time they decided to take an Uber to Bone Fish Grill for a good meal which would have used up the entirety of the weekend stipend.   

This topic would not be something I would even consider asking the coach about.   Maybe have son reach out to an existing player to see how it is handled, but I wouldn't make it a deal breaker to attending a school.

We had more of an issue with the dining halls closing before the end of practice when son was on the dining plans.

@keewart posted:

We had more of an issue with the dining halls closing before the end of practice when son was on the dining plans.

Yes, this is a good point.  A dorm room fridge is a great investment for that reason.  We also had Amazon subscriptions for protein bars and powder.

It is interesting hearing the differences which I know exist between mid-major (middle son) and P5 (youngest son).  Youngest son had full refrigerator in dorm freshman year and then apartment.  He also has access to all the power bars, drinks, etc. that a kid could ever want.  Middle son had neither.  The difference in the food is a major difference between mid-major and P5.  Youngest son gets to eat in the football cafeteria at an SEC school so you can imagine what it is like.

@PitchingFan posted:

He also has access to all the power bars, drinks, etc. that a kid could ever want.  Middle son had neither.  The difference in the food is a major difference between mid-major and P5.  Youngest son gets to eat in the football cafeteria at an SEC school so you can imagine what it is like.

Same here - he's only hungry when he's home. All the athletes have access to an athletes cafeteria which is mostly made to order food. We put him on the lowest meal plan possible just because it's closer to his classes and housing.

The younger one has to get a little more creative but he's still eating alright.