Where I’m from, football season is up and running.

We had a wonderful first game this past weekend, and we are gearing up for another in a few short days.

But getting ready was a beast. Paperwork to file. Parents with questions that need answering. Kids who still can’t remember to put their mouthpieces in.

So. Much. To. Do.

NOMINATE: A Team Mom of the Year candidate to earn a $1,000 equipment grant for your league

It’s all about being organized. And lists. Lists save lives.

Here is a list of things all team moms must do to ensure a great – and organized – start to the season.

• Talk to your coach about expectations. Are you going to manage emails? Organize paperwork? Just make sure the players stay hydrated? Every team has a different vision, and finding out where you fit in early in the game will help make it more efficient.
• Take time to introduce yourself to the parents. Maybe you’ve been around for years and everyone kinda sorta already knows you. Still, take a few moments to introduce yourself. This can help open up the doors of communication. Meet people when they drop their kid at the field, or send an email letting them know who you are. It will make both your job and that of your coaches much easier.
• Learn all of your players’ names. This one takes time at the onset, but it lets your players know you care. Plus, logistically, everything will run smoother if you can name the kids you’re in charge of.
• Get your paperwork in order. Depending on your league requirements, the amount of paperwork you need to collect from parents to organize, manage and/or present to a third party can be daunting. Find out as soon as possible what your requirements are so you have time to wait for parents who forget to remember.
• Do some concussion training. Safety is a major part of your roll as team mom. Your vantage point on the field and your familiarity with the players make you an asset – as long as you know what you’re looking for. Know the signs and symptoms of concussion, and you will be much more helpful to your team and your players.
• Get your spirit wear in order. Every team mom worth her cupcakes knows the importance of rocking some sweet gear in support of her team.
• Get your schedule organized. Being a volunteer, particularly one so many people rely on, is a huge time commitment. You are always asked to do more than you signed up for, and you find yourself pulled in all sorts of different directions because you want to do as much as possible for your players and your team. Make sure you have ample flexibility to devote the needed time to your position. If not, think about getting a second parent to help you out or consider passing the torch to someone in a more amenable position.
• Stock your bag. Yes, the coaches have all of the first aid supplies you are likely to need on the sidelines, but their bags are not always easily accessible or organized enough to be useful. I cannot even count the number of times I’ve been asked for an ice pack, Band-Aid, tissue or baggie to put a tooth in. (My players are tooth losing age, it happens.) It’s best to be prepared.

Amanda Rodriguez is a humor and lifestyle blogger at DudeMom.com. In her free time, she enjoys losing weight easily, looking like a soap star the moment she rolls out of bed and riding around town on her unicorn. In addition to having a loose grip on reality, Amanda enjoys traveling to far off lands (or, not so far off lands) with her family and cheering herself hoarse on the sidelines of her sons’ games. The mom behind the blog is a former Teach for Americamiddle school language arts and social studies teacher turned stay-at-home-mom turned graduate student turned professional photographer, freelance writer, pro blogger, Zumba Fitness enthusiast and general director of awesomeness.