Guide to Cooperstown All Star Village Tips & Packing List by Parents

Planning a trip to Cooperstown All Star Village is an exciting yet daunting task for any baseball family. As parents and coaches, it's essential to be well-prepared to make the most of this unique experience with helpful Cooperstown tips & tricks.

From the excitement of pin trading and the camaraderie of the bunkhouse to the essential amenities of the bathhouse and the thrill of competing on world-class fields, there’s a lot to anticipate. The opening ceremonies set the stage for an unforgettable week, while the variety of food options ensures everyone stays energized. The skills competition provides a fun challenge for young athletes, and a visit to the National Baseball Hall of Fame adds a historical touch to the adventure. 

Be ready with Cooperstown All Star Village tips and tricks shared by seasoned parents and coaches to help you navigate the Cooperstown baseball tournament, ensuring a memorable and smooth experience for the entire family.

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What to Know for Cooperstown All Star Village Experience

Read through these Cooperstown All Star village tips and tricks to help you understand what to expect at the baseball tournament and how to prepare. I will break down for you each area to help take the stress out of planning the trip. After this, you should be ready for the ultimate baseball destination and enjoy a baseball experience your kids will never forget.

Make sure to grab my printable Cooperstown packing list to help you remember everything you'll need to pack for the trip. It includes a packing list for players, coaches, and parents.

Cooperstown All Star Village Location

The All-Star Village is located in Oneonta, New York, about 35 minutes outside of Cooperstown, the birthplace of baseball. The town of Oneonta has several restaurants, a small downtown area, and is surrounded by beautiful hills and countryside.

The actual fields are set down in a valley, with the restaurants on top of the hill looking down over the fields.

Cooperstown All Star Village Address:  4158 NY-23, Oneonta, NY 13820

When to Start Planning Your Trip

I would start planning your 12 U Teams trip at least 9 months to a year before you go. The hotels in the area book up quickly in the summer, and you need to secure your spot in the baseball tournament. As soon as you have your week set to attend the Cooperstown baseball tournament, book your hotel or lodging for family members. They book up fast!! 

Once your hotel is booked, you're set for a little bit. The next step will be ordering pins for the team (6 months before) and filling out all the paperwork & medical information for the players.

Tip: Follow the Cooperstown All Star Village Experience Facebook page - It's a great place to ask questions and learn more about the trip. The Cooperstown staff also writes on this page. 

Where to Stay In Cooperstown

The team's parents and siblings can choose to stay in a hotel, B&B, or Campground. Usually, the team families try to stay with a couple of other familes so they can all hang out when you are not at a game.

I would suggest staying in Oneonta, as it's close to the fields and you don't have a lot of time. Cooperstown would be a longer drive and is only recommended if the other hotels are booked. 

Hotels near the Cooperstown All Star Village 

Here are the hotels our parents stayed at and liked on past visits to All Star Village.

Holiday Inn Express - Oneonta

Courtyard by Marriott - Oneonta

Both of these hotels are next to each other and about 8 minutes from the All Star Village. Located right by them are several restaurants and a Walmart. Being near Walmart is great for picking up water for the team. If you go during the 4th of July week, you can see the fireworks from the hotel parking lots.

You can also stay on-site at All Star Village Hotel. It is right next to Player Village, so pretty convenient. There is a pool, breakfast is included on days 2-6 and you get a reserved parking spot, which is really nice. We did not have anyone staying here, but it looked nice. Nothing fancy so you'd stay here to be in all the action.  

Campgrounds Near All Star Village

Deer Haven Campground & Cabins - Oneonta

If your team would like more of a campground feeling the cabins at Deer Haven are a fun option. The cabins are set in the hills, they have a pool, a large jumping pillow, and a small pond for fishing. The cabins are only a 3-minute drive from All Star Village. Younger siblings will enjoy running around the campground together.

Cooperstown All Star Village Bunkhouses 

All players and coaches will stay in the bunkhouses located in the Player Village. It's basically a barracks filled with twin bunks for the kids and 2 full size bunks for the coaches. If you have more than 2 coaches staying, you can request a 3rd full-size bed if available.  

All the bunkhouses have air conditioning, a 55-inch flat screen TV, 2 lockboxes in the room, and 1 large storage bin outside the room. Players & coaches can lock up their personal items in the lock boxes for security purposes when they're not in the room.

They do have staff members who walk around the bunkhouse areas. They also help enforce a 10 pm curfew when the boys need to be in their bunkhouse if they don't have a late game.

Tip: Any Amazon items I highlight below are things we bought and used for our team. 

Bunkhouse Tips

1. Lockboxes - The outside lockbox is not big enough to put all the kids' baseball equipment in so you'll have to leave the baseball bags in the room. Use the boxes for valuables such as cell phones, pins and wallets. 

You will need to bring 3 locks for the boxes; they will not be provided for you. 

2. Pack twin-size bedding for the kids, bottom sheet, top sheet, mattress cover, blanket, and their own pillow. Pack full-size bedding with bottom sheet & top sheet, mattress cover, blanket, and pillow for the coaches.

Another option is to purchase the Bunkhouse Special through Cooperstown. It will provide everyone with the sheets they need for the trip. This is a great option for people who fly to Cooperstown, as it's a lot to pack when you add in all the bedding to the kid's duffle bags.

3. Bring eye masks for the kids to wear when they sleep. There are no window coverings, and it's bright in the morning. You can not cover up the windows with bags or other things due to the fire code.

4. Bring over the door hooks to hang on the end of the bunks. The kids can hang their wet towels and bathing suits to dry.

5. Pack with a suitcase or rolling duffle bag that can squish down under the bunk beds. There is nowhere to store a big suitcase in the small room. You'll be dragging the bag up and down hills, so something with wheels is ideal. 

6. Bring a big box fan for the room. The air conditioner is on one end of the roo,m and the other side can get hot so the fan helps keep the whole room cool.

Kids also attached small fans to their beds as an extra way to stay cool. 

7. Label all your kid's clothes as things get mixed up in the room. Also, their uniform (white home jersey & navy blue jersey, player pants, sliding shorts, socks) must be labeled as these are washed by Cooperstown every night. 

You can use a laundry marker or clothing stickers to label. One of the uniforms is white so the labels were nice as the marker would have been seen through the shirt.

8. Bring card games to play in the room if it rains. Also, bring a wiffle ball, bat, and football to play outside between games as entertainment. 

9. Bring a chair for the coaches as the only place to sit is the beds, and if you have a bunk above you it's not comfortable for the taller coaches to sit.

10. Bring Lysol Spray, the room is going to stink!!

11. The kids are not allowed to have outside food in the rooms. However, we did send peanut-free snacks in their bags. 

12. Both coaches and players must wear mandated CASV wristbands throughout their stay. The security staff will check as you enter the player's village. If you lose your wristband, you can request another one. 

13. Cell Phones - It is up to the individual coaches to set the rules for cell phone usage. It's suggested to limit the usage so the boys hang out and soak in the event rather than play games on their phones.

Most coaches allow the boys to play on their phones and text their parents at the end of the day before going to sleep. The Village is not that big so you don't need to worry about tracking your boys all day on the phone. Let them have some independence this week!

14. You can try to sell the items you bring to the teams coming the next week. Notify other teams on the Facebook page if you want to do this. Cooperstown All Star Village Experience Facebook page 

Bathhouse Tips

There are several bathhouses throughout the Players' Village. Teams usually use the bathhouse closest to their bunkhouse. 

For the players, it is just a big open room with shower heads. The wall opposite the shower heads has hooks and a long table for kids to hang their towels and place any items they bring into the room. 

For Coaches, they have 3-4 shower stalls with a rain shower head above. There is 1 hook on the shower door but no shelf to put toiletries while showering. 

1. Kids wear a bathing suit with the netting cut out to shower.

2. Bring flip-flops for kids & coaches to wear into the shower.

3. Send a shower caddy with a hook to hold all the kids' or coaches' toiletries. When the kids go to shower, they can put the shower bag on the floor by them or grab what they need to bring over to the shower. The hooks are across the room fromthe shower heads.

4. Send body wash; there is nowhere to put a bar of soap in the showers for coaches or players. 

5. They clean the bathrooms 3 times a day, but they do get a little gross with so many kids using them.

Pin Trading Tips

It takes a while to plan out your team pins and have them made, so start this around 6 months before you go. 

1. Kids want something unique and seem to like bigger pins. It's easier to trade if you have the cool pin. 

Many teams have 2 pins a regular team pin and a rare pin or special pin. The rare pins they trade other teams for their better pins. Some teams also purchase a sibling's pin to trade.

2. Order pins for players, siblings, and coaches.

3. Move-in day, get there early to trade pins. This is the biggest pin trading day for players and siblings.

4. Kids will trade pins outside the bunkhouse with other teams when they have downtime.

5. Siblings will trade pins all week long

6. The waitresses and waiters at the restaurants often will trade pins. So make sure to ask.

7. Send with your kids either pin bags or pin books to carry around all their pins. We divided my son's pins into a couple of pin bags in case he lost a bag, he'd still have more back in the room in the lockbox.

The red pin bag is in the pictures above as is the pin towel we put in the players' swag bag.

Tip: Make sure to write your kid's name on their pin bags or pinbooks so they don't get mixed up with other teammates' pins. If you have a pin book, it is easier to see all your pins when you're trading, but more to carry around.

Uniforms for Players & Coaches

Each player will get - 2 game-day jerseys, a short-sleeved warm-up jacket, and socks. You need to bring your own baseball pants and they need to be the same for the whole team. 

Players get to choose their jersey number from the choices available for each size. You may not get the same jersey number your player uses at home. You'll choose their jersey number when you pick their jersey size while registering for Cooperstown. 

Kids can choose to wear white long pant style or shorter pant style at the tournament.

Coaches will get - 2 game-day polo shirts, Cooperstown Scout Jacket, team ball bucket, and scorebook. They will not get the balls to put in the bucket coaches need to bring these.

All the items given to the team and coaches will be washed plus the team pants and sliding shorts. 

Cooperstown All Star Village Map

Use this Cooperstown All-Star Village Map to get an idea of what to expect when you get there. 

Move-In Day Tips

Move-in day is an insane number of people waiting to get their kids into the rooms. They wait until 12 pm on the dot to let the familes go down to the dorms, and it's a crush of people. You'll also be walking down a hill to the player's village. 

1. The Head Coach & team mom will check in the team and get the uniforms.

2. Have a spot to meet and let all the kids try on the uniform shirts and warm-up jerseys. If they do not fit right, this is the time for parents to take the shirts to be exchanged for a different size. 

3. Get to the All-Star Village Campus early, maybe 9 am, to let the kids start pin trading with all the other kids. Also, the parking lot fills up quickly, so the earlier you get there, the closer you are when carrying all the duffel bags.

4. While waiting to go to the bunkhouse, you can walk around the shop and promenade.

4. When you get to your team bunkhouse, let the kids who have the top bunk go into the room first to set up with their parents. Once the top bunk kids are done, send in the kids with the bottom bunk in to set up. The room is not big, and if you have a whole team and familes in ther,e it's too crowded to get anything set up. 

5. Once the room is set up, kids & coaches will get dressed in their uniforms, go take pictures, and attend a BBQ that is just for coaches & players

6. Afterthe BBQ, coaches will have a meeting, and at least 2 parents need to watch the kids while they are at the meeting.

7. The rest of the parents can go stake out your team spot to watch the Opening Ceremonies.

Opening Ceremonies Tips

This is a fun event for the whole family. The kids will parade through the stadium at Field 5 as a team while parents watch and cheer from the outfield. After the teams all parade in (yes this takes a while) the skill competition will begin. 

There are four events for the Skill Competition - Fastest Runner, Home Run Hitters, Double Play, and Realy Race (10 kids participate in the relay). All kids on the team should do at least one skill.

After the parade, they will break up the teams into groups and use 4 different fields for the competition. The winners of each field will then compete against the winners on the other fields. Once your team is out, you're done for the night.

1. Make a banner for your team to carry in the parade. Most banners have pictures of each team member and team name. During pool play and playoffs hang the banner up on the field your team is playing.

2. Families need to go early to get seats in the bleachers section for the opening ceremonies. I would suggest blocking out your section right after you move in the kids. These seats are closest to the field to see all the opening ceremonies activities. 

That being said we sat with picnic blankets on the hill overlooking the field and that was great too. You can see the field from either location and you don't need to get there as early for seats on the hill. It is all in the direct sun with no shade at all. The hill is a little steep though so may be harder for older family members to sit on.

3. Get dressed up!! I know it feels silly but when you are there all the familes are dressed up in crazy shirts, tutus, funny headbands, and more. You'll enjoy seeing what all the different teams do.

4. Bring confetti shooters or colored powder poppers to shoot off when your players are marching by. Fat heads with huge pictures of your kids are popular too.

5. There is a contest for the craziest and loudest parents. 

6. Bring a small cooler with water and drinks as it gets hot while waiting and watching the event.

7. After the Opening Ceremonies, you'll move to the field where your team is doing the skills competition. 

**Very important, kids will be starving after the opening ceremonies, so you'll need to order the team food back to their bunkhouse.

You can order a pizza party at the Tavern Restaurant to be delivered to the bunkhouse. Send a parent to do this after you get the team checked in and uniforms tried on, before you move them into the bunkhouse. 

Spectator Dugout

The parents and siblings have a spectator dugout for each team. It will be right next to the player's & coach's dugout.

1. There is bleacher seating in each dugout. Some have 2 rows, others have 3 rows. 

2. There is fencing and a roof around the spectator dugout. So you don't have to worry about getting hit by a ball or rained on. 

3. It can be a little hard to see with the fence when looking at the batter. Some parents will stand directly behind the batter to watch the game. This is a small area, though, because much of the field has a green covering that doesn't allow you to see the game through. 

4. You do not need to bring chairs as there are not many places to use them. You can use stadium seats with a back to sit on the bleachers. 

5. A few fields have a place to sit in the outfield but not many. 

6. To get to and from the fields, you will be walking steep hills, so wear comfy shoes. There are golf cart shuttles that can give you a ride, but they can be hard to find when fields are busy.

Players and coaches can not ride on the golf carts. 

7. Bring a speaker and walk-up music to play at your games. Teams trade off when their kids are up to bat, playing music. 

Food at All Star Village

Kids and coaches will eat buffet-style food at a player's pavilion. It's a large permanent tent outside and close to the Player's village. The food is okay, nothing great, but fine.

Every night there will be a different mea,l so they'll try something new each day. Our kids didn't complain too much about the food they were having too much fun. 

The first day at the Players' & Coaches BBQ is the only day they will eat at a different location.

Families & spectators have a few options at the park. 

The Clubhouse Tavern is an indoor and outdoor restaurant that has a small menu but good food. It also has a bar. 

The Upper Deck has tents looking over the field and was a fun place to eat between games and watch the field below. 

The Monster Shake & Coopers Place are locations by the fields that you can walk up and grab snacks, drinks and other concession stand-type food. 

The Bullpen is a beer garden by the fields for parents to hang out at between games. 

The Dugout is a bar area located above the fields where you can get drinks and food. 

Monster Shakes Stand - Monster Shakes are a favorite treat of players, siblings, parents, and coaches at Cooperstown. They are expensive at $10 but are really good and your kids will want to try one. 

Parents can purchase a debit card that they add money to on the first day for the player to then use all week to buy Monster Shakes or treats. If they run out, you can add more money throughout the tournament.

Tip: You can check the kids out for a night and feed them at a restaurant if you want. Or plan a team dinner at the Clubhouse Suite or a restaurant in town. But just know the kids may not want to leave. 

Visiting the National Baseball Hall of Fame

Your team will get one day where games are spread out, so you can visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. It's about a 35-minute drive from Oneonta. 

1. Cooperstown has a cute downtown area around the Hall of Fame with baseball-themed shops and restaurants. It's a great place to find souvenirs. 

2. Parking can be hard and is only for 2 hours. We took a trolley with the team, which was a fun way to travel together. 

3. Kids and Coaches will get tickets to the Hall of Fame, but familes will need to buy their tickets. You can buy the tickets ahead of time for the families or just buy them once you get there. 

4. Depending on how into it your kids are you can spend anywhere from 1 hour to 3 hours reading and wandering the museum. 

5. Make sure to watch the short movie; it's inspirational, and you'll be glad your kids saw it. 

6. Parents are in charge of the kids when you are at the Hall of Fame. This is a great way to give your coaches a break. 

Inclement Weather

If the games are postponed due to weather conditions, they will be rescheduled for the end of the day. If you have a rain delay games could go on until 1:30 in the morning. The CASV baseball director will figure this out and assess the field conditions.

Send the kids with a disposable rain poncho in their baseball bag, and parents bring a raincoat and umbrella. Many of the fields are turf, which helps on rainy days.

Games at Cooperstown

The teams will get 6 pool play games and 1 playoff game guaranteed. The kids will play two games a day from Day 2-4. Then day 5 will start the Tournament day which is single elimination. Day 6 is the Championship Game and fireworks. The playoff bracket will come out the night of Day 4. 

Water for Games

The kids will need a lot of water and Gatorade for the games. Bring 2 rolling coolers and assign 2 families each day to fill the coolers and bring ice. You can purchase water and Gatorade at the Walmart in town.

If you forget to get ice or if the team needs more you can buy a bag of ice at the Monster Shake stand.

The kids can fill up their water bottles when they go to meals but will need more to drink during games and back at the bunkhouse. 

Home Run Balls

If your player hits a home run you can get the ball engraved by the Cooperstown Store. It will make a great keepsake from the tournament. The fields are short so it's a little easier to hit Home Runs at the All Star fields. 

Photography

You can purchase a photography package for your child. They will take pictures of several games and you can call them to come over to your game if your child is pitching. The pictures package will be digital downloads. 

We did buy this package as a team and got some amazing shots of the kids playing. It was hard to take pictures on your own due to the fences all over the field. 

The photographers are through Glossy Finish and you'll hear more about the package through Cooperstown communication. Each player on our team ended up with between 400-800 pictures.

What to Put in Swag Bags

Teams usually send their players with baseball swag bags. Include items they will need throughout the week.

You can design a string bag that has the team logo and player's number to hold the swag bag items. Kids can then use the bag after the baseball tournament is over.

Items to Add to the Swag Bag

• String Bag with team logo & player's number
• Pin Towel
• Small flashlight
• Different Card Games
• Snacks (no gum or seeds allowed at All-Star Village)
• Ear plugs
• Eye mask
• Team t-shirt
• Cooling Towels
• Eye Black

All Star Village Pool

There is a pool shaped like a baseball mitt in the Players Village. The pool is for the players and coaches only.

Have teams bring an extra towel and bathing suit to swim if the team has time between games. It is hard to find time to swim with the busy schedule, though.

Coach's Tips & Information 

Here are coaches' tips from fellow coaches who attended Cooperstown. 

1. Bring your own balls for batting practice. If flying, put 5 balls in each kid's duffle bag to help with the weight in the coach's duffle bag.

2. You will get half an hour before a game to go to the batting cages. The exact time is based on whether you are on the home or away team. 

3. You don't need to bring a net for warmups.

4. Both teams will turn in paper score sheets after each game that the coach fills out.

5. The team listed 2nd is the home team

6. No hitting balls on the field for warmups. Coaches can only throw grounders & pop-up flies.

7. All coaches and players must wear a wristband for the whole tournament.

8. Only players and coaches with a wristband can be in the dugout. 

9. It's the responsibility of the coaches to have the laundry out by 9 pm for pickup or 30 minutes after a late game.

10. After the tournament, the coaches will turn in their final score sheet and get rings for players and check out information.

11. On move-out da,y coaches need to clean the room and check out in order to get the deposit back. 

12. It's less chaotic in the bunkhouse if you try to get kids to keep the room clean during the week. 

13. Coaches can go pick up food from the Clubhouse Restaurant if they need a break from the tournament food. 

14. If you have more than 2 coaches, request to get a room with 3 full beds. 

15. Bring a chair to sit on in the bunkhouse.

16. Give yourself extra time to get the boys from place to place. 

17. Make the kids turn their clothes the right way before adding them to the laundry bin so coaches don't have to do it. 

18. Remind the kids to bring their water bottles every time they eat to fill them up at the food tent.

19. Set rules at the beginning of the week for players' cell phone usage.

20. Ask kids not to bring phones into the bathroom because they are often left in restrooms.

I hope these Cooperstown All Star tips and tricks will help your team be ready for an unforgettable week of baseball.

Make sure to grab my Cooperstown Packing list with a complete list of items players, coaches, and parents need to pack. 

Have so much fun in Cooperstown!!!

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