ITEMS YOU WILL RECEIVE FROM NEWS RELEASE BASKETBALL

• 1 travel bag
• 1 backpack
• 2-3 NRB T-shirts
• 1 long sleeve shirt
• 1 hoodie
• 1 pair of practice/coaching shorts
• 1 set of game uniform (shorts and top)
• 1 whistle

These are yours to keep after the tour.

WHAT TO BRING 

Most of the time we will dress informally, and will be in gym clothes often, so only take a minimum amount of jeans, shorts, etc. (I suggest 1 pair of dress pants/jeans, 1 pair of nicer shorts).

Some of the teams might be involved in church service. We will dress casual, but nice. Your nicer pants/shorts + the News Release long-sleeve shirt, and your walking shoes are fine.

Tip: pack for 7-8 days and plan to wash somewhere in between or during your first and second location. 

• VITAL ITEMS
  • Passport. (DO NOT pack it in your suitcase! Carry it on hand with you while traveling)
  • Bible, notebook, pen (Something to take notes)
  • Cell phone (check with your carrier to make sure it will work where you are going)
    • With any of your electronics, don’t forget to bring your chargers. And make sure they fit into the European outlets. You may need an adaptor plug. Europeans use a 2-plug outlet, with rounded prongs. Ask at an electronics store, for the correct adaptor. Also, make sure your equipment can run on 220v with your converter.
  • Basketball shoes
  • 7-10 T-shirts/sport shirts.
  • 7-10 gym shorts/practice gear
  • Socks and underwear, but limit to a minimal amount
  • Walking/running shoes or sandals
  • You will not need to bring your own jacket. We will provide you with a hoodie.
  • If you need your ankles taped, or need athletic tape for any other reason, bring your own supply. We will have some athletic tape in each team’s med kit for emergencies, but not enough to accommodate everybody, especially if you tape every day.
    • Any other medical game or practice prep equipment or materials you may need (ankle brace, knee brace, ointments, etc.), bring your own. (We recommend that if you have weak ankles, or you tape, consider using ankle braces. Athletic tape is not used often in Europe and is hard to get).
  • Small amount of laundry soap (we may have to wash by hand, although rarely), plastic bag for dirty laundry. Wrap the soap in a small, well-contained plastic bag. (Most of the time our hosts may offer to wash clothes for you.)
  • Personal items, small towel. Some of the teams will be staying in a school or church for part of the tour, so outside towels may not be readily available
  • Any medications if you need them (they will be difficult to obtain while traveling)
  • Spending money for gifts, snacks, etc. (depending on your spending habits, $200 to $300 for spending money should do fine….some players get by with less)
  • Should you bring cash? credit card? ATM card?
    • This is up to you, based on your personal preference. Many people bring an ATM card. There are ATM machines readily available in Europe.
  • Gifts: Look in your closet or drawer for a T-shirt or two that represents you (school shirt, or a shirt with your name on it) that you can give away. If they are in good shape, bring those as gifts, as well as other trinkets you may have and don’t want. Kids at the camps love to receive gifts from players.
  • Swimsuit, or something to jump in the pool with. Some tours may be taking a swim. 

You will only be allowed ONE check-in bag and ONE backpack (the 2 items that we will provide for you).

DO NOT BRING ANY EXTRA BAG. You want to be light and mobile, especially when getting around the airports and train stations.

Keep weight well below the 40-lbs limit for international travel. News Release Basketball will not pay for excess bags if its your personal stuff.

Do not pack your bag full! Everyone will have responsibility to carry team items (programs, med kit, team gifts, etc.) Half your travel bag will be your stuff, and half will be team gear/gifts. Again, the lighter you travel, the better. Every year, someone says, “I wish I would have packed less.”

It’s helpful if your clothes should be of the drip-dry variety (wash and wear, no ironing needed). Dry-fit materials are great for traveling.

In some of our locations, our hosts offer to do laundry. We don’t want to burden our hosts, but we can take advantage of their generosity. If the opportunity is there, have your clothes washed. If we are not staying with hosts, be prepared to wash by hand.

Don’t bring electrical equipment unless it runs on battery or converter. European equipment runs on 220 Volts from wall outlets; the States uses only 110 Volts.

Depending on how much shopping you plan to do, think about bringing another small fold-up bag and pack it in your backpack. Then, if you fill it with gifts, you can get out the small bag for carrying those home. But don’t go overboard.

When you receive your gear, remove the size/price tag. If customs officials see all the gear with the tags still on, they may think we are bringing it across for resale, and then it is eligible for taxation.

Sometimes players like to trade gear. Do not trade your uniform nor your practice gear until after the last game. After that, its yours to do what you wish.