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Cooperstown Dreams Park Survival Tips

4. SHOWERING : Kids have their own shower house, adults have their own, but can use the kids' within certain hours.
• Everyone needs flip-flops or slides for the showers and bathrooms.
• Kids need bathing suits to wear in the shower. I don't think any of the kids showered in the nude
• You may want to take a little plastic bucket, or plastic hand basket carrier, or bag to tote your shower stuff back and forth, Soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, wash cloth, shaving stuff ( for adults), etc: It's much easier to carry and keep organized in some kind of carrying device. One with holes in the bottom works well to allow excess water to drain out.
• Showering in a bathing suit presents a unique problem: Lack of good cleaning in the personal areas, which leads to rashes, severe in some cases. Tell the kids to try to clean themselves as well as possible "down there". SUGGESTED TIPS FROM PAST ATTENDEES: First, make sure you take a clean pair of underwear and shorts to the shower with you, and hang them up, or put them somewhere dry. While in the shower, wash yourself "Down there" discreetly by putting your hands down your bathing suit and just doing it. Then rinse as well as possible. After drying off, get your clean underwear and shorts and go to a toilet stall and close the door. Remove your bathing suit while in private (behind the closed doors of the stall), and finish drying off the personal areas. Apply a little corn starch (YES, add It to the list of supplies) to polish off the drying process. Then put on your clean underwear and shorts. Now you are good to go. I know this seems silly, but it's really the only way to avoid the rashes.
• DON'T FORGET TO TAKE A CLEAN, DRY TOWEL TO THE SHOWERS WHEN YOU GO- Please stress this to your players! You'll be surprised how many kids make 2-3 trips back and forth because they forgot something, or just come back soaking wet.
• It works best to shower at night before bed time. It gets them settled down and comfortable. Plus it's much less crowded. Mornings in the showers are packed, and you really risk being late for breakfast or the first game.
5. DRINKS: There are no sinks or water fountains in the bunkhouse or nearby the bunkhouse.
• Bring a couple of large coolers to store beverages in the bunkhouse.
• Purchase bottled water and keep the coolers stocked. Suggestion-have each player and coach bring 2 cases of water-it can be stored under beds etc. When that runs out, take turns buying more.
• You can buy cheap ice at the concession stand/arcade building during normal hours.
• Keep the coolers full of bottled water and ice, and you won't die of thirst while you are there.
• The Park discourages the use of sodas, Gatorades, etc. because spills are very hard to clean up and will attract bugs and ants. On a related matter, the Park also discourages the use of candy, snacks, etc. in the bunkhouse because the crumbs attract critters. Do not offer or store drinks other than water in the dorm-they are available outside the dorms. Any snacks should be put into footlockers when you leave the dorm, and make sure to sweep up several times a day.