The Rundown

Why Early Tournament Registration is a Home Run

Written by Miss Jen | Jan 22, 2025 2:30:00 PM

 

๐Ÿ’ฐ Save Big + Stress Less ๐Ÿ˜Ž

Early Tournament Registration is Key

Register early for McKeesport Baseball Tournaments 2025 season!

Save on travel, lodging, and stress with our Lucid Travel affiliate discounts.

 

๐Ÿ”’ Secure your spot today!

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The Tournament Game Schedule is Published Early

When the tournament divisions fill up, Ed can finalize the game schedule faster and get it published for you sooner. This helps with coordinating work arrangements, child care needs, sibling game or activity schedules, and travel planning.

โ˜ž Register early for the sake of EVERYONEโ€™S mental health!

๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿฝโ€โ™€๏ธโ€โžก๏ธ ๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿปโ€โ™‚๏ธโ€โžก๏ธ ๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿผโ€โžก๏ธ

Beat the Rush

You secure your teamโ€™s spot in highly competitive tournaments. SLUGFEST, K-9 Classic, and Halloween Havoc ALWAYS end up with teams on waiting lists. These three tournaments in particular are marquee events for MBT. Weโ€™ve been running them for years and they each have their own loyal fan base (and that fan base is growing) - they most certainly will sell out before we all realize it.

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Exclusive Travel Discounts

Early registrants can take advantage of special travel and lodging rates. With our Lucid Travel affiliate link, youโ€™ll enjoy discounted group rates for hotels close to the action.

โ˜ž My Top Picks for Local Hotel Areas

 

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Prime Lodging Locations

Booking early means you get the best accommodations near Renzie Park, even without booking through our lodging partner.

โ˜ž Like to Bike and Hike?
The  Great Allegheny Passage travels right through McKeesport and hosts a full-service trailhead a mere 3 miles away from Renzie Park. Bring your bikes for some relaxing rides along the trail while you stay at the little boston inn. Less travel time means more time to relax and enjoy the tournament experience.

 

๐Ÿ—บ๏ธ ๐Ÿ—บ๏ธ ๐Ÿ—บ๏ธ

Plan the Perfect Weekend


Early registration allows families to schedule additional activities, like exploring local attractions, dining at popular restaurants, and enjoying team bonding events.

 

๐Ÿ”ฎ Find Some Oddball Places to Visit 
  • Westinghouse Atom Smasher
  • Trundle Manor - probably better for older kids, by appointment only
  • Gravity Hill
๐ŸŽŸ๏ธ Snag Some Cheap MLB Game Seats for the Whole Team

All the MLB teams do silly or unique promotions a few times each season. Check the local teamโ€™s schedule for their give-aways, grab some nose-bleed seats for everyone, and finish off the weekend with memories and a souvenir.

๐Ÿดโ€โ˜ ๏ธ The Pittsburgh Pirates host regular Youth Baseball and Softball game days - includes a parade around the warning track, bobblehead giveaways, Dollar Dog games, Hawaiian Luau giveaways

๐Ÿงญ Map out a fun โ€œtrailโ€ to try out, kind of like a Wine Trail but with something for all ages!

โ˜ž Need some ideas?

 

๐Ÿ›๏ธ ๐Ÿ›’ ๐Ÿ›๏ธ 

Ensure Enough Time to Gather All Your Stuff

Not sure if everyone's cleats still fit? Suspect there might be a gross science experiment growing in one of the equipment bags? ๐Ÿคข Need to update your fan gear?

Registering early gives you the luxury of time โฐ for all the things that you know you'll need and want.

 

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โœ… โœ… โœ…

What to do in January and February

โœ… Cleats and Back-Up Socks

Nothing worse than uncomfortable blisters from snug shoes or holey socks

โœ… Slides and Crocs

Making sure their โ€œcleanโ€ footwear is still in good working condition assures that your players wonโ€™t need to walk around in muddy cleats or barefoot - or track it into your car or house.

โœ… Helmet Padding

The protective padding inside helmets is one of the most important things a helmet offers. Use these CDC guidelines to do an audit of all the helmets (batters and catchers) to ensure they are effective and safe.  Now is the time to order any custom-fit equipment, especially pieces that protect the head, face, and neck.

โœ… Protective Clothing and Equipment Audit

  • Chest protectors
  • Athletic cups
  • Full set of catcherโ€™s gear, for protection and proper fit

โœ… Bat Grips

If you think your bats still have some life left, take a closer look at the grip tape that you have (or donโ€™t have) and consider re-wrapping or re-placing it all together.

โœ… Glove Structure

Make sure all the knots are knotted and the padding is intact
Make sure it still fits comfortably and safely

โœ… Equipment Bags

Have your player clean out all of the dirt, seeds, and sticky Gatorade residue on their own - make it a learning experience for everyone
Assess whether it truly needs to be replaced after that

โœ… Your First Aid kit
  • Throw out and replace any damaged supplies
  • Ripped or water-damaged wrappers compromise the integrity of its contents - donโ€™t end up with a bigger problem trying to solve a small one
  • Buy a new round of topical ointments if any are opened or damaged
    • Those little over the counter ointments and creams are still medication โš ๏ธ They expire just like prescription medications โš ๏ธ
    • They also become contaminated as soon as you use them. โ˜ž Opt for single-use packs instead of multi-use tubes if you can swing it. If not, keep a handful of alcohol wipes in your kit to clean off the open end of the tube before and after application.
  • Consider adding these fun bandages to your kit
    ๐Ÿคทโ€โ™€๏ธ Not requiredโ€ฆ but not NOT required
  • Check the integrity of the bag itself
    ๐ŸŽ’ Sometimes you just need a new bag

Register early for McKeesport Baseball Tournaments! Save on travel, enjoy perks like early schedules, and secure your spot in MBT's marquee events today!