In The Net - Palmyra

We entered the In The Net Indoor Tournament in Palmyra, PA.  If you don't feel like reading through my list of information, here's an important note - BRING A BLANKET and chair.  Now, onto the rest of the info.

The white building is the dome where you play.  For softball, the dome is sectioned off into two fields with decent space around them.

1) Playground - No playground for the kids.  There is some places for the kids to play inside with a ball.  But like we experienced, at least 5 times, the ball can go into the field of play.  Keep an eye on your kids, please. 

2) Parking - There was ample space for parking.  I had no issues getting a spot.  Leaving was a little chaotic with cars coming and going but not too bad. 

3) Bathrooms - For the women - I think there were 5 stalls, 1 being handicapped. The bathroom was clean, soap was filled, and paper towels were full, too.  No complaints for the bathroom. 

4) Hotels - Once again, we drove so I didn't stay at a hotel.  In The Net has some sponsored hotels, most seem to be in Harrisburg or Hershey.  

5) Area attractions - There is a really nice Sheetz about 5 minutes away.  It has a place you can sit down and eat, walk-in cooler, and all the other amenities we loves about Sheetz!  A Wal-Mart Supercenter is about 8 minutes away, which is convenient if you forgot a blanket or chair.  Hershey Park is about 15 minutes away.  If you're there in the winter and the park is closed, you can do the Hershey Chocolate World tour.  

6) Concession Stand - Sideline Cafe is their concession stand.  They were fast.  I also heard the chicken wrap is good.  A bottle of water is $2.50!!! By that, you should know the rest of the prices are pretty high.  The chicken wrap was $6.00.  

7) Coolers - As stated above, no coolers or outside food.  We brought a cooler with water into the facility and it was okay.  

8) Fields - The turf was in decent shape.  I didn't see any girls trip while running for the ball or the ball take an awkward hop.  Being indoors you expect it to be cold in the winter, but this was really cold.  There was one or two sets of small bleachers for one field, none for the other.  Make sure you bring your chairs. You need a blanket, hat, and gloves to stay warm.  Also, be smart like one of our mom's and sit near the heater.  The heat is advertised as a guaranteed 50 degrees.  It definitely didn't feel like 50 degrees but I don't carry a thermostat on me to know for sure.  Around 2 p.m. was the last time I remember the heat being on.  I actually went and asked for the heat to be turned on again because it was really cold.  She told me we would be fine, she used to play in there when she was younger and it just gets really cold.  Thanks for the help.  

This would have been perfect for the indoor tournament.  Too bad I too afraid to get made fun of to get one. 😂😂

Here is one of the fields.  Home plate is back in that corner there.  There's a blue fence around the field but there's enough room at the bottom of the fence for the ball to slip out.  Your power hitters will be hitting it out of the fenced area.  There's not much room on the sidelines for the next batter to warm up.  Make sure they are paying attention when they swing.  I saw two different girls hit the steel poles with their bats and the one dented hers enough that she had to use a different bat.  Once the sun started to set, it was hard for the girls to see the ball coming.  Both teams were having a problem and were swinging late, a lot of fouled off balls into the wall.  

10) Warm-up Area - When you walk in the main doors, turn towards the right and there are 6 batting cages that you are able to warm-up in.  I am not sure if they charge extra for them or not but most of the teams were using them.  There's some room to warm-up behind the fenced area but you have to be careful of the parents sitting behind the fence because that's the only place for us to sit.  

11) Time - Fortunately/Unfortunately everything ran on time, maybe 5 to 10 minutes behind.  It's fortunate because one day tournaments are LONG days.  Unfortunately it comes at a cost.  The games are an hour time limit, finish the inning, and each batter starts with a 1-1 count.  It's a mental challenge for some, knowing they already have one ball and one strike on them when they first step up.  And for someone like my daughter, who tends to be picky with her pitches (so I was just told, ha) it makes it a little more challenging.  Maybe it's normal for indoor facilities but this is the first time I've encountered this rule and I'm not a fan.  

Overall the facility was good.  I'd pick this indoor facility over the one in Wilkes-Barre, if you're considering where to go.  I'll just be more prepared with the temperature next time.  

Big Vision Sports Complex - Lessport, PA

Big Vision Sports Complex was a last minute tournament we entered.  Leesport is about an hour from my house so it was an easy drive.  Yes, as softball moms/dads, an hour drive is nothing.  When we start hitting 7, 8 hour drive time, that is now consider a difficult drive.

Okay.  So Big Vision, here's their main picture...

These are really nice fields.  See in the middle there?  A really nice snack bar with actual bathrooms and....oh, wait.  We didn't play on those fields.  We were... 

There are four other fields on that side of the road.  I'll get into all that in a bit.  

1) Playground - Non-existent.  My boys were definitely bored and they were only there for one game.  There are some concrete wall barriers they can climb on or throw a ball at, but that's the extent of it.  Definitely bring some toys.  

2) Parking - $5.00 fee per day.  There is a decent amount of parking at both sides of the street.  The fields where we were playing, the lot did fill up pretty quick.  There's someone sitting in the booth to take your money.  They put up a sign if the lot is full, which is good.  If you need to see the fields from the car, you better get there early.  And this is just for the side of the road we were on.  I didn't have to park on the big side, so I'm not sure how the parking there is, sorry.  

3) Bathrooms/Porta Potties - Yes to both!  There are nice bathrooms at the clover fields.  They are in the middle of the clovers, right behind the concession stand.  There are also porta potties at the other side of the road.  There's one for two fields, so 2 total on that side.  Good thing is, the walk to the bathrooms is easy, just walk across the street.  

4) Hotels - As stated, it's pretty close to my house so no need for a hotel.  That helps me but doesn't help you...if anyone actually is reading this 😂 So I looked up hotels in Leesport and Reading came up, which is about 20 miles from Leesport.  I must be wrong.  There's got to be something close.  I looked on Big Vision's website and they have 3 hotels they are partnered with, all in Reading.  If you need to stay in a hotel, plan on a 18-20 mile drive.  

5) Area Attractions - In Leesport, maybe cow tipping...haha, just kidding

There's a lot of farm land in Leesport.  But there is plenty to do in Reading and the surrounding area.  If you're staying in Reading, why not catch a Reading Phils game?!  The games are always fun and interactive.  There's Cyrstal Cave, which is close to Leesport.  You'll just have to Google it.  

6) Concession Stand - There are two different concession stands.  The clover fields has the nicer concession stand with a lot of options.  They had Chick-fil-a sandwiches, not on Sunday, though.  They also had Subway sandwiches!  I did not really look at the prices because I brought food with me.  The other side of the road had a small concession stand.  They sold hot dogs, hamburgers, candy, drinks, the norm.  The price seemed reasonable.  

7) Coolers and Grills - Coolers were allowed.  OH YEAH! They even sold 5 lbs of ice at the concession stand.  I'm not sure that's standard or just because of how hot it was that weekend.  Grills, I'm going to have to say no.  I didn't see any and there really wasn't any place to set up the grill.

8) Shade - The clover fields have no shade.  The other side, the one field has shade on the first base side but it's on a hill.  Pros and cons I guess.  The other fields, bring shade because that sun is hot!  There was no shade for the girls on the bench.  

9) Fields -  Speaking only of the non-clover fields for this post.  They do have the fields named, which makes it easy to find.  The website has pictures for some of them.  They seemed to be in good condition.  The field with the shade, it is easy to hit a home run.  The fence is short and shaped weird.  The other field has a concrete wall barrier, short in height, just like in the parking lot.  If I remember correctly, there is a slight slope close to the barrier.  Just make sure the outfielders don't trip over them going for a ball.  The other two fields we did not play on because one was for baseball, the other one the older girls were playing, but they seemed to be in decent shape.  There were no lights on the fields.  

10) Warm-up - There's only a few spots to warm-up and they aren't very big.  The one spot did have a decent spot for warming up the pitchers.  

11) Time - I don't remember any time issues so they probably were running good on time.  

Overall it was a good experience.  I wouldn't mind going back for another tournament.  I'll just make sure I have a babysitter for that weekend.  

Westampton Sports Complex - Westampton, New Jersey

We were at the Westampton Sports Complex for the USA Elite Select qualifier tournament.

This facility was decent.  The area where it says open field space, is not open field space.  It's a football field.  There's also soccer fields there, too.

1) Playground -- There is a nice playground behind field #2.  You can watch the game on field #2.  There's no risk of foul balls coming near the playground, which is a big plus!

2) Parking -- If there are soccer games and football games, parking is a little crazy.  I ended up parking on the grass close to the entrance on Bridge Street.  Good idea to bring your cart to lug all of your stuff.

3) Bathrooms -- No porta potties, actual bathrooms!! For the women, there was 3 stalls plus a handicapped stall.  They were very clean.  Two sinks, soap, one air hand dryer.  They are located right at the snack bar.  They were heated, which was awesome for the cold night we had.

4) Hotels -- We decided, last minute, to stay the night at a Super 8, which was about 7 miles away from the fields.  I didn't do a ratings check, unfortunately.  It smelled like cigarettes.  The rooms weren't too bad but the curtains were stained, which skeeved me out.  I could hear every time someone left their room, which was all throughout the night.  I've never been to a Super 8 before but I will probably skip it next time it's an option.  There are a lot of other hotels in the area.  Make sure you read the rating! 😂

5) Area Attractions -- Our games started at 3:00 p.m. with the last one ending around 8:30 p.m, and return to field time was 8:15 a.m.  We didn't have time to go around and find things to do.

6) Concession Stand -- The concession stand is right at the parking lot.  The image above is correct.  The playground is close behind the concession stand.  They had all kinds of cold drinks, which were all $1.50.  They had coffee and hot chocolate.  I didn't see any healthy options like salad, but they did have an wide range of selections.  Hot dogs, hamburgers, mac and cheese, walking tacos, pizza, chicken nuggets, and other things.  They did run out of a few things by Sunday afternoon.  They had water ice, ice cream, candy, chips, and soft pretzels.  I'm sure there's more but that's all I can remember now.

7) Coolers and Grills -- I didn't see a rules sign when I walked in.  I'm not really sure about the grills but no one had one at the field.  Coolers were definitely allowed.  There was actually a lot of dogs there, too.

8) Shade - No shade anywhere.  Being your canopy or sports umbrella. There are roofs over the benches for the players so you do not need extra canopies.

9) Fields -- As you can see, the fields are clover fields, lights on all fields.  They are close together, which is great for switching fields, but not so great for the foul balls.  There were foul balls EVERYWHERE! As I first got there, looking for my daughter warming up, I'm walking past field #1 and I hear the heart-stopping, "Heads up!"  I stop in my tracks and a ball flies RIGHT by my face.  It was insane.

That's not me but I guarantee it will be one day

Foul balls would fly from one field to the next.  They were constantly having to stop games for foul balls coming onto the fields.  Fields #1,2,3 have plenty of room in the outfield to watch the games, away from the foul balls.  Field #4 you cannot go behind the fence.  There are bleachers at every field on both sides and room next to them to sit with your chairs. 

The infields were in good shape.  They did reline the fields after every game. 

10) Warm-up area -- There was plenty of places for the girls to go and warm-up without being in the way.  The open field space is not open field space, as stated above.  It's a football field.  There's spots behind the fields, next to the fields, and between the playground and concession stand is a big place to warm-up.

11) Time -- Everything seemed to run on time.  I think Sunday got a little later than it was supposed to, but playing back to back games, the girls were okay with the little break to eat.

Overall it was a good experience, minus the foul balls, but easily avoided being in the outfield.  Can you tell I'm terrified of foul balls?!  I'm a magnet for them.

The Essentials

In the first post, I started talking about what I like to know before heading to a tournament.  I created a list of things that are important to know before we leave.  If you have any suggestions, feel free to comment!!  It's all about making life simpler for all of us.

1) Playground

        - If you are lucky enough to have a kid that will sit and watch an iPad or phone, I congratulate you! When my kids are outside, they like to run.  They will only reach for electronics when they want a break.  Knowledge of a playground and location of playground vs field location is a must! If we rule out a playground, then we can plan outdoor toys better.  

2) Parking

       -I like to know where I'm going to park, how far it is from the field, and if I need to get there earlier to get a good spot.  As stated in first post, my kids like to take a break in the car with the A/C or take a nap.  I still want to be able to watch the game if I have to sit in the car with them.  

3) Bathrooms/Porta Potty

       -I prefer actual bathrooms to porta potties.  I understand that's not always an option or cost effective.  I've been in some decent porta potties and some nasty bathrooms.  It's nice to know what is offered at the field to plan accordingly.  If I'm not in the mood or see the porta potty is gross, I want to know my closest gas station bathroom options.

4) Hotels

      -If we're staying in a hotel, I want to know if it has a pool, game room, FREE breakfast, ratings, nice rooms, fridge/microwave, and what is close by for gas and food shopping.  

5) Area Attractions

      -Nothing like getting to a tournament and having some down time.  You think the girls would want to just relax knowing they have a ton of games to play.  No, not that easy, ha!  I like to know what's in the area that's fun and not too expensive, especially for the younger ones.  Knowing ahead of time would solve a lot of headaches. 

6) Concession Stand

         -There are times we hit the concession stand...the kids don't like what I packed, I didn't pack enough, need more water/Gatorade, whatever the reason.  I'd like to know if there's a stand running and that their prices seem reasonable.  

7) Coolers and Grills

        -I have only been to one tournament that had a rule of no coolers allowed inside, that was at Diamond Nation in New Jersey.  There are some fields that allow you to bring grills, which is great for meals inbetween games.  

8) Shade

       -To bring the canopy or not to bring. When trying to load an already packed vehicle with a canopy, it's nice to know whether the struggle is necessary. 

       

That's all I can think of for now.  I will try and hit all these points in my posts.  I will add to this as needed.  

Introductions Are In Order

Hello!!

My name is Betty.  I am married to my husband, Jack, 14 years this October!  I have three children, 12-year-old daughter, 5-year-old son, and 3-year-old son.  My daughter started playing travel softball in May of 2016, and it has been a whirlwind since then.

This blog has NOTHING to do with softball mom drama.  If you came here hoping, sorry. 😂 I want my blog to try and help other softball moms navigate the craziness of field life, especially those with younger kids as it does get a little frustrating/draining.  

The first thing I do when I know we have entered a tournament is find the field on Google maps.  I love Google maps!  I pull up the satellite view and zoom into the fields to see if there is a playground there and how far it is from the field.  I also look at the parking situation to know if I need to bring my cart, stroller, canopy or if I can see the field from where I park if the kids need an A/C break and/or nap.  If I cannot see the field from where I park, I know to grab my 12v charger because Game Changer Live App is going to drain my battery quick while watching the game in the car.

Tonight, as I'm looking at a field picture, I thought, "Wouldn't it be awesome if there was a site I could go to that had all this information already and I didn't have to search all the time."  Well, here is my best attempt to try and fill the void.

If the blog helps one mom, perfect!  If it's only me on here, that's fine, too.  At least I'll have everything in one spot, haha.