Tournament weekends: hotel blocks, pool play and the 8 a.m. first pitch

If you've done a youth tournament weekend, you know it's less like a ballgame and more like a small moving town. Twelve families in one hotel, a cooler that never quite stays cold, a schedule that changes after every game, and a Sunday bracket that can end at noon or run past dinner.

Tournament baseball is huge across the Southeast, from big complexes near Myrtle Beach to weekend events around Atlanta and Charlotte. It can be a blast. It can also wear out a family fast if nobody plans past Friday night.

Our tournament coverage is about the stuff the bracket doesn't tell you. How to book rooms without getting stuck, what to pack for a four-game Saturday, how to feed a team without living on concession nachos, where to find shade, and how to plan the drive home so the tired parent isn't the one behind the wheel. We'll also talk honestly about cost and burnout. A good weekend leaves a kid wanting more baseball, not less.