Monkeyboy. This tournament was my son’s favorite of all of the tournaments he played in. You will see an amazing collection of players and teams there. I could not get over how many 6’2” 16YO’s I saw. There are also lots of 15U teams there also, not expecting to win but to get experience for the next year. In fact my son’s team (who ended up placing 4th) almost lost to a 15YO team. After two days they break the teams into top and lower brackets so you end up playing similar teams as the tournament goes on.
MLB teams use all the facilities for spring training, so they are second to none. It is a long tournament and it is hot, so shade and water are important. Fans should bring umbrellas and pop ups. Teams should have ice chests with water, wet towels, and spray bottles. Hydration is key. Staying cool and resting takes priority over practice, and by the end of the tournament you will be exhausted. You can take BP prior to games in hand throw cages, but that is about all you will have the energy to do. There are lots of good hotels and places to eat, so parents and kids can hang out and have fun together. You generally play one game a day, but I think one or two days have double headers.
We had a lot of two way players, but you should not hit when you are pitching, and we kept pitchers in the hotel on double header days so they would be fresh. It is HOT!
I think this tournament and the 17U WWB tournament draws the best in class teams from around the country. It is well scouted by USA Baseball, college and pro scouts. I guarantee you will have a great time!
