Preparing for overnight tournament...

What is the best way to help our team be ready to play in an overnight tournament? I'm trying to figure out how to make sure the girls get the best rest so they can function overnight. We are a 2nd year 14u team.

Also, would you get a hotel for the night before the tournament? We are 5 hours away so if we drive in the day of the tournament, we will drive half the day and then stay up all night. What about after the tournament....I can't see driving 5 hours home after being up all night, but this tournament will end Sunday morning and the girls all have school on Monday.

Thank you,
Jess

Never played in an overnight tournament, but my first thought was to pack an emergency cooler of Red Bull "just in case" all else fails.....

If you are 5 hours away, do yourself a favor and get a hotel Friday and Saturday nights. Friday night should not be a problem, the girls should be tired after a 5 hour car ride. Saturday night, I usually tell the parents the girls need to be in bed by 9PM if the first game is at 8AM, and adjust from there. At 14U, should be in rooms one way or the other by 10 or so.

Stay away form the hotel swimming pool (assuming its indoor or warm enough to swim). If you have an early morning game, have them show up at least an hour early and get a good vigorous warmup in. Plan something to do as a team after the tourney is over. (Even if its just meeting to eat). Build great TB memories.

Plenty of rest before hand! So yes, I would absolutely stay the night before. DO NOT let any of them swim until after the tourney.
Be sure to take blankets and pillows to the park because if there's a 4 1/2 hour break between games and the next one is a 3:15 am.... I'd recommend OJ over coffee or red bull type drinks, So there's not a 4th inning crash.
Good luck, James

I think you all missed the point. The games are played at night, not during the daytime.

Let us know how it goes. We have always wanted to do one of these but there are none near bye.

Ahhh yes, I guess I did miss that detail. Moonlite/Midnight madness tourneys are a lot of fun for the girls. Make sure they get plenty of rest the day of. I still reccomend staying away from the pool til after the tourney. Treat it like any other daytime tourney just flip flopped hours. The hardest task is keeping them engaged during long breaks. Especially the later it gets. We usually set up camp and treat the downtime a lot like camping. We play games listen to music and even if time permits some catch cat naps.

Good luck. That is all I can say. It must be my age, but all night tournaments are not appealing to me.

Nothing better than the sun coming up as you are playing a game. You won't forget that memory.

I think the OP's biggest concern w/ this "midnight madness" 24 hr/overnight tournament should be proper planning so the ADULT drivers are sufficiently rested/alert to SAFELY DRIVE 5 hours home after the tournament ends. As for the girls, this type of tournament is for them to share and enjoy a new and unusual softball experience. If it were me, I'd play every game to win, but I'd let them off leash to have fun being 13 and 14 year kids for this tournament (then get back at it seriously the following week).

One of the things I've never forgotten from my HS days is a phantom pre-game infield (i.e., regular pre-game infield with an imaginary ball). IMO, a phantom pre-game infield during a middle of the night game while wearing pajamas or Halloween costumes seems like an opportunity that shouldn't be passed up!