Sponsored by BSE Tournaments
It’s going to be a busy spring, summer and fall for Pennsylvania’s BSE Tournaments, with baseball events every weekend. But that’s the way director Ben Marchese likes it. What started in 2012 as a two-person operation with four or five events on just two fields has blossomed into an organization with 12 employees that oversees 26 premier events each year. BSE has held over 200 tournaments and in 2016 hosted more than 500 teams.
“It’s growing tremendously,” said Marchese. “We now have 16 fields.”
BSE’s tournaments are routinely attended by top local and travel teams in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic including the Tri-State Arsenal, Limerick Panthers, Black Sox Elite, Philly Blue Sox and many more, and for good reason. In addition to boasting top-level competition, BSE also goes all-out in presenting a memorable baseball experience. Teams play on high-quality fields with crisp grass and outfield fences, which provide a visual incentive for players to “go yard.”
“They love to hit home runs,” Marchese noted.
They love the amenities, too. BSE awards oversize trophies to a tournament winner and runner-up, not just medals. And, each player on a Championship Ring Series winner is presented a ring that is fashioned to rival a World Series winner’s bling.
“That’s what separates us from a lot of organizations,” Marchese said. “The custom trophies and rings are really nice. The kids love it―we’ve gotten great feedback from them. The rings are heavy!”
This April’s ring winners include (10U, 12U-14U): Boyertown Black, SJ Elite, Limerick Panthers and the Black Sox Elite-13. Teams will get more chances to win the Championship Ring Series this May, July and twice in the fall.
The Super Slugger Invitational also took place in April, and the winners were the WC Dragons (9U and 11U), Bucs Baseball and Team Combat (13U, tie―ended by darkness) and the Philly Blue Sox (14U). Rounding out April, The BSE Stars of Tomorrow Invitational saw the PA Shockers (14U), Limerick Panthers (13U), Avengers Baseball (11U) and All Out Pack (9U) hoisting those big trophies.
“We get a wide range of teams,” Marchese said, with ages sometimes starting at 8U.
As an added benefit to the teams and followers, BSE uses Tourney Machine for all of its events to communicate with them. They receive updates by text regarding scores or if there are any changes in the schedule. The organization also posts pictures of each weekend’s winners on its Twitter and Facebook pages. Check out these upcoming May tournaments:
Once May is over, Marchese will still be busy, with tournaments, showcases and Perfect Game Tournaments that stretch well into the fall, along with a summer league (8-12th grade) and a BSE Elite team. Thanks to its reputation, events are filling up quickly.
When asked what gives him the most satisfaction, Marchese replied, “Giving out the trophies and awards after a long weekend of games, and having the parents come over and say, ‘Great tournament, well run!’”
It’s a phrase that Marchese and the BSE team should be hearing a lot of this year.
Written by Tom Warnick
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