Latest / WashCo Insider / Nate Voytek
Transcript
- speaker-0: If love baseball as much as I love baseball, you're going to want to get comfortable and stick around for this one. Every August, the best 13 and 14 year old baseball players from around the world make their way to Washington County to chase a championship and create memories that last a lifetime. The Prince Gate Pony Leg World Series has become one of our region's signature sporting events, bringing together elite competition, international camaraderie, and generations of baseball tradition. Today we're joined by Nathan Voytek, who serves as president of World Series Tournaments Incorporated and chairman of the Prince Gate Pony League World Series. We'll talk about what it takes to organize a world class youth baseball tournament, what fans can expect this year, and why this event continues to have such a tremendous impact on Washington County and the thousands of families who visit each summer. Nate Voytek, when we come back. Nate, thanks for joining us today. You know, I think I think you have probably the most well rounded perspective of the Pony League World Series, maybe of of anyone that's been around, right? So your your dad plays on the nineteen fifty five team, the only Washington County team to ever win the thing. You played what you're eighty nine. All right. You've umpired the event. You've volunteered for, I don't know, twenty five years probably. Yeah. speaker-1: Thank you, my pleasure. Nineteen eighty nine. speaker-0: You're the president of World Series Tournaments Inc., the chairman of the event. ⁓ I mean, is there any other position that you haven't had? speaker-1: My favorite was probably van driver. ⁓ one of the unique experiences I got through was as a volunteer. I was a van driver for over ten years and it's a neat opportunity really to kinda interact and get to know ⁓ the teams, introduce them to Washington and ⁓ just understand what their journey was to talk to ⁓ kind of behind the scenes off the field, which was really special. speaker-0: Yeah, I mean just just the movement of players and teams from hotel to restaurant to the field, that's a whole operation in and of itself. speaker-1: Yes. Yeah, especially when you have international teams that you know, there's language barriers and really probably a lot of the kids haven't even been to the United States for the first time. So yeah, that's one of our organizations' many roles is to kinda completely transport, move, house, feed ⁓ the kids here while they're in Washington for the week. speaker-0: So t tell us about World Series Tournaments Inc. ⁓ separate from Pony as an organization, you guys have created this non profit and tell us about the team and and w I guess what it takes to put on the World Series. speaker-1: Yeah, early on, ⁓ the first couple of World Series pony ⁓ pony baseball, Pony Inc ran the World Series and then it transitioned to Washington Youth Baseball, then called Boys Baseball, which was kind of the first local Pony League ran the event. But over for over forty years, World Series tournaments incorporated on behalf of Pony Baseball in conjunction with the Washington Youth Baseball, a separate organization is put on the event, kind of rounds up all the volunteers, ⁓ takes a village. put this event on. So we get a we have a group of board of directors, twenty board of directors that kinda provide us leadership and handle all the different tasks of the event prior to the event. it's truly a year long event in planning and so just thankful for the great group of people that we have the they focus, they then recruit volunteers to kind of work the event all week long. So it's ⁓ it takes a lot, but ⁓ It's a great group of people that I enjoy working with that have been a lot of our folks have been together for a long time. ⁓ we have a lot of wealth of experience in our ⁓ organization that really helps ⁓ each year. speaker-0: Well let's let's go way back in time and and talk about Pony as an organization. So I think there's a lot of let's call it brand recognition and and notoriety for Little League. But for those who are not, maybe from Western Pennsylvania or just haven't been exposed to Pony, y when did it get started? Where did get started and and like what separates it from Little League and some of the others that are out there, Babe Ruth and some of those? speaker-1: Yeah. ⁓ once upon a time after a kid turned ⁓ thirteen years old, there was no youth baseball, no formal youth baseball organization. So actually once upon a time the leaders of Little League helped Pony League form ⁓ an age ⁓ baseball, thirteen and fourteen year. ⁓ the pony was an acronym, Protect Our Neighborhood Youth, and then re later transitions the Protect Our Nation's youth and course now we have international play and ⁓ and ⁓ international players involved ⁓ as well. But there wasn't a place for the kids to play. So the they came up with a concept to to make a field kind of in between Little League and or a full sized ⁓ major league diamond ninety feet. So Pony came up with the eighty feet bases and the fifty four foot pitching mound ⁓ for the kids to play on which was a nice perfect fit for these kids. So it starts here in Washington group of leaders. ⁓ Roy Gillespie, ⁓ folks from the OR get together. ⁓ Joe E. Brown is the first president of Pony to come up with this age bracket of kids to get in to continue playing baseball, kind of a gap ⁓ between little league and high school. And ⁓ you know, it quickly takes off. It starts small. You know, there's one one league, six teams in Washington that quickly grows into a hundred, the thousand, the tens of thousands of teams ⁓ throughout the world. speaker-0: And it's not just the the so Pony is a division within Pony the organization. And so ⁓ tell us a little bit about the different age divisions and how the field kind of grows with each one. speaker-1: Yeah. Yeah. I think it's a great concept in terms of yeah, as I mentioned, Little League kinda helped Pony ⁓ establish it. They weren't really competitors, but quickly, ⁓ into the sixties and the seventies, Pony starts other age brackets and now Little League and Pony are kinda competitors. They are competitors. ⁓ so Pony started with the young kids, ⁓ Shetland, which is ⁓ five and six year olds. ⁓ Pinto seven and eight, Mustang nine and ten, bronco eleven and twelve, pony thirteen and fourteen, ⁓ colt, palomino, thoroughbred once upon a time was for kids ⁓ over eighteen. But the concept of the field growing by ⁓ ten foot increments, ⁓ you know, as I mentioned, pony is at eighty feet, ⁓ bronco is at seventy feet, going down, sixty feet, fifty feet, ⁓ which is just a nice increment in field sizes for the ⁓ more appropriate. Dimensions for kids of that age opposed to the ri Little Liggs original concept of, you know, seventy foot bases for everybody under age twelve. So you might have eight year old eight year olds competing against against twelve year olds. So there was kind of only one age bracket for them. So Pony kinda expanded that, divided it up into come with a better fit for all the kids to ⁓ hopefully enjoy the game of baseball. speaker-0: Yeah, for those that maybe didn't play ⁓ maybe they played little egg and then jumped straight into a high school sized field, it's a gigantic jump. Yeah. Yeah. You know, it's probably saved a lot of arms ⁓ for kids being able to throw across the diamond that's much considerably smaller. and then you look at, you know, the Shetland kids. so we play for for Canon Mac at Falcone and we've got five fields and they're all different. And field five is for the youngest group. And you know, when you're trying to hook kids, you want to get ⁓ interested in something right. If you put ⁓ on a size field that they can really excel at, maybe they hit a couple of dingers, you've got ⁓ right? You know? And so ⁓ yeah, as that fence goes back and the bases go back, it's just ⁓ you know, proportionally growing with the kids. And I I think that's great about speaker-1: And you as I ⁓ both know as having young boys that sometimes the physical nature of a kid ⁓ is drastically different. ⁓ and two nine year olds, one might look like they're thirteen, one might look like they're seven, that you know, the field size and the growth of a kid and the age of a kid and the and the build of a kid is drastically different. So this kind of just helps every kid have a chance to play. Yeah. speaker-0: So Pony, born in Washington County, is still in Washington County headquarters, ⁓ just down by EQT Park where the Washington Wild Things play and ⁓ Abe Key leads that organization. ⁓ I think it's really a point of pride for us in Washington County, ⁓ because we have such deep roots in baseball and and you know, to have our own frontier league team and to have the headquarters of an international organization and then to have the very best thirteen and fourteen year old players from around the world come here to compete. ⁓ I think it's pretty special. Where they compete, let's talk about that. So Lou Hayes Pony Field at Washington Park. Now, for those of you who have not been to the World Series, do your research because you're probably gonna go to the wrong place. You're gonna just gonna say, ⁓ I'll bet it's down where the wild things play. It's not. It's in Washington Park. Lou Hayes Pony Field. Tell us about how special that ballpark is and kind of the history of that ballpark. speaker-1: Yeah, very much so. Yeah. ⁓ as we mentioned, ⁓ Pony's ⁓ seventy fifth anniversary this year. So actually the first year they didn't have a World Series, the second year in nineteen fifty two there is a World Series. It's actually held at ⁓ Wash Hive Stadium, which was ⁓ adjacent to Wash Hive ⁓ high school's current football stadium. First World Series there in nineteen fifty two as they were started to build it now named Lou Hayes Pony Field, but the first in really only Pony League Stadium. Pony say age size stadium in the world. ⁓ they built it kinda and carved it out of the the hillside at Washington Park. ⁓ and people always ask, you know, yeah, we have had people go to the wild things or go to a different field. But yeah, as we mentioned, the field size. ⁓ this field at Lou Hayes Pony Field was built specifically for pony age kids and and it's really the perfect fit in terms of the fence size and the stadium and it's unique. It's kind of a throwback to the old major league baseball stadiums, the you know, the Forbes field. Or ⁓ Wrigley Field or Fenway Park or old speaker-0: There's something different about them, right? When you go into Fenway, you know, you're feeling a hundred years of baseball. Like you just feel it in your soul, right? This is one of those places speaker-1: Yes, yeah. It's ⁓ it's one of my favorite moments when I talked about being a van driver, to take a team from another country, from another part of our country, ⁓ an international team, and you kinda it's kinda hidden, right? Louis Pony Field is kinda hidden in the hillside there. So you don't really see it until you're up upon it. And one of the my favorite moments is bringing those kids to see that stadium that they're gonna get to play on that was built for them. That's ⁓ just just as we ⁓ as you mentioned, a special place. For a kid to play in a unique baseball environment. It's it's a one of one. speaker-0: What a load of work for your team to maintain that field, ⁓ to get it, you know, into tournament ready condition. I was there a week ago. It already looks fantastic. what you guys do from a volunteer perspective is it it's really incredible. Yeah. You know. from the staff that's working on the grass and making sure everything's perfectly manicured to the, you know, 16,000 signs that you need to put up and banners and and everything. It it comes to life and it comes to life in a very big way. And if you get a chance to go Especially if the Washington County team's plan, go for a night game. It's gonna be one of the best baseball experiences of your life because you just feel like you're in the right spot. Now, the event has evolved over time and like what what looks different today that maybe we didn't see ten, fifteen years ago? speaker-1: Yeah, probably the biggest difference is the T V coverage that we now have in the streaming of all the events, which is just awesome for all the people that are ⁓ outside of our area, that they get a chance to see ⁓ the events at Lou Hayes Pony Field, the kids back home from Mexico, from Chinese Taipei, from Paderborn, Germany, all those folks are gonna get to watch their kids play, ⁓ grandparents, aunts and uncles that maybe didn't get a chance to come over to Washington. ⁓ every game's gonna be available to ⁓ stream live and then also our ⁓ friends at West Virginia Radio, the great job that they do to produce ⁓ the T V and the streaming of the Pony Leg World series that we have an opportunity to show our games on T V, which is just cool, especially for the kids, right? They they get to play a g a t a game on T V. we we do have some major leaguers. ⁓ I know you're gonna talk about that. But I mean really For most of these kids, this is gonna kinda be their one opportunity to play on T V. Sure. ⁓ to play in that environment, to play in the T V. speaker-0: type game. You know, and then it gets archived for the rest of their lives and they can go back and watch that. Let's take a look at the bracket here. So if you know if you're out of town or you're not going to be able to be here in person, if you go to PLWS dot org, you can pull up the bracket. And when you look at the bracket, obviously you're gonna see who's playing when they're playing. But on that bracket you've got ⁓ the the games that are gonna be live on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and ⁓ on Sportsnet Pittsburgh plus so you can see, you know If you're out of town, if you do want to watch it on TV, that's when you can tune in. So you've also got a jumbotron, you know, which steps up things and and makes you feel you're like you're at a big league ballpark. ⁓ that's always ki cool for the kids to get to see themselves on there and some replays from time to time, right? ⁓ so you know, a lot of change over the years. Where would you hope to see this event evolve in the future and and what are the possibilities? speaker-1: Right, yeah. I mean the growth of the event over the last ten years has been tremendous. ⁓ with the ⁓ as we just talked about the teving and the street the T V and the streaming, but also our ⁓ our larger corporate sponsors. I mean we have a a ton of sponsors that really help put this puzzle together. But the growth are our title sponsors first with Dix becoming our first title sponsor, and now Printscape and our relationship with them, our friends at the C N X Foundation, ⁓ the tourism, the growth of tourism for Washington County and their support. And Jeff Catula's been a big help ⁓ to grow our event. So really just continued path. ⁓ t a little bit more TV would be great. A little bit better TV, I guess would be one of the things, but you mentioned the Jumbo Tron. ⁓ we're looking at some facility improvements. ⁓ Lou A's Ponyfield is old, ⁓ and it's unique. But yeah, we could use some ⁓ and we continue to use our ⁓ funds that we generate for the event to do improvements, capital improvements at the facility. So that increase the fan experience. speaker-0: I'm curious, you know, you've seen, played in, umpired countless games. Is there is there a moment that sticks in your mind that like still gives you chills to this speaker-1: Yeah, so one of my favorite things I get to do every year ⁓ prior to the championship game, ⁓ the championship broadcast is ⁓ when it's about to go live, I'll sneak into the T V production vehicle and get in there and watch the preview that ⁓ the kind of the recap and the preview of the championship game is it's kinda it's my chance to kinda take a minute and sit back all the work that we do for twelve months and it kinda in w in one minute, but it it it makes it all worthwhile to see that emotion and those ⁓ memories and those ⁓ plays from that year's ⁓ World Series. So every year I get to enjoy that. So it's a continued memory that I get to enjoy each year. speaker-0: I can totally relate and I would have probably answered the the question the same way, having come from the golf world. You know, when you put in all this work on a year-round basis, the culmination of that work is when you can sit down and take a breath for a second and see it all come live, you know? So let's talk about what what does it take to get to the World Series? Let's talk about the qualifying structure, some of the different zones. I know we've already got, what, four zones that are in ⁓ today and several more that are yet to be in. ⁓ but how does that all work? speaker-1: Yeah, so ⁓ one of the unique things about the World Series that you gotta qualify. ⁓ so we have ten teams. ⁓ Washington County qualifies by hosting the event. So in the pony system, if you agree to host the event and kind of take on the responsibilities, the costs of ⁓ of hosting the event, ⁓ hosting the teams, you get a automatic birth. So we have nine one team automatically qualifies, Washington County, and then we have nine teams that ⁓ have to qualify. So we have the four international teams. ⁓ that we already have in place. ⁓ we have a team from ⁓ Mexico. speaker-0: Yep. And I'm gonna take a I'm gonna take a stab at that pronunciation. Navajoa, Mexico. ⁓ you've got from the European zone, right, Paderborn, Germany. From the Asia Pacific zone, you've got Tai Chung Chinese Taipei. And from the Caribbean zone, Guyanabo, Puerto Rico. Yeah. So those are the guys that are in so far. speaker-1: Yeah, so obviously ⁓ their qualifying starts a little bit earlier. in their challenge to get here is a little bit more complicated. Their travel plans need to ⁓ take a little bit more effort. ⁓ so typically they qualify a little earlier and then upcoming we'll have our kind of our US zones, ⁓ the south, north, east, and west. And then our tenth team would be the host area, which is kind of the tri state area. ⁓ those folks also have an opportunity to qualify. Which helps us ⁓ support the event. We're gonna have another kind of local team ⁓ within the area, within the region. ⁓ speaker-0: Yeah, we saw that in a big way last year when the South Hills team qualified and played quite well throughout the World Series. Yeah. speaker-1: The last few years South Hills is a kind of a newer league, ⁓ kind of follows the path of the Washington County League. ⁓ kind of an expanded more l slightly different from our traditional maybe a smaller local league that ⁓ several local leagues combined to form a bigger league that just gives those kids an opportunity. ⁓ you can have more kids to choose from, ⁓ more bigger pool talent pool to choose from. And which has shown we've been ⁓ more competitive. ⁓ Washington County's been into the finals two out of last three years and we kinda anticipate a similar path this year for ⁓ that they're ⁓ the quality of player just because the pool's bigger. So you mentioned South Hills, which is a group ⁓ I think Mount Lebanon, Upper Saint Clair, Peters Township, Bethel Park have got together to form the South Hills League. Now they have a larger pole of players to pick for and they were very successful last year as well. speaker-0: So let's let's talk about the founders leg a little bit. Tell tell kind of how that got started. And and let's say I'm I'm a fourteen year old, it's my year, but I have no idea what I need to do to try out. What does that process look like for me if I'm from Washington County and and this is my year? speaker-1: Yeah, w actually we thank I always thank ⁓ you guys, tourism, Jeff Gatullah was one of those kinda ⁓ ten, fifteen years ago, like why don't why isn't a team a Washington County team? Why are we only choosing from Washington, which was would be WIB, which would be like Washington School District, Trinity School District, just a small pool of players. And we talked about it, thought about it, and kicked it around for a number of different years and ⁓ with the help of a few gentlemen, Rick Kernberger and Dale Lalley, kinda kinda put The wheels in motion reached out to our other leagues ⁓ in the Washington County area to see, hey, can we come together at pony league level to form what was now called the Founders League? speaker-0: What are those other st ⁓ legs? speaker-1: Yeah, so it's almost kind of talk about school districts, ⁓ which is Fort Cherry, Cannon Mac, down to the valley, ⁓ Ring Gold, Charleroi, and then out on the western part of the county, Fort Cherry, Burgastown, Short Chairs, Houston. So really every school district in the county, with the exception of Peters, who participates in the South Hills League, they partner with them. All of those school districts kind of come together, ⁓ play in a in a league this year. The Founders League had twenty teams. They play a a regular season. with all those teams and then there's a tryout process that kids that are it's an open tryout, any kid that wants to try out. Now specifically for our leg, we talk about pony thirteen and fourteen, but in our concept our setup in order to give more kids the opportunity to participate, only fourteen year olds are eligible for the Washington County team. Thirteens that's an internal rule that we have, they have that only fourteen year old kids are eligible. So then they try out. And then the kid w the that team was just formed a month ago and they'll play in some tournaments and practice together for about a month in preparation of the event. speaker-0: So, you know, we're a couple of weeks out from the event. Let let's talk about what's coming up that ⁓ you know the general public can participate in. I know, you know, in the past we've had the first Fridays event down at the community pavilion in Washington. This year that first Friday happens to be Saturday, August first. ⁓ tell us about that event a little bit. speaker-1: Yeah, that that event will kinda kick off and that's a special event 'cause that'll kinda kick off our World Series action and that's an opportunity to kind of for our folks to meet and greet our Washington County team, our ⁓ our pony princesses, ⁓ that are our young ladies of the same age that get to help and participate in the Pony League World Series from that side. And with the help of ⁓ the observer reporter, I I think I mentioned earlier that like ponies kind of evolves out of the offices of the observer reporter. ⁓ and so that's unique that ⁓ it started there. They're still a big supporter of us. Carol Carol D'Angelo is a ⁓ great friend of the of the program and our event. So we'll partner with them ⁓ in with the help of CNX sponsoring that event to meet the team and just kind of a social gathering ⁓ at the at a smaller level, just talking about the Washington County kids and getting to honor them before we welcome them in our folks from around the world. speaker-0: It's always a bunch of fun. I hope I don't stick my foot in my mouth, but I know in years past you've had baseball cards reach the players and a a lot of the younger players around the area can get autographs. Yes, yeah. speaker-1: Super cool. Yeah, it's super cool. We get those kids, we get baseball cards made up of players. ⁓ both actually the players and the pony princesses and gets them a kinda an opportunity to sign autographs and kind of be ⁓ big time for a night and ⁓ ahead of the Pony League Worlds. speaker-0: I mean what a cool opportunity we have as a community to kind of lift these kids up. I mean, this is something that they'll probably never get to do again in their lives. You know, they're gonna go on to be doctors and lawyers and teachers and whatever, right? But this is their moment to be rock stars, right? And and I love to see the community get behind them and like give them their moment. Yeah. Right? Yeah. So, you know, as we move on, the the first game is is ⁓ Friday, August seventh, but let's back up a day. On Thursday, August 6th. At Dick Sporting Goods in Washington, the brand new Dick Sporting Goods location, we'll have FanFest. Tell us about that. I've been there every year a lot. speaker-1: Yeah, yeah, special event to kinda kick off. ⁓ we mentioned our ⁓ first ⁓ Saturday event to honor the Washington, but that's our first event with all the teams kinda in town to kinda introduce the teams, let them ⁓ meet each other in a kind of a a relaxed atmosphere at the ⁓ Dick Sporting Goods store. ⁓ an opportunity for ⁓ us to just kinda hang out. we have some vendors and some of our sponsors will get to participate in that event and it's just a nice little way to kick off the ⁓ Pony League World Series with ⁓ fanfest on ⁓ on Thursday night before we dive into baseball. speaker-0: Yeah, it's a ton of fun. Now let's move into day one. August seventh. We've got games one and two. ⁓ but before that we have ⁓ skills competitions, right? Yeah. Yeah so home run derby, fastest runner. speaker-1: Yeah. Those yeah, yeah, that's it. Yeah. ⁓ thankful for W and J College to be our sponsor of our skills competition. It's been around for twenty plus years. ⁓ as we ⁓ approach the major league all-star break and the home run derby that those ⁓ those professionals get to get to participate in. It gives our opportunity for our kids to kind of see and get to do something similar. ⁓ once once again a once in a lifetime probably opportunity to participate in a home run derby. And then also the fastest runner is a the piece at ⁓ the skills competition ⁓ Friday morning. speaker-0: So Saturday, before games three through five, something extremely magical happens. Tell us about the champions game. ⁓ the Chapman Corporation stepped up to help support. speaker-1: Yeah, one of the there's so many memories, so many unique pieces to the ⁓ Pony League World Series. But one of the very special events is the champions again and gives our ⁓ special needs maybe the kids that didn't have the opportunity that have limitations in terms of their physical and mental capabilities, an opportunity to take the field with our Pony League World Series. And I think it's it's great for both sides. ⁓ those those special challenge athletes to get an opportunity to take the field. Lou Hayes Ponyfield, the stadium, they get to come out and play some ball, but also the the way it impacts the thirteen and fourteen year old kids to see how lucky they are. ⁓ maybe don't worry about man, I w I wish I would have got to start tonight or why didn't I get to play coach? And then you look at those kids that they're never gonna have a chance. So don't worry about the little details of I didn't get to play or I didn't get the bat. That you see someone that's just smiling and happy, they get to run the bases, get an opportunity to take the ball field that maybe we would take for granted, but they don't. speaker-0: Pure baseball. Now that night, the you know, if you check out the bracket again, you'll see Game 5, the Washington County team is going to be playing at 5 p.m. And for that game, the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency is going to be given out a thousand pairs of these sweet socks. Get yourself a pair of these, be one of the first thousand people to get there Saturday evening, August 8th. Now moving into the ninth, we've got ⁓ military and first responders appreciation night. ⁓ but that morning on Sunday you have the champions breakfast and and I've been to it so I kinda understand what it's about, but but the public's not gonna get to see this. Tell them what's going on behind. speaker-1: Yeah, so the champions Berks and trip breakfast has been a tradition for over fifty years that it gets kind of the kids and the teams it's probably the only one opportunity we're under a singular roof, ⁓ that we get together for breakfast and we have all the teams in the room. ⁓ most of the parents that have traveled with them will also join us in that room. And we'll just get to interact and and enjoy a meal together. But also it's an opportunity that each of the teams will get up and introduce their t introduced themselves, talk about their team, talk about their journeys. It's just really a special event on a Sunday morning that we have an opportunity ⁓ because not long after that, teams will start being eliminated. ⁓ the action moves pretty quick in the event. ⁓ it's packed full of games. So that'll kind of be the last chance that we have all ten teams together for an event. And it's just, yeah, it's a special, unique one of those things, it's more than a baseball tournament. The baseball's great. But as you mentioned, there's a lot of events with the fan fest and the skills competition, the championship Champions game and then we have the breakfast. So it's really more than just a baseball tournament. ⁓ it's it's an event ⁓ that the kids get to interact, ⁓ hear people f from different parts of the world speak different languages. Yeah. speaker-0: That's best part. That's really neat. Now, Monday, August 10th, we've got games nine through twelve, and it's Pittsburgh Pirates Night. I know you have a big giveaway. Are you allowed to say what it is? speaker-1: We are. Yeah. The Pirates have ⁓ yeah, they're gonna they provided us each year they give us kind of some of their their their gate giveaways. So this year they're giving us Paul Skeen's bobbleheads. So we're excited to have those. And it's just ⁓ you talk about a special night when we have Joe Kumchak come down, ⁓ the Pirates Brigade comes down, the Pirate Parrot will be there, we'll have a little pierogi race on the field. So just another one of those things that for the kids and the folks that, you know, we take a major league concept a major league atmosphere and bring those folks down and they've been a great sponsor and partner of ours and excited to have them on board once again this year. speaker-0: Always a always a cool night. Moving into Tuesday the eleventh, we've got games thirteen through sixteenth, and that's brought to us by Pathways of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Youth Night. ⁓ and then Wednesday, if necessary, we'll have games seventeen and eighteen, but we will for sure have the championship game that night at seven and Princecape, again, such a huge supporter of this event. ⁓ you know, thinking back to watching years of these championship games, and it's gonna be awfully hard for me to ever miss one because again, it's Special. It's magical. You know, that night game when the when the stands are packed, that's the place to be in Washington County. Now, we talked a lot about volunteers and none of this happens without your team and everybody that pitches in from concessions to merchandise to parking. ⁓ you know, what are some of those other positions that you guys need help with? And if somebody wanted to volunteer, how can they sign up? Yeah. speaker-1: We actually have ⁓ a few years ago we started a a volunteer program, our rewards program that was kinda al always a loose program that we had a core group of volunteers who would come out and help in all those different ⁓ facets of the event. But yeah, we were able to help with some of our sponsors that we had kind of a rewards program in addition to ⁓ and some nice thank yous that our sponsors provided us. CNX gives us ⁓ Amazon gift cards, Dix gives us Dick's ⁓ gift cards. So we and pirates give ⁓ tickets. So we have an opportunity, yeah. If you go on our website, plws dot org. ⁓ there's we have a volunteer program that you can register if you'd like to help. Would you like to buy be a volunteer, whether you've been out there or whether you haven't. We we got a place for you. There's not we could never have too many volunteers. This is a lot of work over ⁓ you know, the the six day ⁓ period of the event. So yeah, if anybody would wanna help, we'd we'd be glad to have you. ⁓ We'll start you small, we'll find a good spot for ya and just help with the event. I think you'll you'll enjoy it. Not only w do we need you, but you'll also I think it's something you'll enjoy to participate in. Yeah. speaker-0: Absolutely. Now y if you don't have tickets yet, you can get them online, you can get them at the gate, but ⁓ ten bucks for adults, five bucks for kids, what under fourteen. ⁓ maybe the smarter play is getting the whole series passed 'cause you're gonna go once and then you're gonna want to come a second time. Yeah. ⁓ and that's forty bucks for adults and twenty bucks for kids. speaker-1: Yeah, so we're a general mission facility. Those prices for aren't aren't per game, they're per day. ⁓ but yeah, the the pass is the best value in town for forty dollars, get you in all week long. And ⁓ as we said, the kids based on ⁓ the youth, fourteen year old kind of fall falling the ⁓ age bracket of pony are available on our website. but also if you don't have a chance, you can buy ⁓ at the gate. We sell it's a we're a we're a cash facility. ⁓ you don't need to buy a ticket in advance. You can walk up to the gate and hand our And our folks at the gate, our volunteers at the gate a ten dollar bill and that'll get you in that day. speaker-0: Well, Nate, can't thank you enough. I'm looking forward to this. I know my kids are looking forward to this. ⁓ Thanks for joining us today. I hope to see you all out there. I'm serious. August seventh through the twelfth, Lou Hayes Pony Field in Washington Park. Go to plws dot org to sign up as a volunteer or to get your tickets. We'll see you next week. But in a couple of weeks we're gonna see at Lou Hayes Pony Field.