PIRATES BASEBALL SUMMER CAMPS FAQS

What are the camp hours?

Camp runs from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Optional extended day programs are available before and after camp beginning at 7:30 a.m. and running until 6:00 p.m.

We also offer semi-private lessons which run after camp until 4:00 p.m. Semi-private lessons foster an environment for ballplayers to continue building on the skills they've learned at camp through additional instruction and coaching. These hitting and pitching lessons have limited capacity and fill well before the camp week begins so reserve your camper's spot early!

What does my ballplayer need to bring to camp?

A Pirates Baseball Summer Camps jersey and hat will be provided to each player at check-in of the first day of camp.

Everything brought to camp should be labeled with your ballplayer's first initial and last name. Your ballplayer should bring:

• Baseball glove
• Cleats and athletic shoes (please bring sneakers so that your ballplayer can participate fully in indoor activities in the event of inclement weather)
• Sunscreen (spray sunscreen is recommended over lotion)
• Lunch in a lunch bag labeled clearly with the ballplayer's name
• Water bottle to be refilled throughout the day (we provide plenty of water at all times)

We have helmets, bats and catcher's gear available for ballplayers to use if they do not bring their own.

What is the age range for ballplayers?

All children between rising kindergarten and rising eighth grades are welcome at Pirates Camps.

Do ballplayers need prior baseball experience?

We do not have ability or experience requirements; we welcome ballplayers of all levels of experience - from first-time ballplayers to travel team players.

Do you separate children by grade?

Yes - all Pirates ballplayers are separated into divisions based on their rising grade. Ballplayers take part in drills and competitions within their division to ensure the best possible competitive balance for a fun and developmental experience while at camp.

Can my ballplayer be on the same team as his or her friend/teammate/sibling?

Yes! During our registration process, you can request that your ballplayer is placed on the same team as his or her friends by creating a new Buddy Group or joining an existing Buddy Group.

Ballplayers may request up to three (3) teammates. We do our best to group your ballplayer with at least one requested teammate provided that both teammates are members of the same rising grade.

Please note: we are unable to guarantee that your ballplayer will be teamed with his or her requested friends, depending on age group and enrollment and team distribution.

What is the ballplayer to counselor ratio at Pirates Baseball Summer Camps?

We aim to provide an environment where ballplayers benefit from both individual and small group learning and instruction. For our younger ballplayers (6 and under), our goal is to maintain a ballplayer to coach ratio of approximately 7:1 on their individual team. For older ballplayers (7 and up), the approximate ratio is 9:1. For the site as a whole, the ballplayer-to-coach ratio is 6:1 - including our Leadership Team, such as our Site Leader and Camp & Safety Coordinator.

Do you offer any discounts?

We offer a 10% sibling discount. This discount applies automatically at registration checkout when two or more ballplayers are enrolled in the same family. Please note: the 10% sibling discount is only applied to the tuition of the additional sibling.

We also offer team discounts - please contact us at [email protected] for more information.

Do I receive a confirmation when I register?

Once you register and pay for your camp session(s), you will receive a confirmation email for your records. This email serves as your confirmation of registration for camp.

Will I receive additional information about camp after I register?

As we approach the summer, we'll be communicating further details to get you and your camper fully prepared for camp via email. Email communication will be shared with the primary account email address provided at registration. If you registered for camp and did not receive a confirmation email, please contact us.

The week before camp, we'll send out more detailed information about your camp session(s), including drop-off location and instructions, procedures for Monday morning, what to bring to camp, as well as friendly tips and reminders. In addition to this pre-camp information, you'll receive a handful of emails while your ballplayer is with us during the week, including some details on what they're doing during the day and how to plan for the stadium visit.

What happens when a ballplayer is enrolled on a waitlist?

When a camp session reaches capacity, we will move that session to a waitlist. Adding your ballplayer's name to the waitlist for a session is free of charge and you will not need to provide credit card information at that time. Each year, some spots open in sessions that have reached capacity as summer plans change. If a spot opens for your ballplayer, we will contact you immediately via phone to confirm that you'd still like to enroll your ballplayer in the session. At that time, we will take credit card information and enroll your ballplayer(s) into camp.

Do you accept "walk-up" registrations?

Because we expect each camp week to sell out, we do not accept walk-up registrations. All registrations must be completed online prior to Monday before camp begins, if the camp program is not already sold out.

What are Pirates Camps policies on refunds, credits and transfers?

Due to limited enrollment of Pirates Camps programs, no refunds will be offered, either of deposits made or payments in full. In the event that a ballplayer is unable to attend camp the week for which they are registered, there are options - please review our "Policies."

When will my ballplayer(s) receive a uniform?

All ballplayers will be provided an official Pirates Camp jersey and hat on the first morning of their camp session. On the first day of the session, ballplayers should arrive dressed as follows:

• Regular T-shirt (regular cotton or performance wear)
• Athletic shorts, sweatpants, or baseball/softball pants
• Shoes and/or cleats of choice

For the first day of camp, ballplayers will wear their Pirates Camp jersey and hat with the pants they wear that morning. At the conclusion of Monday's camp day, players participating in the World Series Experience will receive a bag with the remaining Pirates Camp uniform components - pants, belt, and socks. For the remainder of the camp session, ballplayers should wear their Pirates Camp uniform each day.

Does my child need to wear his/her uniform every day?

Ballplayers are expected to wear their Pirates Camp uniform each day of camp, with the exception of Monday, when they will wear the jersey and hat. An additional jersey ($40) and baseball pants ($25) are available for purchase during the registration process and can also be purchased after registration is completed as well.

Do I need to pack a lunch for my ballplayer(s) each day?

Yes. Please send your ballplayer(s) to camp with a lunch bag labeled clearly with his or her name. If you pack anything that needs to be kept cool, please include an icepack in the lunch bag. We will keep all lunches in a cool area, but we do not refrigerate them. If your ballplayer's lunch requires utensils, please include those in the lunch bag.

Does Pirates Camp provide sunscreen?

We encourage ballplayers to bring their own sunscreen. However, we have sunscreen on-site if your ballplayer(s) forgets or loses their own.

How do you handle inclement weather?

Regardless of weather, camp will not be canceled. If we encounter heavy rain or thunderstorms or if the fields are too damp to play on for a particular day, we will temporarily move programming inside - and will move activities back outside as soon as it is safe to do so.

What precautions do you take to handle the summer heat?

Our entire coaching staff understands that the summer heat can drain a ballplayer throughout the day and week. Water is always available, and ballplayers are required to take water breaks and sunscreen re-application breaks throughout the day. In extreme cases, we will seek indoor facilities to escape heat. Should this situation arise, we will send out a message prior to the start of camp with helpful instructions on what you can do to prepare your ballplayer for a hot camp day, as well as information on what precautions we will be taking to combat the heat.

Can parents come watch the camp activities?

Yes! Parents are more than welcome to stay and watch camp. However, we try to encourage little to no ballplayer-to-parent interaction as we'd like our ballplayers to be focused on the on-field activities and their teammates. We've found that the best way to facilitate a positive and developmental experience for ballplayers is to have them acclimate as quickly and as independently as possible on Monday morning. Please also keep in mind that parents are unable to attend the trip to PNC Park.

Can Pirates Baseball Summer Camps accommodate children with life-threatening allergies?

Yes. Families with children who have peanut, tree nut, or other life-threatening allergies can feel safe and comfortable at our summer camps. At the beginning of each camp day, our camp staff will take special note of children with life-threatening allergies by placing a mandatory, but inconspicuous, colored bracelet around the ballplayer's wrist marked with the child's name for identification purposes (in case of Epi-Pen use, etc). During lunch and snack breaks, ballplayers with food allergies will sit with our Camp & Safety Coordinator at our Nut-free & Allergen Alert Table. Parents will have the option to release their ballplayer(s) from this table. If your ballplayer is required to sit at the Nut-free & Allergen Alert Table, please keep in mind that their snack and lunch must be free of common food allergens (including tree nuts, peanuts, dairy, soy, and shellfish) to ensure a safe environment for other ballplayers also required to sit at the table.

If your ballplayer is bringing medication to camp (i.e. Epi-Pen), your ballplayer's coach will have the medication on hand in a fanny pack at all times during camp. The medication will be checked in on Monday morning of camp with our Camp & Safety Coordinator and will be returned on Friday at check-out. These procedures and policies will be clearly communicated in advance of camp to ballplayers who have indicated that they'll be bringing medication to camp.

How do the ballplayers get to and from PNC Park?

Pirates ballplayers will travel to and from the stadium in a charter bus, in the same fashion that the Pirates would arrive at an opposing ballpark! Coaches are spread throughout each bus to ensure proper supervision, and conduct attendance checks regularly throughout our stadium experience and each time we exit or enter the bus.

Is the trip to PNC Park an all-day visit?

Yes. The camp hours will stay roughly the same, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. In some cases, buses will leave earlier or arrive later than the scheduled camp hours - if that is the case, we will communicate any changes regarding the times well in advance of the visit to PNC Park.

Can parents go on the visit to PNC Park?

No. Due to safety and logistics concerns, only Pirates ballplayers and Pirates Baseball Summer Camps staff are allowed to enter the stadium during our visit. Every detail about the trip and tour has been designed with safety (of ballplayers and parents/guardians alike) as the top priority, and to maximize their fan experience at PNC Park.

If you cannot find the answer to your question or would like to speak with someone in more detail, please contact us at [email protected] or give us a call at 412-386-9099.