Tournaments like the 2023 PBR Mid American Classic are not easy - but they are important.

That's the prevailing message from Sudbury 14U Voyageurs head coach Max Rydholm, his team beaten quite soundly in three straight games in Toledo (Ohio) last weekend.

"Out of all of the players on our team, only one had played in America before," noted the Thunder Bay native recently. "It was really, really cool for a lot of those kids to get a chance to see what is on the other side of the border."

"There were some talented teams that we played against. As a really young team, all of these things are part of growing, the building blocks."

Losses at the hands of the Adrian Lookouts (12-4 - Michigan), the NWO Prospects (11-0 - Perrysburg, Ohio) and the Pirates Prime Elite (8-3 - Monclova, Ohio) have been chalked up to experience, with Rydholm fully satisfied that his first year PBLO squad is making progress.

"One of the biggest things at the start of the year was our composure and our body language," he said. "I want to say that I was really impressed with everybody this weekend. When things went wrong, we did not give up."

"It was cool to see them all come together in the dugout, talking about baseball a little bit more, helping each other out, picking each other up."

And for as much as Rydholm has set the expectation of steps that need to be taken forward, he is also trying to hold himself to that very same standard.

"It takes some getting used to our schedule, which is a grind," he acknowledged. "I have found some ways that allow me to stay more engaged. Without the journey of this schedule, I wouldn't have been able to learn thses things about myself."

Small wins at the plate included a three-hit weekend for Chase Taylor, with Tanner Morris, Ben Kent (guest player from Newfoundland) and Harry Yeamans also finishing with multiple hits - the latter also scoring a pair of runs.

Carter Brownlee and Landen Creasey showed some pop with their bats, driving in two runs apiece.

While the Voyageurs' pitchers did get roughed up some, glimpses of strong outings were delivered by the likes of Ben Gervais (1 IP - no runs), Brett Rienguette (2 IP - one run) and Thunder Bay native Leland Lesperance (2 IP - three runs).