Next week Marion High School will play host to two postseason tournaments.

Seven softball teams will come to Marion Monday through Thursday for a 3A regional, while 16 track and field squads will be at Warrior Stadium May 22 for a track regional.

It is the second and third postseason tournaments held at Marion this season after playing host to a 3A basketball sub-state.

Last year, MHS held a regional baseball tournament on its field, and the regional track meet is the third in five seasons at Marion.

With new facilities and top-notch care of older ones, there are sure to be more to come.

Hosting postseason tournaments is good for a number of reasons.

The obvious is home-field advantage. The Warrior teams are familiar with their surroundings, and do not have to travel.

There also is the fact that tournaments bring people to town.

People have to eat.

People have to have a place to sleep.

People have (like) to shop.

People. People. People.

Marion is not going to turn into a town with millions of dollars of surplus from a few high school tournaments each season. However, the town certainly doesn’t lose money when it plays host.

Finally, the tournaments are a chance to showcase Marion.

When these tournaments are being played, out-of-towners have a chance to experience the town and see what Marion has to offer.

If presented well, it could even cause someone to want to move here.

During a regional Babe Ruth baseball tournament in 2008 that brought teams from six states, a parent of a Colorado player told me he would love to come back sometime and fish.

It’s the little things that don’t show up in city budget reports or the construction of brand new buildings.

Tournaments provide an opportunity for people outside of town to see what Marion brings to the table, and a chance for local residents to be proud of the place they call home.

The MHS athletic department, in particular activities director Tod Gordon, deserves much of the credit.

However, it also takes volunteers to make special events run smooth.

USD 408 staff members, as well as Marion residents, come together to take tickets, announce games, help with track and field events, bring food for volunteers, and anything else needed to make it work.

Marion, and everyone involved, deserve a pats on their backs.