Cameron Hoover
choover@post-gazette.com
July 23, 2022
After two years away due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Steelers training camp is back where it belongs at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe. Fans will be back in attendance, and there are no shortages of storylines when players report on July 26.
On the field, visitors can look forward to a quarterback competition and first looks at rookies and veteran players alike, but the Steelers have also stepped up the fan experience with giveaways, photo opportunities and interactive experiences.
Here’s a guide to help you navigate through it all:
Players stretch before a 2017 afternoon practice at Saint Vincent College. (Peter Diana/Post-Gazette)
Schedule
There will be 18 Steelers practices for fans to attend. Fan-related festivities begin on July 27 when the Steelers hold their first (helmets-only) practice. The first practice in full pads will be the following Monday, Aug. 1. The final practice open to the public before breaking camp will be Aug. 18.
The popular nighttime “Friday Night Lights” practice will be held on Aug. 5 at 7 p.m. at Latrobe Memorial Stadium. Presale tickets can be purchased at Greater Latrobe Athletic Office on the Greater Latrobe Senior High Campus (131 High School Road, Latrobe, PA 15650). Tickets can also be purchased at Latrobe Memorial Stadium throughout the day on Aug. 5. Tickets are $5, but children under 5 years old get in free.
Latrobe Chamber of Commerce is putting on a Steeler Fest on the street adjacent outside the stadium from 11 a.m. until about 4 p.m. with games, vendors and a band. The team will hold about a 20- to 25-minute autograph session before practice begins. A Zambelli fireworks display caps the evening.
The women’s training camp, where women can run on-field drills led by former Steelers, get sideline access during practice and participate in an autograph session, is Saturday, Aug. 6.
All practices (except for Friday Night Lights) are scheduled for 1:55 p.m., but doors open to the public at noon. Admission is free, but you do need a ticket, with the team suggesting mobile ticketing for the fastest and most secure entry.
While autographs aren’t guaranteed, players regularly visit fan areas after practice to sign items. There will also be an official Steelers Pro Shop location for official team merchandise and memorabilia, plus the Steelers Nation Unite Tent where visitors can spin a prize wheel and participate in various drills. Tailgating isn’t permitted.
The Hampton Inn hotel and Sharky's Cafe on Lincoln Highway in Latrobe are two choices among many for spectators and visitors. (Alexandra Wimley/Post-Gazette)
Where to stay
Free parking is available for fans attending camp. The parking lot entrance is located at the intersection of Saint Vincent Drive and Brouwers Road and is marked by directional signage.
Parking in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act can be found at the intersection of Saint Vincent Drive and Fraser Purchase Road. Once you have arrived on Saint Vincent’s campus, you can follow Monastery Road to the designated ADA lot.
If you’re making a more extended trip out of it than a one-day excursion, there is no shortage of places to stay, traditional and otherwise.
For hotels, Latrobe has a Hampton Inn and a SpringHill Suites by Marriott, while nearby Greensburg sports a Hampton Inn and a Red Roof Inn. Other options include a Ramada by Wyndham in Ligonier and a Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Donegal Township.
There are also numerous options on online lodging sites like Airbnb and Vrbo.
Fans look for their favorite players as they walk onto the field at training camp in 2019 at Saint Vincent College. (Alexandra Wimley/Post-Gazette)
Before you go
In line with keeping fans safe, there are quite a few rules and regulations in place for Steelers training camp.
There is a clear bag policy, and bags can’t exceed 12 inches by 6 inches by 12 inches. The following are among prohibited items: firearms, fireworks, alcohol, audio recording devices, laser pointers, noisemakers and smoking of any kind, including vapes. Beyond those, security can prohibit items it deems unsafe or unacceptable.
Fans are encouraged to bring their own chairs, as bleacher space is limited. Pets are not permitted to attend unless they’re service animals. Filming or recording practices on any device is also prohibited.
Local EMS, campus security and law enforcement representatives will be available on campus.
Fans won’t be required to wear masks or be vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend.
Chuck Noll Field is at the center of Saint Vincent's campus. (Alexandra Wimley/Post-Gazette)
What’s new
Well, technically, if you’re going off the past two years, everything is new, as this is the first Steelers training camp open to the public at Saint Vincent since 2019.
But, really, isn’t that the beauty of it? While most sporting events and fan experiences try to draw in new visitors with upcoming technologies and fancy promotional packages, it seems Steelers training camp this year is all about returning to a sense of normalcy, to the traditional way it used to be before everything changed with the COVID-19 pandemic. So it appears the Steelers are going more for a regained sense of camaraderie than any of the flashy attention-grabbers you might come to expect from yearly updates to beloved events.
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People eat and drink at Dino's Sports Lounge in Latrobe. (Alexandra Wimley/Post-Gazette)
Where to eat + drink
On campus for training camp, fans will have access to concessions, including cook-out style grilled food items and various beverages, but local businesses will no doubt be eager to enjoy some of the business they’ve lost in the past two years without the Steelers coming to town.
Sharky’s Cafe bills itself as “the area’s most complete sports restaurant” and boasts over 30 high-definition televisions, up to 250 seats, three pool tables, a game room and two golf simulators. The menu includes traditional American food like burgers, wings and cheesesteaks.
Dino’s is another option, with locations in Latrobe and nearby Greensburg. Monday and Tuesday are wing night (sweet and hot is a go-to flavor), with other daily specials throughout the week. They also have burgers, sandwiches and “gourmet superdogs.”
In the mood for pizza? There’s Jioio’s. On top of their flaky, thin-crust, sweet-sauced pizzas, they also have sandwiches and traditional pasta dinners. Try the pierogi pizza. Another opposite option would be Hotel Loyal, sporting thicker crusts on their pies.
For more traditional Italian fare, try Rizzo’s Malabar Inn in Crabtree. It’s on the way to Latrobe if you’re coming from Pittsburgh, and they serve homemade pasta dishes among other Italian favorites.
A view of Main Street in Latrobe, an easy drive from the training camp. (Alexandra Wimley/Post-Gazette.)
Around Saint Vincent College
Practice over and you’re looking for something else to do? There’s plenty in Latrobe and in Westmoreland County in general.
Latrobe was Fred Rogers’ (first) neighborhood. The Pittsburgh TV icon was born there, so there are a few references to his life around town, including an exhibit at the Fred M. Rogers Center building on Saint Vincent’s campus. There is also a statue of Rogers on a park bench at the corner of Jefferson and Main streets in James Hillis Rogers Park.
Other attractions in Westmoreland County include Fort Ligonier, a historically accurate reproduction of the British fort from the French and Indian War; IdleWild Park & Soakzone theme park; Wolf Rocks overlook, among other hiking and forest excursions; and Live! Casino in Greensburg.
Top photo: Young fans reach out to get high-fives from players as they walk onto the field at the Steelers training camp, Saturday, July 27, 2019, at Saint Vincent College. (Alexandra Wimley/Post-Gazette)
Tyler Pecyna/Post-Gazette