Full games

Xrayaries

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I would love for a TD to give us a tourney with full games. 7 innings with int tiebreaker. I would pay more for that event with. 3gg vs a tourney with 75min time limit with 4gg.

Some 75min games you only get through your order once. You can pitch your starter all 4 games because she only throws 50p per game.

7inning games will showcase not only coaching skill, but the will for a team to win a battle. Force coaches to use a second or third pitcher. Really showcase the talent of your team.

Just my thoughts. Don't kick me too hard.
 

daboss

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I believe most coaches would agree with you Xrayaries but with all do respect it simply is not feasible. Tournaments are held to make money. A certain number of teams paying entry fees are needed to break even because of the expenses (field rental, lights per night, field crews to name a few). Once you surpass that number to cover expenses you enter the profit side of the ledger. Add concession revenue and any other money-making gimmicks and the whole thing becomes worth the effort. A tournament director needs to be able to schedule all the games into a time frame that is more predictable. Games without time limits, especially during pool play, are too unpredictable. To quote a saying "It is what it is."

One of the ways to overcome this is to host single or double elimination tournaments. The expenses such as field rental and lighting would still be the same. Would you be willing to pay the same amount or possibly more money if only guaranteed 1 or 2 games for the weekend? Most will answer no.

Let me put this into perspective and again I mean no disrespect. When new teams enter the travelball world they normally go thru a learning curve. They seldom win many games, hence they normally play the minimum number of games guaranteed. As they improve they enter the middle 50% (rough estimate) of the overall age group of teams participating. They play the most games of any of the teams for the weekend yet they many times fall short of winning the tournament. The elite and seasoned teams again play less games on the weekend due to the fact they win the pool play and stay in the winner's bracket to the championship. They play less games but have a happy and full experience.

Coaching a travelball team takes on a different coaching mindset. You are constantly aware of the clock. When behind you run the girls on/off the field and do things to speed up the time allotted (no practice pitches, no infield preparation, quick to bat, quick to defend). When ahead you burn the clock without stalling which would be unethical. If you have a 50% plus team you need more pitchers and a spare catcher or 2. An elite team isn't in the sun as much and can play with less. It all becomes a strategy and team preparation thing.
 

SOFTBALLS14

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OK so this is my .02$ on the whole thing with tourneys not going 7 Innings any more .....
Yes it IS a BIG money maker for these tourneys / less innings, more teams per field / more teams, per tourney for MORE money.
More teams, more concessions / more parking fees / more entry fees.
So for most of these tourneys, its is nothing but about getting the money they are trying to make for there org. .... I get that !

BUT we are not helping our players!! You are now seeing players when they get to the next level ...HS or College they can't go 7 innings or more!
They are NOT mentally conditioned or physically conditioned because they only play 4-5 innings at these tourneys or are on the field an hour or less!

So the questions is how do you make it so you can get all 7 innings in and still make the mighty Dollars?
SOME ONE CAN CALL IT THE ** Big "7" SHOWCASE TOURNEY **


Be different than the others tourneys, make it more selective on who gets in (or shorten the entry window, first paid, in full, get in) but keeping the fees the same as the 4/5 inning game shortened tourneys ! They are still charging $550 - $800+ .....
It can be done over three days starting play on Fri. through Sunday.

How do you help get the 7-innings in so you can get all these games in and stay on a schedule ?
1- No wrist band systems ! This only slows the game down! (yeah i know, you need to call pitches, you really don't', Let your players learn how to call a game as catchers and pitchers working together, trust me no one is stealing signs at these levels, & if they are guess what,
they all knew you where probably going to bunt / steal anyways! GO make the play!)

2- Inform teams the next game will start 10 minutes after the games in front are finished be ready and be on time, So yes all games are scheduled for a certain times, but your team has to be ready in case the game in front ends in a run rule, then the next game could move up also .... run ruled- games move things along.
3- ITB - used at end of 7th if needed
4- Have fields with lights... not always needed but can get you more teams in the tourney.
5- Limit the number of visits to the mound by coaches / also have umpires keep them short! 30 sec max, yes coach you might have to jog out to the mound... LOL :)
( YES you can't stall cause there is no clock on the game! Play the game ! )
6- Only 5 warm up pitches at start of game, only ONE at the change of innings, so you can still work on throw downs, (Saves pitchers arms anyways... 3X5-7 =15-21 pitches saved on top of the 80-100 they already throw in a full game!) My daughter only throws three warm up and one between innings at college too! (D-1) Also no throwing around after an out back to the pitcher, lets go!
7- Batter must keep a foot in box at all times while batting/ while getting sign from coach ( call strike after first warning )
Also if you go 7 innings more family and friends can make the games cause THEY feel like they are getting they're moneys worth!

So there you go ....
we used to play in a couple of tourney's that guaranteed 7-innings and College coaches loved it , players loved it, and you got to see how your Team/ Players can handle the WHOLE game!
Good luck this season to all!
REMEMBER IT GOES QUICK!
WHEN ITS OVER YOU'LL WISH IT HAD NEVER ENDED... So go enjoy every inning!


If I ever get enough time to start running a tourney, when daughter and son are done, this one is coming !!

P.S. if some one is running a tourney like this let me know i wanna come watch!



 

DLamb

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Daughters junior high team plays seven innings for the most part. I know school ball is different but..a lot of travel players on both sides. We did finish a 7 inning game in his under 1:45 mins. Game was moving at good pace. Good pitching, good defense and a few hits...7-6 was final score. Girls were ready to get the holiday started. We have also played 5 inning games that took close to 2.5 hours.
 

RacerX

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OK so this is my .02$ on the whole thing with tourneys not going 7 Innings any more .....
Yes it IS a BIG money maker for these tourneys / less innings, more teams per field / more teams, per tourney for MORE money.
More teams, more concessions / more parking fees / more entry fees.
So for most of these tourneys, its is nothing but about getting the money they are trying to make for there org. .... I get that !

BUT we are not helping our players!! You are now seeing players when they get to the next level ...HS or College they can't go 7 innings or more!
They are NOT mentally conditioned or physically conditioned because they only play 4-5 innings at these tourneys or are on the field an hour or less!

So the questions is how do you make it so you can get all 7 innings in and still make the mighty Dollars?
SOME ONE CAN CALL IT THE ** Big "7" SHOWCASE TOURNEY **


Be different than the others tourneys, make it more selective on who gets in (or shorten the entry window, first paid, in full, get in) but keeping the fees the same as the 4/5 inning game shortened tourneys ! They are still charging $550 - $800+ .....
It can be done over three days starting play on Fri. through Sunday.

How do you help get the 7-innings in so you can get all these games in and stay on a schedule ?
1- No wrist band systems ! This only slows the game down! (yeah i know, you need to call pitches, you really don't', Let your players learn how to call a game as catchers and pitchers working together, trust me no one is stealing signs at these levels, & if they are guess what,
they all knew you where probably going to bunt / steal anyways! GO make the play!)

2- Inform teams the next game will start 10 minutes after the games in front are finished be ready and be on time, So yes all games are scheduled for a certain times, but your team has to be ready in case the game in front ends in a run rule, then the next game could move up also .... run ruled- games move things along.
3- ITB - used at end of 7th if needed
4- Have fields with lights... not always needed but can get you more teams in the tourney.
5- Limit the number of visits to the mound by coaches / also have umpires keep them short! 30 sec max, yes coach you might have to jog out to the mound... LOL :)
( YES you can't stall cause there is no clock on the game! Play the game ! )
6- Only 5 warm up pitches at start of game, only ONE at the change of innings, so you can still work on throw downs, (Saves pitchers arms anyways... 3X5-7 =15-21 pitches saved on top of the 80-100 they already throw in a full game!) My daughter only throws three warm up and one between innings at college too! (D-1) Also no throwing around after an out back to the pitcher, lets go!
7- Batter must keep a foot in box at all times while batting/ while getting sign from coach ( call strike after first warning )
Also if you go 7 innings more family and friends can make the games cause THEY feel like they are getting they're moneys worth!

So there you go ....
we used to play in a couple of tourney's that guaranteed 7-innings and College coaches loved it , players loved it, and you got to see how your Team/ Players can handle the WHOLE game!
Good luck this season to all!
REMEMBER IT GOES QUICK!
WHEN ITS OVER YOU'LL WISH IT HAD NEVER ENDED... So go enjoy every inning!


If I ever get enough time to start running a tourney, when daughter and son are done, this one is coming !!

P.S. if some one is running a tourney like this let me know i wanna come watch!
Give each coach a white towel. If they feel out coached / out played after 3/4 innings. Give blue the towel.
 

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