Reasons and Ramifications of Quitting During ASA State Tournament

[alborules]

I am NOT taking shots at any team or any organization. I am placing this in the Ran'ts and Raves because it has a potential of drawing nasty responses. PLEASE understand that I am just asking questions.

Yesterday at one of the ASA state tournaments there were 4 teams left in the competition. One team was just handed their first loss of the championship bracket and was to wait for the winner of a consolation game to play for the consolation championship and another shot at the lone undefeated team. This team decided to go home instead. I do not now the exact reason, but it was not injuries from what I saw. I know three things: 1) it was getting late on Sunday evening 2) there was rain and thunderstorms in the forecast 3) They already have a bid to nationals. Why did they walk away?

My other question is should there be, or are there ramifications in qualifiers against a team that forfeits without injury after they have eliminated teams that really wanted to earn a bid?

Again, I am not taking shots at any team or any organization.

Allan Abel
Wizards Nemesis

 

[cobb_of_fury]

I am going to assume that this team had a very good legitimate reason for walking - I have no reason to think otherwise.
But I have seen it happen at other tournaments, where teams leave because they can no longer win the tournament.

It stinks for the girls who just want to play another game -

If were talking 16U or 18U ay No big deal but if this is 10U, 12U or even 14U - your cheating those girls out of a learning experience.

I think teams forget they have an obligation to the tournament and the opponent and to the game it self and not just take their ball and go home because they cant win the whole thing

 

[chixdad]

I would assume that the coach did it in the best interest of the girls and parents. It's a long weekend by that time and they had storms coming in. 18u wound up in a tie with two deserving Lasers teams. If they hang around and get in a delay, who knows how long they would be at the park. Then they still have to drive home to who knows where, it's a bummer but probably for the good of all. The older teams have a short rest week at times because of traveling for the next weekend as well.

 

[BA824]

I believe he is talking 16u. Not 100% sure but believe the team in question has to be out of state maybe Colorado to start play Wednesday and voted to call it a weekend to head home.

 

[Heavy Hitter]

It didn't effect the team that won because the they would still be playing in the finales. It doesn't effect the other teams except saving them from playing 1 game and they would still have there chance to to win the tournament. The only team it did effect was the team that decided not to play and there were valid reason for there decision. In the end it really didn't matter because the tournament got rained out none of the other games got played.

 

[chixdad]

Sounds like it was a pretty good idea to get a head start on the way home. Rather than wait.

 

[alborules]

It didn't effect the team that won because the they would still be playing in the finales. It doesn't effect the other teams except saving them from playing 1 game and they would still have there chance to to win the tournament. The only team it did effect was the team that decided not to play and there were valid reason for there decision. In the end it really didn't matter because the tournament got rained out none of the other games got played.

This was something that I hadn't seen before. There was one game in progress on a "thunder delay" with no rain yet at the time the tournament ended. The winner of that game was to play the team that already left. I believe, based on the final places, that the game in delay was actually official as a winner was declared, but they then left before the tournament was called. During the delay, only the 1st place team and the 4th place team were at the fields to get their hardware. I mistakenly thought that the 4th place team was awarded 2nd until I saw the results on Tournament ASA.
Anyway, there were valid points brought up here and I appreciate the responses. I truly was wondering what the reason was.

 

[Heavy Hitter]

2 years ago at the same tournement a team came throught the losers bracket to win the tournament. The 2 teams playing the winners bracket left because they were traveling out of town, this isn't the first time this has happened.

 

[Fairman]

I have seen a team forfeit their final games because they were out of pitching.

The team had had some injuries and was coming into their 8th game with only two pitchers. The coach felt he couldn't ask his pitchers to extend themselves anymore than they already had.

I thought it was a gutsy move and an adult decision to protect his players.

 

[Ohiogalesdad]

I agreed with some here if a team won a birth already and they knock someone out that needs it they should be made to give it to them

 

[lewam3]

I agreed with some here if a team won a birth already and they knock someone out that needs it they should be made to give it to them

Should a team that has earned a bid be required to withdraw from a qualifying tournament?

 

[daboss]

No "give me's" in fastpitch. That's what soccer is for.........

 

[crystlemc]

I agreed with some here if a team won a birth already and they knock someone out that needs it they should be made to give it to them

Why would you give it to a team that hasn't earned it? Those berths have to be earned so that the National level tournament is competitive. Otherwise, just let everyone participate in Nationals. And give them all a trophy.

 

[coachjwb]

I agreed with some here if a team won a birth already and they knock someone out that needs it they should be made to give it to them

Are you saying the berth should be given to the team they beat in the finals? Because of course it would be ...

Or are you saying the berth should go to someone they beat in an earlier bracket game? If you're saying that, then I agree with daboss and Cryrstle ... why should it? How do you know that team would have won the finals had they not been beaten earlier? Teams shouldn't be given a berth because "they need it".

 

[okiedad1961]

I believe both teams had earned there bids at ASA/USA qualifiers and since Wizards received the bid from states ,what's the problem?Did they want a chance to lose the bid? Or was there potential loss of bids all ready earned?