Some interesting numbers on the rosters of the Top 25 teams

[coachjwb]

Found this info in another Forum ... someone did some research of the roster of last year's Top 25 teams in the country, and came up with the following breakdown by state as to where the girls came from:

CA 127
TX 63
FL 43
AL 32
LA 27
AZ 25
GA 22
OK 20
VA 19
MO 18
MN 12
IL 10
NE 10
MI 9
TN 9
WA 8
NJ 6
OR 6
KS 5
SC 5
IN 4
IA 4
NM 4
KY 3
NY 3
OH 3
CO 2
HI 2
ID 2
NC 2
Aus 2
DE 1
MD 1
MA 1
MS 1
NV 1
PA 1
Can 1

By my quick count that totals to just a little over 500 players ... meaning about 25% are California, 12% from Texas, 8% from Florida, 6% from Alabama, etc. ... so 50%+ are from those 4 states. Just 0.6% of the players on these 25 teams are from Ohio. Interestingly, Minnesota had 12 players and Ohio only 3 (Minnesota finished in the top 25). There's probably a little bit of a chicken or the egg argument here since many of the Top 25 teams are from those areas as well. I'm sure it won't surprise a lot of people, but just thought it was some interesting data, and wanted to throw it out for information and/or discussion.

 

[cobb_of_fury]

What might be interesting to see where the out of state girls on those teams came from - But even that won?t be that telling since Cal and UCLA will still have mostly California girls.

What will be interesting is when Teams like OSU, Kent State and Akron are in the national conversation.
If Michigan can be a national player, why not OSU?

 

[Louuuuu]

If Michigan can be a national player, why not OSU?

Um ...

1.) Recruiting ?
2.) Coaching ?

 

[Louuuuu]

- But even that won?t be that telling since Cal and UCLA will still have mostly California girls.

Good point. I wonder what excuse the California HS girls have as to why they weren't recruited?

 

[cobb_of_fury]

Um ...

1.) Recruiting ?
2.) Coaching ?

MMMMmmm Well Yea... I guess I meant more in the abstract, Minnesota and Michigan are kinda the same region as us (i.e. Not in the South or California) - and they can groom players why can't we?

 

[SoCal_Dad]

MMMMmmm Well Yea... I guess I meant more in the abstract, Minnesota and Michigan are kinda the same region as us (i.e. Not in the South or California) - and they can groom players why can't we?

Ohio would have similar/better numbers as MI and MN if they had a team in the top 25. OSU needs better pitching to make that happen.

 

[brownsfan]

I think the lack of Ohio players in the top programs is because we're behind. The next couple of years will show whether or not we are heading in the right direction.

 

[cobb_of_fury]

I'd be interested to see what the participation rate is for Fastpitch in MI and MN compared to other sports -

- Is there a critical mass that need to be achieved to drive a sport over the top?

- I'd be curious to know what the participation rate is for Texas and California how do we compare?
I understand they can play 8 / 9 Months out of the year is that the difference or is it that there is just that many MORE girls?

 

[coachjwb]

I don't have participation numbers but we can look at populations ... the population of Texas is about twice that of Ohio, and California is about three times that of Ohio.

 

[tjsmize3]

I don't have participation numbers but we can look at populations ... the population of Texas is about twice that of Ohio, and California is about three times that of Ohio.

Ohio is twice the size of MN (11.5 million vs. 5.5 million population) yet we put out 4 times less athletes on this list. Obviously having a NCAA team from your state in the top 25 skews the data somewhat, but the argument goes the other way in that perhaps the talent from that particular state is what put that particular team in the top 25 to begin with. I grew up in MN so I usually pay attention when I run into a MN team at a tournament. I do know that at least anecdotally, there seems to me to be just as big or bigger representation from MN over OH teams at the bigger showcase events and at Nationals. For instance, in the 2014 IDT the Boulder group had 0 teams from OH and 1 team from MN (IL=4); Louisville group: OH=1, MN=1 (IL=0); Longmont group (16u) OH=0, MN=3 (IL=5). So in arguably one of the biggest college showcases in the US you have 1 team from OH and 5 from MN... IL with 9!! That might also have something to do with the order of that list! You can draw your own conclusions here, but OH teams can't play a local schedule and expect to compete at a national level.

 

[Ron]

forum,
Apparently, the college coaches do not feel the Ohio players are nationally competitive...
Ron Poole