Tourney Pool Rules

[PaulP]

It’s good for b and c teams to pick a tournament or two that has better talent. But getting back to the original post, it’s not much of an accomplishment for a good 14u A team to win a 16u B tournament. What does it say about a team that purposely plays in a lower tournament? Especially when the other teams didn’t know that humble pie would be served?

 

[Passion4theGame]

It’s good for b and c teams to pick a tournament or two that has better talent. But getting back to the original post, it’s not much of an accomplishment for a good 14u A team to win a 16u B tournament. What does it say about a team that purposely plays in a lower tournament? Especially when the other teams didn’t know that humble pie would be served?

I’m sorry but 16B teams should be able to handle 14A teams.

 

[AnotherSoftballDad]

I’m sorry but 16B teams should be able to handle 14A teams.

In theory, I would agree with you, in this specific tournament over the weekend....it wasn't even close.

 

[Duke3dh]

In theory, I would agree with you, in this specific tournament over the weekend....it wasn't even close.

Still. If you are a 16B team you should be able to compete with a 14A team. If you can’t, then You should probably Reclassify yourself as a C team. Or like said above, welcome the competition and explain to your team what they are about to go against and learn from it as a coach and a player. If you’re upset because you “thought” you were going to win the tourney before the 14A team entered and didn’t because they joined and now are upset about it, I feel you are looking at it in the wrong perspective, especially this yr.

 

[AnotherSoftballDad]

Still. If you are a 16B team you should be able to compete with a 14A team. If you can’t, then You should probably Reclassify yourself as a C team. Or like said above, welcome the competition and explain to your team what they are about to go against and learn from it as a coach and a player. If you’re upset because you “thought” you were going to win the tourney before the 14A team entered and didn’t because they joined and now are upset about it, I feel you are looking at it in the wrong perspective, especially this yr.

Again, I had no team or interest in any team in this tournament. Every coach has to make his own decisions for their own team, I am not going to judge anyone for their decision. I was just pointing out in this past weekend's tournament that the 14u A team, won every game in the pool and bracket game was a blowout. So in this specific tournament that I was talking about, the 16u B teams couldn't compete. What those 16u B tournaments teams do as far as "reclassifying" themselves or what ever is up to them.

 

[Stedman00]

I’m sorry but 16B teams should be able to handle 14A teams.

i suggest you put any 16B team against Bev Bandits 14u squad. it won't be close.

 

[coachtomv]

Yea, I think it depends on the younger team in question, but we coaches kinda know or should know our level. If your are a true 14u A team, I mean legit, then you should probably play up here and there if possible, but against 16u A teams not B. The A vs B has more to do with pitching most of the time, but obviously all aspects.

It comes down to respect for the game, to not go where your obviously going to roll everyone, noone learns anything from that and it makes you/your org look bad. -my 2cents

In 2015 our 14u A team played up at a 16u A-B tournament and we ended up final 4 I think, but a true 16u A team beat us. It was a great weekend and competitive, but had we entered a true B tournament, we would have run ruled most teams.

 

[Stedman00]

to go with this, I wonder how many parents / coaches have actually seen a full squad of 'blue chip' level players together at say 14, 16, 18 or 23U, to really understand how good they are? It's one thing for a coach to claim that his/her 16uB squad has several D1 level players (and he might). BUT it's a whole different world when the whole roster is those level players. I mentioned above the Bev Bandits 14U squad I witnessed in May of 2019. They were very, very impressive. Speed, power, pitching, etc. I've seen similar with Hawks gold teams at several different age groups. Seriously, it's like watching a smaller version of a Div1 college team. Pitchers throwing in the 60's, the 9 hole hitter is a bomber, lead off is lefty slapper running home to first ~2.5 sec. etc. Anyone that thinks a standard 16uB team should easily handle a 14uA team, is mistaken.

But with the way tourneys are this year, it's entirely possible that 14uA gets into a tourney at last minute and plays up into the 16U and runs the table. If you get to play against that level of competition, just give max effort and learn from the experience. Players do not improve by always kicking Chico's bail bonds in the teeth.

 

[DanMaz]

beating teams up 14-0 16-2 18-0 or whatever only does one thing....

Create BAD HABITS

 

[coachtomv]

to go with this, I wonder how many parents / coaches have actually seen a full squad of 'blue chip' level players together at say 14, 16, 18 or 23U, to really understand how good they are? It's one thing for a coach to claim that his/her 16uB squad has several D1 level players (and he might). BUT it's a whole different world when the whole roster is those level players. I mentioned above the Bev Bandits 14U squad I witnessed in May of 2019. They were very, very impressive. Speed, power, pitching, etc. I've seen similar with Hawks gold teams at several different age groups. Seriously, it's like watching a smaller version of a Div1 college team. Pitchers throwing in the 60's, the 9 hole hitter is a bomber, lead off is lefty slapper running home to first ~2.5 sec. etc. Anyone that thinks a standard 16uB team should easily handle a 14uA team, is mistaken.

But with the way tourneys are this year, it's entirely possible that 14uA gets into a tourney at last minute and plays up into the 16U and runs the table. If you get to play against that level of competition, just give max effort and learn from the experience. Players do not improve by always kicking Chico's bail bonds in the teeth.

No doubt. So many coaches and parents think they have seen "A" teams, until they meet an "A+" team loaded with D1 players, lol. Our 18u team this year is an "A" team, but its not an "A+" team. We compete and are a tough out, but are missing some of the "slapper" speed and pitching levels(ours are mid-upper 50's, but work batters well as a staff), seen on the very very best A teams. Many would watch us compete and say we are A, and we do compete with A+ teams, atleast not get embarrassed and make them work for it. If we were to pick some 18u "B" tournaments or 23u, I am confident we would run rule teams all weekend.
We played a gauntlet of teams this past weekend at 18U States and we lost a game each to the final 3 teams in the tournament and we were firmly in 2 of those games and scored first in the 3rd. Those 3 teams are some of the best in Ohio right now. We are mostly d2-d3 players or ballers that decided to not play in college, we have a couple D1's talented players mixed in also. The girls learned alot in our first game vs Gunter's Lasers Blue, they were firmly in that game and trading blows, ended up losing 5-7 with their heads high.

So, if you have seen a true A team, I mean the upper 5%, its truly something to see.

 

[coachtomv]

beating teams up 14-0 16-2 18-0 or whatever only does one thing....

Create BAD HABITS

Yes! Also, it steals the love of the game from the teams getting run rulled, trying to play at their level.

 

[Passion4theGame]

i suggest you put any 16B team against Bev Bandits 14u squad. it won't be close.

I understand that but I am saying they shouldn't be scared to play them. They should want to share the field with them.

 

[PaulP]

I agree that it’s impressive to watch teams with nine girls playing at the top of their game at an ”a” or open tournament, but not at a “b” tournament. I don’t think the reason that the “b” teams in tournament described above lost was because they were afraid of a younger “a” team. D1 colleges would still be offering scholarships to 14u pitchers if they were allowed to. And most teams with dominant pitchers are surrounded by girls passionate about softball, while many of the girls on a “b” team may not even have softball as their favorite sport or take private lessons for hitting. Add in that aggressive, fast base-running creates havoc for unprepared teams, and the scores will quickly become lopsided.

This is a unusual summer so we should be happy to playing softball against anyone, but coaches of “a” teams that play in “b” tournaments should expect that people will question their motives.

 

[Passion4theGame]

I still feel a solid B 16u team should be able to compete with a 14 A team.

it’s a weird summer for sure. Just be thankful we are getting these Athletes on the fields and seeing them smile. Priceless!