ASA Tournament 2011 gapss date change - july 15-17

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After a great deal of consideration, the GAPSS Tournament Committee has made the decision to change the date of the GAPSS tournament from July 22-24 to July 15-17 (we moved up one week).

This decision was made to ensure we continue to attract the highest quality teams possible for this showcase event ? something we were finding it difficult to do on the July 22-24 weekend due to conflicts with individual player all-star events and national tournament events.

As a result of this change we are going to extend the application deadline from 12/31/2010 to 1/31/2011 with team selection announcements occurring by 2/18/2011.

I apologize for any inconvenience this change will cause, but I believe that based on the coaches I have spoken to, the ones who could not attend but now will, this decision will lead to a more highly competitive and rewarding tournament for everyone involved.

Mike Wilson
GAPSS TD

 

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Not a good move in my opinion, a little selfish to put it bluntly. This will be at least the 3rd time this tourney has been moved the last couple years "in it's best interest." I don't think this is a wise decision. But to each his own.

 

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Mike
I actually love the date. Gives teams a week or so off before ASA Nationals and avoids conflicts with some National events. GREAT move JMHO

 

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Like the move too. Will be nice to have a week off before the All Sanctioned World Series and Eastern Nationals.

 

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Works great for us! Thanks

 

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Glad to hear about the change of dates, this gives teams more options this week. Count both of my teams in.

 

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Not a good move in my opinion, a little selfish to put it bluntly. This will be at least the 3rd time this tourney has been moved the last couple years "in it's best interest." I don't think this is a wise decision. But to each his own.

Agreed...not to mention other ASA sanctioned tournaments going on that weekend in central Ohio not sure where all the umps will come from.This problem has been discussed before with them.

 

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Helps us. Eliminates the conflict with the Sparks event in Chicago.

 

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I'm sure it's going to help some teams or they wouldn't have changed it ... the issue is with such a late change, it's going to really hurt other teams and tournaments. Our teams had to be removed from consideration because we're running a tournament that same weekend, and now other teams who had either signed up for our tournament or who were considering it now have to wait until mid-February to find out if they're in GAPSS and re-commit. Is it true it's been changed 3 of the last 4 years?

 

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Thanks for listening....

 

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Luv this tournament, but shouldnt a tournament of this stature pick a weekend and stay with it. I know Stingrays has had the same weekend for a long time and teams know when it is and keep that weekend open, in case they are selected. I believe GAPSS is big enough to do the same.

Not that the change doesnt help teams, (opening up the weekend for other options) but like I said, pick a weekend and stick with it. Those that want to come will.

Too good of a tournament to flip flop. Might leave doubt in stability.

 

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Luv this tournament, but shouldnt a tournament of this stature pick a weekend and stay with it. I know Stingrays has had the same weekend for a long time and teams know when it is and keep that weekend open, in case they are selected. I believe GAPSS is big enough to do the same.

Not that the change doesnt help teams, (opening up the weekend for other options) but like I said, pick a weekend and stick with it. Those that want to come will.

Too good of a tournament to flip flop. Might leave doubt in stability.

Bill, yes in a perfect world we would not have changed. But ultimately I am a big believer in listening to your customers and we are catering to the teams who want to showcase their athletes and the college coaches who want to see them play.

The history is - we use to have 4th of July, but college coaches didn't like it. When ASA moved nationals back to first week in August we moved down to late July. It worked well last year although we lost a few good teams that wanted to play in NSA and the All-Sanctions World Series - but it still worked well and we had a lot of colleges coaches. This year Orland Sparks joined the weekend, Adidas All-Star event joined the weekend and we were still losing the teams that want to play NSA and All-Sanction World Series.

As TD, I am willing to deal with it but when teams are calling and asking us to change the date because their are limited options the weekend prior (July 15-17), and nothing is preventing us from doing so (I checked with head of umpires, asa, etc...) why would we not make that decision if it gives teams another/better option to showcase their athletes on that weekend and college coaches another chance to see them.

Following Stingrays and seperating by a week from the national tournament seems to make a lot of sense, hopefully we can settle into this weekend going forward.

 

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You moved from July 4th because of having to compete with "The Best of the Best" now you will have to compete with Loudonville for college exposure. Next to Stingrays and Best of the Best not a tourney in Ohio is better at it. Last year at Loudonville you had all the top 18U teams playing against the top competition. Next year you will change again, further making what was a great tourney into one that is chasing its tail. The top tourneys find a date and dont have to move because of competition with other tourneys. Sorry...facts are facts.

 

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We had pulled our team from consideration, because of scheduling conflicts. Now we can at least have a shot at playing in this great tournament again.

Thanks GAPSS

 

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I agree with Shayne in the fact that you have moved your tournament several times over the past couple years. You have a great, established tournament and it will attract the quality teams despite other competition.

This move will directly affect the tournament that I host on the same weekend so I am a little more upset by the move than others. I picked this weekend to avoid other tournaments out of respect for others efforts. I guess I would understand if you had said that you were moving next year rather than doing it once the registration deadline was reached this year. I think it shows very little respect for the rest of the softball community to do things like this.

 

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Like anything else, some are happy and some are not. I like the Loudonville setting but do not like the lack of hotels and many of the best teams have been skipping it for other tourneys out of state the last couple of years. As for the 4th of July week, that is a terrible week with Colorado,Circle City,BOB, and even ASA Qualifiers in Strongsville. This new date has always been rather week for showcase type tournaments in Ohio. Sorry but we have headed south the last couple of years because of the lack of "good choices here, others have gone to Chicago for the Sparks.

 

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I like the tournament, but am disappointed that the date has been changed this late in the game. The same rationale for picking July 15-17 as the GAPSS dates existed BEFORE the tournament announced a July 22-24 date for 2011.

Many teams try to plan their schedules out - and now have to redo their plans. (And I get that some teams are happier.) The real losers are the tournaments that worked their dates around the big tourneys, and now see the 800-pound gorilla jump into their weekend. (I am sure the Heart of Ohio people are especially pleased - it could make the Final Fling a non-event.)

In addition, by both shortening the list of teams you are taking down to 48, and pushing your announcement date back to February, you will put lots of teams into "scramble" mode if they are not selected. (That was less of a problem with the old date - it was essentially the end of the season, and the worst thing that national-qualified teams would face is a week off before traveling to nationals.)

I say bad planning - no matter what you are saying about coaches asking for the move. GAPSS has lost some credibility in my eyes.

 

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Like anything else, some are happy and some are not. I like the Loudonville setting but do not like the lack of hotels and many of the best teams have been skipping it for other tourneys out of state the last couple of years. As for the 4th of July week, that is a terrible week with Colorado,Circle City,BOB, and even ASA Qualifiers in Strongsville. This new date has always been rather week for showcase type tournaments in Ohio. Sorry but we have headed south the last couple of years because of the lack of "good choices here, others have gone to Chicago for the Sparks.

Sorry to disagree Glen, but with teams like the Elyria Sundogs (Finished #2 in 18U ASA/USA if I remember correctly!!), Wolpack Black, Valley Extreme Blue, Stingrays, Ohio Bandits, Buckeye Heat and many others in attendance last year, you left the state for the wrong reason and it wasn't because you were looking for better competition on that weekend!!;&

 

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You are right Shayne, we left to try to get some kids seen by some different coaches than the ones we see almost every other week. I had some kids interested in going to school in the south, I thought I was supposed to help my players get where they wanted to go. I guess our 13U Gold team did pretty well against those teams at Loudonville. I know that both of the 16U Lasers, 18U Lasers, Classics Black and many other good Ohio teams were in NC and IL that week end. I

 

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Mclovin It ! To break the mundane ****iness of winter could we also move Stingrays ? MD