3gg lower tier tournaments

[Stedman00]

What exactly is the draw to these lower level. 3 gg tourneys that I see being advertised in the Cincy area recently??? Cheapness? Close to home? C/Rec skill levels? smaller fields with greater chance to win? 1 Ump per game?

 

[Chad G]

I looked into some that are on USSSA website but I have never heard of the park and can't get any info on the park either. We did play in the $0 registration ohiotnt tourney last year in March and will look to add that again this spring.

 

[Stedman00]

I looked into some that are on USSSA website but I have never heard of the park and can't get any info on the park either. We did play in the $0 registration ohiotnt tourney last year in March and will look to add that again this spring.

So, is the 'cheapness' of the tourney your dominate motive to attend? Regardless of lack of comp, facilities, etc.

 

[Chad G]

Cheapness yes since it’s March and the weather could cancel. We are also a first year 12u B team and need reps before our main schedule starts. Most of our May/June/July schedule is A/B or open. Our fall schedule was a big eye opener for some of the new players. But we are open for suggestions if this doesn’t seem like the right path.

 

[Stedman00]

Cheapness yes since it’s March and the weather could cancel. We are also a first year 12u B team and need reps before our main schedule starts. Most of our May/June/July schedule is A/B or open. Our fall schedule was a big eye opener for some of the new players. But we are open for suggestions if this doesn’t seem like the right path.

don't know your team or anything. These lower tier tourneys might be exact match for your players and team goals. I would caution that if Fall was an eye opener, that A/B or Open level tourneys might be stretch to be competitive.

 

[Chad G]

don't know your team or anything. These lower tier tourneys might be exact match for your players and team goals. I would caution that if Fall was an eye opener, that A/B or Open level tourneys might be stretch to be competitive.

We tried B/C tournies last year and the competition level wasn't what we were looking for. It does seem that 12U is different and going .400-.500 is the goal. Either way getting better overall is the main goal. It's only my 3rd year at this so I know little to nothing about it.

 

[bleacherbum]

3 game guarantee tournaments are for REC teams only. Any team that claims to be a Select or Travel team and wastes a spring or summer weekend playing in a 3 game guarantee tournament should not call themselves a travel team.
I don't understand why any coach or team would waste their time? If worried over a few dollars, you should not be playing travel. And when it is said and done, the money isn't the difference. It is the fact that playing in a REC style tournament.
Teams - do your homework when entering events. Too many options to waste good weekends and not get games in.

 

[Mike_Craig_-_Ohio USSSA]

I looked into some that are on USSSA website but I have never heard of the park and can't get any info on the park either. We did play in the $0 registration ohiotnt tourney last year in March and will look to add that again this spring.

Chad,

The complex is the Olympian Club. I am helping the gentleman running the events with some ideas and formats on how to put on the events as much as possible. They run both baseball and fast-pitch events and are trying to get the park on the map with both.

 

[Mike_Craig_-_Ohio USSSA]

What exactly is the draw to these lower level. 3 gg tourneys that I see being advertised in the Cincy area recently??? Cheapness? Close to home? C/Rec skill levels? smaller fields with greater chance to win? 1 Ump per game?

In my opinion, they are trying to capture the teams that are what I would consider traveling rec teams. With Rec leagues almost completely gone, those teams are taking to travel events to try to play and sort of learn on the fly.

Now my idea on these is what Steve at Olympian Club is going to give a go which is 2 pool/single elim events. The biggest gap in travel now is so many teams have popped up that there is not enough pitching to keep up period. What I also see is the constant poaching of pitchers along with the dads who also have figured this out and leave teams mid season because a team needing pitching has come slinking around in the woods behind the backstop.

2 pool is what we did in our Rec/All-Star events in the past because those teams barely had one pitcher and were in trouble if they played in more than a couple of games in a day for this reason.

What I want to do that these non-sanctions are NOT doing is if you win one of these C/Rec events, then you are automatically a class C team the rest of the season on the spot. You don't get to camp out all season and dominate these events, but start your progression up the chain into more of the 4 g/g and 5 g/g events.

Irony of all this is when I took over in 2015, this was what we originally had our class C program at. Class C was the rec/all-star teams and smaller formats. Now there is a class C circuit and some of the Ohio class C teams get smoked at C Nationals by the Southern Teams in class C. That used to be class B when I started back in 2000. We don't need a class D. Because then we are slow-pitch all over again with classifications.

 

[Stedman00]

ironic that you pointed out one of the biggest problems we are all seeing in softball these days....too many teams. People all want to play every inning of every game, no decent sized rosters, no competition for play time, etc.

And with the 'too many teams' comes the problem of spreading of talent too thin and dilution of competition. these little small tourneys really should be C/Rec at best. If you can get any legit B level team to attend, they are just going to smash everyone.

I truly hope that Olympian club has greatly improved since the last time i was there. not even close to enough parking, long grass, insane long walk to certain fields, etc. And we won't discuss the over served parents in attendance as that's not the facilities fault.

 

[Mike_Craig_-_Ohio USSSA]

ironic that you pointed out one of the biggest problems we are all seeing in softball these days....too many teams. People all want to play every inning of every game, no decent sized rosters, no competition for play time, etc.

And with the 'too many teams' comes the problem of spreading of talent too thin and dilution of competition. these little small tourneys really should be C/Rec at best. If you can get any legit B level team to attend, they are just going to smash everyone.

I truly hope that Olympian club has greatly improved since the last time i was there. not even close to enough parking, long grass, insane long walk to certain fields, etc. And we won't discuss the over served parents in attendance as that's not the facilities fault.

I have never been there but your postings reflect your in "the know" and not an aimless basher. I have to take a look at this type of event from a leadership position and if it gets more people to play USSSA, then we need to run a good program which is fair to everyone.

This game went past a game and became a business a long time ago. I used to be able to spend one night a week in the winter promoting events and returning calls/e-mails, Now it is a full time position that is almost 24/7 some days.

I just want to create or help out with programs that make sense. The nice thing with USSSA is they have always had the message that "There is a level for everyone" in the youth world. Do I wish we had the high end market like PGF and Alliance, of course. But honestly, if I ever approach that market I would want someone who is well versed with what those teams want and expect with those events to handle it. Of course, I would take the credit............

 

[bleacherbum]

I have never been there but your postings reflect your in "the know" and not an aimless basher. I have to take a look at this type of event from a leadership position and if it gets more people to play USSSA, then we need to run a good program which is fair to everyone.

I just want to create or help out with programs that make sense. The nice thing with USSSA is they have always had the message that "There is a level for everyone" in the youth world. Do I wish we had the high end market like PGF and Alliance, of course. But honestly, if I ever approach that market I would want someone who is well versed with what those teams want and expect with those events to handle it. Of course, I would take the credit............

looking at the USSSA site you can count on one hand the number of "A" level classified teams in SWO. which leaves about 97% of the teams registered as B or C. looking at the tournament list, it appears that this summer will just have another park 15 minutes away from the other USSSA parks competing for the same B and C registered teams each weekend.

 

[Captain_Thunder]

There are several that are running only 3GG's during the Summer. Not sure how only one seemed to be talked about.
But since the Olympian Club does seem to be the topic, I am seeing that they are advertising their 3 Game Tournaments on USSSA and on the same weekends advertising on Tourney Machine (as Queen City) being non-sanctioned but using USA ages.

Something definitely seems fishy with this concept! Guess they are covering all their bases!
Or maybe teams can sign up for both and end up getting 6 games in on the weekend - 2 sets of Tournament Rings and never have to leave the same park! LMAO

 

[Mike_Craig_-_Ohio USSSA]

looking at the USSSA site you can count on one hand the number of "A" level classified teams in SWO. which leaves about 97% of the teams registered as B or C. looking at the tournament list, it appears that this summer will just have another park 15 minutes away from the other USSSA parks competing for the same B and C registered teams each weekend.

And this concerns you for what reason? So you can have more material to go about your incessant bashing of teams and organizations like you normally do?

 

[Mike_Craig_-_Ohio USSSA]

There are several that are running only 3GG's during the Summer. Not sure how only one seemed to be talked about.
But since the Olympian Club does seem to be the topic, I am seeing that they are advertising their 3 Game Tournaments on USSSA and on the same weekends advertising on Tourney Machine (as Queen City) being non-sanctioned but using USA ages.

Something definitely seems fishy with this concept! Guess they are covering all their bases!
Or maybe teams can sign up for both and end up getting 6 games in on the weekend - 2 sets of Tournament Rings and never have to leave the same park! LMAO

Russ, why are you concerned about what USSSA is doing down that way anymore? You made your decision to jump elsewhere a few years ago so what USSSA does should be of no concern to you anyways.

You will never see me or any other Ohio USSSA director on here jumping on anything that USA Softball does out of respect to some of the people involved with USA like Warren Jones or Jerry Fick. Maybe you should extend us the same courtesy?

Olympian Club will get it figured out and move on.

 

[Captain_Thunder]

Russ, why are you concerned about what USSSA is doing down that way anymore? You made your decision to jump elsewhere a few years ago so what USSSA does should be of no concern to you anyways.

You will never see me or any other Ohio USSSA director on here jumping on anything that USA Softball does out of respect to some of the people involved with USA like Warren Jones or Jerry Fick. Maybe you should extend us the same courtesy?

Olympian Club will get it figured out and move on.

Mike, I guess things have changed since I decided to move up a couple of years ago. Because you had no say over anything that went on in Hamilton, Butler, & Warren Counties then - guess somethings have changed.
I only have the highest regards and think the world of Dave Maury, Michelle Johnson, & Guy Morrow - you have not and would not see me post anything but positive about this group!

But this issue has nothing to do with any one sanctioning body, (USA, USSSA, USFA, NSA, IFA, etc.)! There is a group who is misleading teams, coaches, and parents by advertising multiple events at the same location on the same weekends. There are plenty of people offering events - but doing it this way isn't right! As President of an organization with many teams based out of Southwest Ohio, I want to make sure they and all other teams are aware! There are many choices for teams to play, and they can all make that choice. But no need to be sneaky or misleading when promoting an event!
So as a President of an organization it is my concern to see that my teams or others who don't have helpful leadership are made aware of this!
Why is it your concern???

 

[Mike_Craig_-_Ohio USSSA]

Russ, things have changed as Dave is willing to accept some help developing his program more from people with real world experience unlike the former folks he surrounded himself with a few years ago. Michelle and Guy are also onboard and will make his program a lot better than it was say 2-3 years ago. The things going on at Olympian are evolving and not what Dave had set up with them originally.

As far as your youth organization, that is information you should be sharing internally with them. Coming on a public forum and blasting one park/complex over what they are a doing is not a good look for someone who is supposed to be in a leadership position with Ohio USA Softball. This is something you never could learn when you were with USSSA so thanks for your service but glad you are on the other side of the fence to compete against.

 

[Passion4theGame]

 

[DLamb]

Russ, why are you concerned about what USSSA is doing down that way anymore? You made your decision to jump elsewhere a few years ago so what USSSA does should be of no concern to you anyways.

You will never see me or any other Ohio USSSA director on here jumping on anything that USA Softball does out of respect to some of the people involved with USA like Warren Jones or Jerry Fick. Maybe you should extend us the same courtesy?

Olympian Club will get it figured out and move on.

I don't have a horse in this race, just a question.... From what I read here, if someone were to get Rotary Park going or somewhere else for that matter, and say they are USSSA tournament, and at the same time, advertise the same venue, on the same weekend for another non-sanctioned event, that it's cool to do so? Again, I have nothing at stake here, don't plan to, don't want to, just clarification on the subject as I read it...

 

[Stedman00]

I don't have a horse in this race, just a question.... From what I read here, if someone were to get Rotary Park going or somewhere else for that matter, and say they are USSSA tournament, and at the same time, advertise the same venue, on the same weekend for another non-sanctioned event, that it's cool to do so? Again, I have nothing at stake here, don't plan to, don't want to, just clarification on the subject as I read it...

don't forget to advertise baseball at same same park, same dates.

Believe it simply comes down to 'truth in advertising".