A new idea for GAPSS 16/18 age group- what do you think

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This really could be for any tournament but I got the idea at GAPSS and they are already halfway there, since they are not really using pools for "pool" games and they are using a blind draw for bracket play at 16/18U age level.

Teams pay an entry fee which gets them 5- 70 minute drop dead showcase games on Friday and Saturday. You could let the colleges know your schedules and the games could be strictly for showcasing your players to the colleges.

When registering if they wish they pay an additional fee to be included in the Sunday bracket play. Blind draw just like this weekend. If not they can opt out and go home on Saturday night.
Teams that are really interested in the competition of bracket play would still have it.

I see a couple of types of teams that may consider opting out of bracket play.
1. 18u teams where most of the girls have graduated high school, committed to college, and are leaving in month. They are playing to keep their skills sharp for college. They are not really interested in trophies, risking injury. or just taking the physical pounding of playing 4-5 back to back games on Sunday.

2. A showcase team that would be leaving for Orland Sparks on Wednesday this week. Would allow them to showcase their girls at GAPSS, but let them have sunday off to prepare to leave for 5 days in Chicago.

What do people think about this? What changes would you suggest?

 

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Fences?

 

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So long as they don't change the rules on the Thurs night before the tournament and suddenly allow teams with D1 college players to play in the tournament - teams that take spots away from teams looking to get recruited..

 

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I did not mean for this to be a bashing of GAPSS tourney and what they do.
Just an idea for the future.
If you want to complain about the tournament please start another thread.

 

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I would make the games 1:30. at 1:10, a kid in the lower part of the order will be lucky to get 2 at-bats.

Different format that I haven't seen. Might be worth a shot to "Open" Tournaments.

 

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So long as they don't change the rules on the Thurs night before the tournament and suddenly allow teams with D1 college players to play in the tournament - teams that take spots away from teams looking to get recruited..

What better way for a college coach to see if a kid he or she is interested in can play against kids already in college. Or those committed to. A second year 18 is still a second year 18 be she in college or not. To my knowledge the format of kids trying to prove they are worth being recruited vs kids that are already there works to the college coaches benefit. If I were a college coach and knew there was a game of younger kids vs older kids that would really spark my interest.


Tim

 

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I would make the games 1:30. at 1:10, a kid in the lower part of the order will be lucky to get 2 at-bats.

Different format that I haven't seen. Might be worth a shot to "Open" Tournaments.

The GAPSS 4 scheduled pool games were 1:30 at 16/18u to provide more showcasing time.

The college coaches I spoke to don't care if age eligible college players play in the tournament. Yes, I announced a change late in the week but that was because I received at least 6 calls from teams asking for exceptions or they were going to drop out. I made the decision in the best interest of the tournament. We will be removing the restriction all together next year.

 

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This really could be for any tournament but I got the idea at GAPSS and they are already halfway there, since they are not really using pools for "pool" games and they are using a blind draw for bracket play at 16/18U age level.

Teams pay an entry fee which gets them 5- 70 minute drop dead showcase games on Friday and Saturday. You could let the colleges know your schedules and the games could be strictly for showcasing your players to the colleges.

When registering if they wish they pay an additional fee to be included in the Sunday bracket play. Blind draw just like this weekend. If not they can opt out and go home on Saturday night.
Teams that are really interested in the competition of bracket play would still have it.

I see a couple of types of teams that may consider opting out of bracket play.
1. 18u teams where most of the girls have graduated high school, committed to college, and are leaving in month. They are playing to keep their skills sharp for college. They are not really interested in trophies, risking injury. or just taking the physical pounding of playing 4-5 back to back games on Sunday.

2. A showcase team that would be leaving for Orland Sparks on Wednesday this week. Would allow them to showcase their girls at GAPSS, but let them have sunday off to prepare to leave for 5 days in Chicago.

What do people think about this? What changes would you suggest?

As a former TD I think the option of not knowing who was paying for Sunday would be cost prohibitive.

 

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I think OP is saying at registration you pay one amount that includes Sunday play, or you only pay for Friday and Saturday. You'd know based on fees paid. Kind of a neat idea.

 

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I think OP is saying at registration you pay one amount that includes Sunday play, or you only pay for Friday and Saturday. You'd know based on fees paid. Kind of a neat idea.

Except a couple of things
* When you rent the fields you have to know your total costs so you can factor that into the team fees. If many teams opt out of Sunday, the remaining teams have to pay higher costs associated with renting them on Sunday with fewer teams playing. Thats a tough sell in my opinion.
* I don't know about up there, but where I am now the Umpires have their choice of events to do. The better umpires want to work as many games as possible. If they know a tournament will have fewer games on Sunday they would opt for an event where they know they will get more games. That said, you might get umpires to fill the slots - but my guess is that the good ones will work other places.

Knowing everything up front is critical for good TD's. I am sure this would scare most of them.

 

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I would price up the Fri / Sat only fees to help support the concept. I see what you mean about umps though.

 

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I thought that Gapss was well run. We saw a fair amount of college coaches too. A couple of good tourneys out of state that wkd cut into some coaches attendance.

 

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sorry Mike, I forgot. I was having one of my pre-senior moments.

 

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Always use fences!!!!!!!!! Never use blind draws!!!!!!!!