ASA and NSA A and B Nationals

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Now before anyone gets upset this is a honest question.

I thought in NSA travel teams could play A or B Nationals, but in ASA to play B you must be a rec team and travel teams must play A. Am I wrong on this and can anyone play ASA B's or is there a restriction on say 1 or 2 tournement wins.

Thanks in advance
Warren

 

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Now before anyone gets upset this is a honest question.

I thought in NSA travel teams could play A or B Nationals, but in ASA to play B you must be a rec team and travel teams must play A. Am I wrong on this and can anyone play ASA B's or is there a restriction on say 1 or 2 tournement wins.

Thanks in advance
Warren

I thought that was how it was suppose to be but I know it doesn't hold true. I think anyone can play ASA "B". Many travel teams are playing "B" Nationals. I too am interested in the answers.

 

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The problem with ASA is that each state adopts it own state regulations.

In Ohio, you have "A" and "B" and in some other states they have a "C" division based on what the state director chooses to make each division in those states.

In Ohio, it seems to me, that teams that have been playing based on Ohio's "B" rule of "rec"/local league teams has to be changed for the Eastern Regional "B" based on the other states having a "C" division in their state.. thus their "B" are coming to a legitamate "B" (travel) tournament based on their standards.

Thus, Ohio for this event allows "B" travel teams in it.. especially when it is being held in their state (Dayton, Ohio).

I just wish ASA as a whole would adopt a "C" standard instead of each state governing their own standards. It would be less confusing to the masses.

 

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ASA "B" tournaments are not very strong at all. They should only be attended by Rec level teams IMHO.

If a travel team is a true "B" team then they should consider USSSA or NSA "B" nationals because those tend to be mostly true "B" level teams. The "B" designation in ASA is not intended to be the same as it is in USSSA or NSA. It is intended to be a REC level tournament. Decent teams that play down in the ASA "B" nationals are not doing themselves any good.

 

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Having just returned from the 14u ASA B in York I can tell you that if the final teams left were considered rec teams then they were really really good rec teams. The Ohio Swarm finished tied for 9th along with MC Madness. We had a pretty successful season ending with a 6th in GAPSS. I think going to York was a very good experience and in no way a waste of our time

 

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Having just returned from the 14u ASA B in York I can tell you that if the final teams left were considered rec teams then they were really really good rec teams. The Ohio Swarm finished tied for 9th along with MC Madness. We had a pretty successful season ending with a 6th in GAPSS. I think going to York was a very good experience and in no way a waste of our time

No they are travel teams which have taken over the "B" Nationals. Problem is if the "B" Nationals were suppose to be for rec teams how fair is it for travel teams to take it over. I agree with with Tim, they should have a "C" for rec and let travel have the "A" & "B".

Or I think better yet keep travel to "A", rec to "B" and have the divisions by age but with every age including 11u, 13u 15u & 17u. Having A & B with no clear distinction on how to separate leaves open the opportunity for teams that maybe should be A playing in B to better their chance of winning. Trophy's hunters as they are called.

 

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I disagree with most of you. There are certainly different levels of travel or "select" teams and it is my understanding that to qualify as a "b" team you must play in a league in the area where you are registered.
Our team just got back from ASA "B" Northern Nationals in Terre Haute, IN, and I think that there were many teams that were quite good. Not to mention that multiple "Select" teams from our area were represented as well as teams from 8 other states that we would not have had the opportunity to play.
Most teams are not going to have the Opportunity to qualify for the Moline, Illinois ASA's, so should they not have the opportunity to go somewhere?

It seems to me that there are a bunch of fastpitch "Snobs" on here and that you **** unless you make it to these events...Shame on all of you. This is supposed to be about the girls and not about how much a team can "brag" about what tournament they attended and got their butts kicked at.

 

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momma --I don't think the responses were snobish. They were directed at being fair. We all want girls to have somewhere fair to play. Thats why the polite suggestions for playing u-trip or nsa.

But is it fair to true rec teams to have travel teams invade their turf ? IF , unstandand I said IF , NSA B is meant for rec teams and travel teams are attending it's not fair to the rec teams.

and as a parent who has sacrified a ton, scratch that , TWO TONS , to be able to send my kid to moline I don't like the insinuation that not all TEAMS have the opportunity to go. The quailfiers are open to one and all, not sacred to any select few.

and lastly the "get your butt kicked comment " tasteless and clueless --both at the same time.

 

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Please tell me the Manitou where it states that it is only meant for REC teams? I can assure you that I am not clueless to the Sport of Fastpitch or how things work. I played the sport of fastpitch and did also in College and have to say my most memorable years are the ones that I played in travel ball with my friends. And yes, there are only a few "Elite" teams that will have the chance to attend places like Moline. My daughter is currently there right now helping another team and I could not be more proud. However, it is clueless of u and anyone else in agreement to think that ANYONE has the opportunity to play in this caliber of a tournament. So does that mean that they should just quit? I hope not!
There is no way her current team could have made it to that tournament and we were not unhappy.
And as for your tasteless comment, no one is denying how hard many teams work. Some truely have the God given talent and others just somehow seem to click. But not ALL teams do. REC teams have all star events and other tournaments meant for them. How many true REC teams do you see traveling? Especially to places that are many hours away? If so then they need to be classified as TRAVEL!

 

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And to add, the "Butt Kicked" comment was not meant for all of the teams. You took it out of context. If all teams were able to attend, for example, our team, we would have lost in the first 2 rounds of bracket play...

 

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Thats why i typed a great big IF ---TWICE ! If nsa is meant for rec teams , then they are getting a bad deal.

as for taking something out of context , it's in black and white , I'll leave that up for others to discuss. It Pizzed me off !

PS just because you lose in bracket play doesn't mean you can't attend. Ohio sent 6 teams , could have sent 3-4 more --are all of them Elite ? thats what you called them dang I hope so , we must be great. MD

 

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OK, everyone take a deep breath.

Mom. I read everything carefully and did not see what made you so upset. I believe that everyone was trying their best to define A and B to the extent of their knowledge and was not trying to upset anyone. There has been a lot of confusion about this in the past and the sanctioning bodies are not very helpful in settling this issue.

 

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The point that I was unfortunately unsuccessful in making is that there should be a differentiation in a select level A and B if there isn't already.

Our team was classified as B but played both an A and a B schedule. We won a few birth's. (Did not "Win" a single tournament) all were in B. Had fun playing in some "elite" tournaments that as always the top 10 teams won, all in hopes of improving and possibly moving up to A in the future when we were true 14's.
In the B tournaments that we did play, there were teams that were very good, I truely can not remember one "REC" team in any of the tournaments that we played in.
I also was not trying to "Anger" anyone, but not everyone can be on the top 10 teams...(the one's that I would consider to be "elite") Whether it be time, money, or just sheer skill level.

My daughter has played with both "types" of teams, and although frustrating on B at times, it is even more frustrating to lose every game if your team is placed "over their heads" in a tournament every weekend. I do agree however, to get better you must play the best.

With that being said...there really needs to be 2 levels of Select level tournaments. And if the REC teams want to travel, then they can do so in B against the less experienced travel teams, or play in the REC ALL STAR tournaments.

 

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DD's team is not going to Moline. They are going to the ASA 14u "A" regional in Maryland. There is something between Moline and "B". They are the Regionals. Thats different levels.

 

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Just returned from NSA Nationals in Chatanooga "B" class. The only difference to me was where they came from. I never saw a Parks and Wreck team there, and if they were they should play travel ball. The competition was much like what we have faced all year long. Good teams good pitching and girls that can hit off 45-50 mph pitchers. You don't see that in wreck ball. Very well coached teams. Also played in an ASA "B" class tournament last year and the difference was the rules were different. I went nuts when I found out how close to the Parks and Wreck rules this tourney was. They once never told us the rules till we got there. This is at the 10u level. Other teams were mad at us for beating them up, we were there to just play ball. I would never have taken my team to an ASA "B" National because it was much different only at the 10u Level. Just my experience is all. ASA has been well known for better competition, NSA fields more teams. Just my experience is all. I very well could be full of ****. LOL

 

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Here's the sanctions and their classifications:

USSSA has "A", "B" and "C". "C" is rec.

NSA has "A", "B" and "C". "C" is rec.

ASA Nationally: "A", "B" and "C". "C" is rec.

ASA Ohio: "A" and "B". No "C" is Ohio.

And folks, I wish you'd all figure what an all-star rec team is. An all-star rec team is now a "B" team... and no longer a rec team as .. just like travel ball teams... the all star rec teams are NOW picking and choosing what players they want ( similar to a tryout) and thus not available to play "C" anymore.

NSA has "C" tournaments all over Kentucky ( their home state). Every weekend... Problem is according to "C" coaches... is greedy little TD's that allow travel teams in the event.