Coming this fall to Columbus - USA Elite Select - Buckeye State Classic - details inside

[Mike_Craig_-_Ohio USSSA]

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USA Elite Select, the showcase division of the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) proudly announces that coming this fall to Columbus, OH and Berliner Park will be the Buckeye State Classic. The Buckeye State Classic will be a direct qualifier to the World Fast-Pitch Championships (WFC) to be held in Kansas City, KS the week of July 10-16, 2017. The inaugural WFC drew over 178 teams and more importantly over 90 college coaches and featured some of the nations elite showcase teams like the Texas Glory, Firecrackers, Georgia Elite Gold, and OC Batbusters just to name a few of the teams.

• USA Elite Select - World Fast-Pitch Championships (WFC) Qualifier - The Buckeye State Classic.
• Date will be Oct 29-30, 2016 at Berliner Park in Columbus. Berliner Park features 15 lit fields of which 11 are field turf. We will get this one in unless it drops 2 feet of snow on us. (It's Ohio, you never know)
• Partnership with Ohio USSSA Fast-Pitch.
• Details are worked out and has been updated on the schedule.
• Age groups for the Buckeye State Classic are 12u, 14u, 16u, & 18u.
• Link to register your team with USA Elite Select (USAES): USA Elite Select Registration. Note: Teams must register as an USA Elite Select team to participate in this event. This fee also covers your regular USSSA registration for the 2017 season. If you have registered already with us this fall, you can upgrade by logging and choosing to upgrade to USA Elite Select. It is an additional $25 if already registered with USSSA.
• Link for the Buckeye State Classic - Oct 29/30, 2016 in Columbus: Buckeye State Classic.
• Here is the tentative schedule of the USAES program for the upcoming fall and 2017 season: http://usaeliteselect.com/usaes/qualifiers
• Link for website for the inaugural WFC in 2016: http://www.usaeliteselectwfc.com/
• Link for results for the inaugural WFC: http://usssa.com/fastpitch/eventDashboard/#/?eventID=155168&gdSport=32. Just drop down the division, and follow the links.

USA Elite Select also features a Futures component of the program. The WFC for those age groups are later in July so those teams can play their regular schedule and end the season with the WFC - Futures Championship. The Buckeye State Classic - Futures WFC Qualifier will also be held the weekend of Oct 29-30, 2016 at Berliner Park. Those age groups are 9u, 10u, 11u, and 13u.

• Age groups for the Buckeye State Classic - Futures WFC Qualifier are 9u, 10u, 11u, & 13u.
• Link to register your team with USA Elite Select (USAES): USA Elite Select Registration. Note: Teams must register as an USA Elite Select team to participate in this event. This fee also covers your regular USSSA registration for the 2017 season. If you have registered already with us this fall, you can upgrade by logging and choosing to upgrade to USA Elite Select. It is an additional $25 if already registered with USSSA.
• Link for the Buckeye State Classic - Futures WFC Qualifier: Buckeye State Classic - Futures sign up.
• USAES also hosts the WFC Futures Championship that was held in Kissimmee, FL. Click here for details on that event: http://usaeliteselect.com/usaes/futures-wfc

USA ELITE SELECT MISSION STATEMENT:
MISSION:
[FONT=&amp]It is the mission of USA Elite Select to create opportunities for elite fast pitch players to showcase their skills in competitive settings; provide resources that educate and empower athletes, coaches, and parents; and to walk alongside our athletes in serving the community. USA Elite Select is committed to providing athletes the tools and the competitive platform by which they can accomplish their dreams in softball and in life.[/FONT]

VISION:
[FONT=&amp]Our vision for USA Elite Select is to enhance elite level softball by focusing on the development of the athletes, creating competitive environments, and servicing the entire fast pitch community.[/FONT]

VALUES:

• COMMITMENT: USA Elite Select is committed to our mission and the athletes parents, and coaches participating in our events and program.
• HONOR: In all situations, we will conduct ourselves with honor in the purest sense. We will constantly strive to earn the respect of those around us with our actions and motives.
• INTEGRITY: We will demonstrate honesty and reliability in our actions and communications.

GOALS:
[FONT=&amp]1. Our goal is to become the top organization for elite fast pitch competition.[/FONT]
[FONT=&amp]2. Our goal is to become the recruiting centerpiece for fast pitch softball by offering top-level tournaments and camps with college exposure, a technology-based recruiting center, and educational center for athletes and parents.[/FONT]
[FONT=&amp]3. Our goal is to become the leader in fast pitch world championships.[/FONT]
[FONT=&amp]4. Our goal is to provide athletes, coaches and parents with educational resources in one central location.

[/FONT]

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[BulldawgsDirector]

Mike, will this event feature all age groups?

 

[Mike_Craig_-_Ohio USSSA]

The WFC is only open to 12/14/16/18u teams. I will check with Chris Florence and Jami Lobpries (USA Elite Select VP's) and see about the younger age groups.

The USA Elite Select events also have a "Futures" component that this past season was invitational only. I am working on getting a couple of events off as direct qualifiers for the Futures piece so teams can plan early and go compete in those age groups as well. I was able to get the Ohio Classics 02 a berth this past fall but the communication stopped on our end and they ended up playing elsewhere that weekend.

The Futures age groups are 9u, 10u, 11u, & 13u. I do not know why they skip 12u unless I'm misreading the information. {on edit on 8-16-16} [The reason they exclude 12u is it included in the WFC Championships in Kansas City. The 13u is a specialty Futures age group as it is the first year at a "true" showcase age]

This is exciting stuff. I could hardly sleep last night!

Mike, will this event feature all age groups?

 

[Shane]

The Futures portion for the 11U division sure does catch the interest of Finesse 05 - Henegar.

 

[Mike_Craig_-_Ohio USSSA]

Details have been uploaded. If you need help in signing up or have general questions, feel free to shoot me an e-mail or call.

 

[MadT]

What's the cost for this tournanmant?

 

[Mike_Craig_-_Ohio USSSA]

It's listed in the link but it is $600 for a 4 g/g: 2 pool seeded into double-elim bracket play.

What's the cost for this tournanmant?

 

[Captain_Thunder]

It's listed in the link but it is $600 for a 4 g/g: 2 pool seeded into double-elim bracket play.

You have an entire page of information.......actually find twice where it costs an additional $25 to register.......
Yet, you have to click on a link to find out it costs $630 for a 2GG!!!!! That is what it says on the page you go on, to enter!!!
SMH Instead of building USSSA in the State, it seems like trying to kill it!

 

[Mike_Craig_-_Ohio USSSA]

Russ you could have called me if you had questions. The format is 4 g/g, the website is incorrect. Credit card payments have a processing fee.

I can not see where a showcase caliber event is "killing USSSA in the state"? Go out to any showcase type event and tell me the cost on those. I guarantee you they are $575 all the way to $1400 or more for the Sparkler in Colorado. Also last fall these qualifiers offered $2K in travel expense reimbursement to the winning team and there are 2 berths per age group being offered.

If you also will notice that the fact that USSSA has improved in Ohio is the reason this was offered to us. We had a strong year and there are even more things brewing on the horizon for teams to take interest in USSSA in Ohio and surrounding states.

I get it that this is not your normal backyard qualifier. This is an elite level - showcase caliber team type of event which features qualifying to a summer event that is the high end of softball teams in the country. USA Elite Select is the showcase piece of USSSA. There were games on CBS Sports all during the week of July 10-16, 2016 including the simulcasts on USSSA Live that were shown. CBS Sports even showed pool play games in 14u. How many events can boast about that?

Next time please call me if you have questions or concerns as this is not a normal tournament that USSSA offers.

Mike

You have an entire page of information.......actually find twice where it costs an additional $25 to register.......
Yet, you have to click on a link to find out it costs $630 for a 2GG!!!!! That is what it says on the page you go on, to enter!!!
SMH Instead of building USSSA in the State, it seems like trying to kill it!

 

[Captain_Thunder]

Mike, you are right - I should have called! I did not mean to blast your event page at all!
I think what you are doing is great!!! I understand for the older ages, the cost is there.
My 18U team are now all heading off to college & I really had not paid this event much attention until, I saw someone mention the Futures.
I now have an ALL 9U team & was interested in checking out what you had to offer. My initial reaction was the cost for 9, 10, 11, 12 year old divisions paying this kind of price.
There is NO Showcase events at this age - No matter what that Coach at Tryouts tried to convince you....lol
For the 16 & 18 - this could be well worth it - I just thought the price would be lower for the younger ones - if just to get them involved.

I look forward to talking soon & wish you all the luck in the world with all that you do! Between my new team & the other 10 teams in our organization we will def be crossing paths...........

 

[Mike_Craig_-_Ohio USSSA]

Russ it is all good. Hopefully it didn't come across like I was yelling or calling you out. Not the case at all as we have always had great interaction and the Thunder are a great group of folks to be involved with. I just appreciate more direct contact from people that I respect in this game is all.

Now that I got the warm and fuzzies out of the way.....I am working on a couple of things for the Futures piece of things for the next year. I would have liked to see that one be a little more cost effective but I understand why it is priced that way.

I can drop a hint that the Invitational we are putting on again in April in Marion will probably be able to offer berths for all of the Futures age groups. I have to get that confirmed from our folks with USAES which is why it hasn't been publicized yet.

I probably shouldn't put that out there as it will discourage teams from playing the October event, but I look out for teams that want to play our program as much as possible.

Mike

Mike, you are right - I should have called! I did not mean to blast your event page at all!
I think what you are doing is great!!! I understand for the older ages, the cost is there.
My 18U team are now all heading off to college & I really had not paid this event much attention until, I saw someone mention the Futures.
I now have an ALL 9U team & was interested in checking out what you had to offer. My initial reaction was the cost for 9, 10, 11, 12 year old divisions paying this kind of price.
There is NO Showcase events at this age - No matter what that Coach at Tryouts tried to convince you....lol
For the 16 & 18 - this could be well worth it - I just thought the price would be lower for the younger ones - if just to get them involved.

I look forward to talking soon & wish you all the luck in the world with all that you do! Between my new team & the other 10 teams in our organization we will def be crossing paths...........

 

[TheSoftballZone]

Mike I'm glad your getting the chance to host this event. You done a great job putting USSSA on the radar for all teams at ever level of the game. Keep up the good work!