Getting a team ready for nationals....

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I'd like to hear or read some thoughts and opinions on getting a team ready to compete against the talent they will see at the big national tournaments.

I've noticed the past 2 years, talented local teams going to nationals and taken beat downs. Their schedules were mostly local, where a team dominates and then when facing a team as good or better they haven't as a team learned to compete.

For discussion purposes let's use my team as an example. A 2001 team, the plan is to go to Eastern or Northern ASA nationals. Considering our families don't have an unlimited budget or vacation time. Maybe we go out of town twice to play in a few tough 10u tournaments, would it be wise to move a good 10u team into a few local 12u tournaments? Would being pushed by bigger stronger teams and the added ball size and mound distance be a positive or a negative?

I'd like some opinions on the subject on a whole and on 10u's playing up.

Thanks!

 

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I wouldn't recommend moving the 10's up unless you have at least 2 larger than ave size pitches who can handle the larger ball and strong enough for the additional 5'.

I'd recommend playing in at least a couple stronger tournaments at the end of the season.

 

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We played 12u for Fall league (and indoor winter hitting leagues) and mixed in a 12u tournament this season. We wanted the girls to see bigger teams with off speed pitching, not the slow change up that you see in 10u. We did borrow a 12u pitcher to help us out in the tournament due to our #1 being out after having her tonsils removed the week before. I also suggest for any team before going to Easterns (or other big event) that you play in either Lasers, Stingrays, or Gapss. Gapss is very close to most Nationals dates so it is a very good tune up before heading out.

 

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No matter how good you think your players are, you'd better go out and get some better ones if you want to win a lot of games.