Question about the depth of softball in Ohio

[cz fastpitch fan]

The more participation there is, the more POTENTIAL for great players. Sure any particular team might be a little more watered down because the players have more options, but there are a lot more players playing.
More games, more coaches.
The amount of high schools remains the same...so now there are more kids competing for those spots. And...that means more competition for those spots. That means more desire to improve...more need for personal instructors and indoor facilities to help all of those players improve.
More glove sales. More tourneys in Ohio, which means more hotel stays, more customers at local restaurants. More kids from Ohio going on to other colleges.

Just how is this a bad thing at all?

 

[tankerlab]

Here is a consolidated list with a couple of more added.

1 OFC Heat
2 DOOM
3 Lasers
4 Buckeye Heat
5 Ohio Ice
6 Central Ohio Ice
7 Outlaws
8 Mason Thunder
9 Hawks ( can I count them 3 times ? )
10 Buckeye Elite
11 Stingrays
12 Miami Valley Express
13 Ashland Blaze
14 Ohio Classics
15 Maddogs
16 Cincy Static
17 Cincy Slammers
18 Valley Extreme
19 Wolfpack
20 Lancaster Pride
21 Ohio Bandits
22 Willoughbly Strazz
23 Ohio Hurricanes
24 Ohio Edge
25 Wizards
26 Westerville warcats
27 Ohio attack
28 Ohio Storm
29 Kaos
30 Heart of Ohio
31 Ohio Emeralds
32 Thunder Elite
33 Ohio Power
34 Ohio Glory
35 Central Ohio Lady Vipers
36 Central Ohio Dynamites
37 Lady Barracudas
38 Ohio Bulldawgs Elite
39 Diamonds Elite
40 Valley Force
41 PC Sting
42 Sundogs
43 Roadrunners
44 Ohio Blast?
45 SPC Hot Sox
46 Explosive fastpitch
47 Lady Bombers
48 Licking County Lightning
49 Licking County Thunder
50 Big Katz

I like this... Every weekend I hear teams say, we got beat by this Freedom Elite Team? Never heard of Em?

 

[manitoudan]

There were 8 on the list I've never heard of .

 

[snoman76]

Can you put that in alphabetical order?

Streak
Ohio Lightning
Fury Fastpitch

 

[manitoudan]

the Flamin' Fury is another ohio org thats been around a long time . Far eastern ohio on the WV border , usually combines with WV players to make squads . VERY good team in the past , I'm talking good enough to win Stingrays tourney. ( 2010)

 

[wow]

So tryouts are winding up and postings for open positions seem to be increasing? Seems very odd. If you look at the "teams seeking players" its like TTT mania. Folks are clamoring to stay relevant and not get pushed down. Here is my observation. I am seeing a ton of new posters trying to get players for the 2017 season. If I am a new to The Zone and trying to find the right fit for my DD how do I gather anything from Joefabeats posting with 2 posts, on the new team he/she is putting together? The number of low posts requesting players has got to be near a all time high. With little or no info on past records, coaching history, and new team start ups its no wonder there is so much confusion.

 

[ificanbelikeu]

But don't forget that the majority of these teams have "coaches that can get you to the next level". Players should be flocking to their tryouts!

 

[311road]

So who are the 14 and 16u coaches that can get you to next level? I understand that it takes talent to begin with, what does it take from the coach? Or is it the organization more than the coach?

 

[tankerlab]

So who are the 14 and 16u coaches that can get you to next level? I understand that it takes talent to begin with, what does it take from the coach? Or is it the organization more than the coach?

Organization and coach. With more emphasis on the coach. We started with the Doom organization. Great Organization! Great reputation. The president and founder Tim Gregory is very well respected and a great coach himself. Attracts the talent you spoke of...Only problem was the specific coach of the team my dd was on. Not going into details but worst coach I've ever been associated with in softball... And lies...
Bottom line we left, found another Team. This was a very difficult decision because Gregory did everything right! And he is one of DD's High School coaches as well...The decision was 100% my DD's. This new coach Tim Adams founder of Freedom Elite did things a little different... After one year on this team my dd was offered a complete 100% paid athletic scholarship to a
D-1 school (Tenn. State University) to pitch. She also had D-1's Belmont and Middle Tenn State interested and communicating and coming to her games. D-2 schools Ashland, Gannon and Trevecca. Many D-3 and NAIA schools...
Both Travel coaches stressed going to Camps of colleges you are interested in. ( You have to figure out which camps are money makers and which ones are getting her looks.) Camps where there are GAMES PLAYED are what you want! Both Travel coaches stressed constant e mailing of coaches of colleges you are interested in by the player! The difference was how coach Adams interacted with College Coaches.
DD was noticed at a
Connect pitching camp in Tenn.
DD continued to e mail coaches from that camp that expressed interest and followed up by giving schedule of two Tenn. Tournaments she was going to be at. (Coaches that put their teams in good, competitive, SHOWCASE tournaments where the players will be SEEN and NOTICED.) that's one answer to your question...) Then dd went to camp at Scenic City Tournament. Was noticed again by Tenn State... AT THAT POINT I saw coach Adams step in....He walked up to the coaches.Talked and promoted my dd to them. At next tournament in Nashville Elite the following weekend Tenn State watched her in 6 games straight. Coach Adams was out of the dugout as the game was being played talking to the coach. Then Middle Tenn. State came. Coach Adams was out of the dugout talking, then came Trevecca, coach Adams was out of the dugout talking... Then came Belmont... Same thing... At this point in time my dd was too young to talk with the coaches other than after games and thank them for being there to watch her and to give them her profile. BUT.... Coach Adams TALKED... And before we left Tenn. The Tenn State coach had Adams, myself and Dd do a college visit. Dd was offered after that visit... We waited until October and looked at other schools and offers but she was hooked and sold on this coach and school and verbally committed in October. Coach Adams Freedom Elite team last year was a second year 16 U team. EVERY girl on that team was offered a scholarship by a D-1; D-2; D-3 or NAIA college team AT THE NEXT LEVEL by end of season. 6 of the girls verbally committed to colleges to play AT THE NEXT LEVEL...
It was the organization, the girl's Talent, the girls communicating with coaches through e mails and at showcase games, BUT the most important factor I believe was Coach Adams putting those girls in situations at the right SHOWCASE tournaments. Coach Adams putting the girls in the right "team college camps" and COLLEGE SCRIMMAGES! Yes we played college teams... The coaches relationship with these college coaches and his constant communication and getting out of the dugout to get face to face. He put these girls in games when a specific coach was there to see a specific girl. These things were instrumental in their success getting to the next level.
Yes, DOOM has many of the same success stories and so does Lazers and Outlaws and many more top notch organizations so pick a good organization and a good coach and there you have your 14 and 16 u coaches that get kids to the next level....

 

[MadT]

Watered down

 

[Fairman]

Sure our Travel Teams are watered down but we are now placing pitchers at Tennessee. I contend that we are providing more opportunities to these kids with vastly better coaching, instruction and facilities than even a decade ago. The base of good players is much broader and deeper just spread over more travel teams and we are producing extraordinary players on a regular basis.

 

[cobb_of_fury]

Watered down

What does Watered Down Mean? - I'm not being rhetorical That is an actual question.

I'm using arbitrary numbers but I think the point is valid,
Lets say there is Always 20 Great national level players at the 16U level in Ohio Year in year out you can find 20 great players
- 20 years ago there might have been 2 teams that traveled so all those teams were great because they had the 20 best players in the state.
- NOW you have upwards of 200 teams (that seems like reasonable number) and still only 20 Great national level players spread over a lot more teams - So it seems Watered Down
BUT... Now you also have maybe 60 exceptional players 120 Very good players and a bunch of girls working to get better - Who aren't playing Soccer or basketball instead - What is the better situation for the sport?

 

[coachjwb]

What does Watered Down Mean? - I'm not being rhetorical That is an actual question.

I'm using arbitrary numbers but I think the point is valid,
Lets say there is Always 20 Great national level players at the 16U level in Ohio Year in year out you can find 20 great players
- 20 years ago there might have been 2 teams that traveled so all those teams were great because they had the 20 best players in the state.
- NOW you have upwards of 200 teams (that seems like reasonable number) and still only 20 Great national level players spread over a lot more teams - So it seems Watered Down
BUT... Now you also have maybe 60 exceptional players 120 Very good players and a bunch of girls working to get better - Who aren't playing Soccer or basketball instead - What is the better situation for the sport?

Not arguing your underlying point because I agree with it, but if there were 20 great players 20 years ago in Ohio, I would propose that there's 50 or 60 or 70 now ... Ohio has made a major dent in the quantity of players that are going on to play nationally during this time frame. And that's obviously a great thing ...

 

[ErieDiamonds02]

I can vouch for the watered down aspect at least within 25 miles of Sandusky, as far as competing at the state level we have id say between 7-10 teams all fighting over the same kids. Then you have the legit studs going and playing 2 hours away (which is their right and I think its an awesome opportunity for the girls that make those teams). But in my experience all these teams that keep sprouting up are bc daddy ball is over prevalent. Everyone wants to be a shortstop...even though their future is in the outfield or behind the plate. End Rant.

 

[cobb_of_fury]

Not arguing your underlying point because I agree with it, but if there were 20 great players 20 years ago in Ohio, I would propose that there's 50 or 60 or 70 now ... Ohio has made a major dent in the quantity of players that are going on to play nationally during this time frame. And that's obviously a great thing ...

Jeff- I agree with you - that number of studs will increase exponentially but I was trying to keep the numbers simple - the more girls playing (Especially at a young age) the better. No matter what reason. It is way to easy to lose girls to Soccer and Field hockey or lacrosse.

It takes a LONG time to be able to teach a girl to play Softball even at a rudimentary level where in about 8 seconds I can teach a group of girls the basics of soccer and play a game Field hockey and lacrosse may take slightly longer basket ball even a bit longer but nothing compared to teaching softball. So for every "jerk" who leaves to start his own team so his princess can pitch and play short stop there are 9 or 10 other girls learning the game - So I'm cool with that. and the girls that are good leave to be on better teams and so on and so on - Talent should rise and converge -

 

[MadT]

I can vouch for the watered down aspect at least within 25 miles of Sandusky, as far as competing at the state level we have id say between 7-10 teams all fighting over the same kids. Then you have the legit studs going and playing 2 hours away (which is their right and I think its an awesome opportunity for the girls that make those teams). But in my experience all these teams that keep sprouting up are bc daddy ball is over prevalent. Everyone wants to be a shortstop...even though their future is in the outfield or behind the plate. End Rant.

This what I was referring to as watered-down in that too many new teams starting up with not enough players, yes I understand we have great talent here in Ohio. Just wanted to clarify.

 

[manitoudan]

Who went to the ugly orange ? Tn ?

 

[lewam3]

Jeff- I agree with you - that number of studs will increase exponentially but I was trying to keep the numbers simple - the more girls playing (Especially at a young age) the better. No matter what reason. It is way to easy to lose girls to Soccer and Field hockey or lacrosse.

It takes a LONG time to be able to teach a girl to play Softball even at a rudimentary level where in about 8 seconds I can teach a group of girls the basics of soccer and play a game Field hockey and lacrosse may take slightly longer basket ball even a bit longer but nothing compared to teaching softball. So for every "jerk" who leaves to start his own team so his princess can pitch and play short stop there are 9 or 10 other girls learning the game - So I'm cool with that. and the girls that are good leave to be on better teams and so on and so on - Talent should rise and converge -

Wait Cobb-
Have you ever tried catching a lacrosse ball with a girls lacrosse stick? But I do see your point.

 

[cobb_of_fury]

Who went to the ugly orange ? Tn ?

I know there was a girl out of Avon from the Outlaws (Belvy I think is her name) but thought she was an infielder - Not sure who the pitcher was

 

[Captain_Thunder]

It seems a bit funny that some of those who are complaining about "Too Many Teams" & Watered Down" aspects are the same ones who are still looking for several players for their teams a month after Tryouts on this site!