Question for Ohio 14u teams

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So where will you be holding this tournament Tim? Will it be in Ohio?

 

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Been stuck in Kentucky for a couple of days due to the ice storm and delivering. I got in touch with Kentucky and their diamonds are open on certain dates but all not the dates needed for the event.

Illinois still wishes it and is still communicating with me on it.

Ohio wants it to be held in Blue Ash, Ohio with is a northern Suberb of Cincinnati. Wonderful park there. Manicured. Just looking for more diamonds nearby and not spread out all over the city..so to say. I have call in to a person who holds baseball events throughout the city and he knows where all the parks are and their costs. But, Blue Ash park is wide open for the whole tournament and if you haven't played there... and I know many haven't as they are a city park used mostly for city park events only... this is a well groomed and manicured facility that can take rain. Just need some more fields. Know more by Monday.

 

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Found the extra fields that are 5 miles from the Blue Ash park in Cincinnati. Waiting for answer on MOnday... but I really need to hear more from Ohio teams about their thoughts.

 

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I could see many Ohio 14U teams attending if it is in Ohio. I would not make your ultimate decision about hosting the tournament here in Ohio solely on what 14U teams respond from the OFC. My bet is that while there is a good number of teams represented here on the OFC, many still are not. If you host it here they will come. Look how many attended the nsa nationals whenever they have been held here in Ohio. What I see is that most teams are waiting for a decision to be made. Any decison. Most teams have already discussed at this point where they plan on attending nationals and therefore they have set their schedules to accomplish that goal. The longer you wait the farther behind you will get (that goes for whereever you decide to host it).

 

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Choosen One, I really don't understand your theory as team's schedule are not set in stone in any manner with this economy the way it is. I see teams who thought their roster was filled back in August looking for players as some parents who child got on the team in August tryouts are no longer going to play travel ball due to the economy.

Needless to say, I sent out e-mails from my database to teams and just don't depend on the answers I receive back from the OFC.

I have heard five so far. I'll decide soon. Coming to Ohio and Kings Island has got a few southern and western teams excited. Question is... being our IFA Nationals is a true Nationals... and not a regional nationals... whether Ohio teams are interested. Nothing like the thought of teams coming from everywhere to play five (5) Ohio teams.

 

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ohio quaker man I beg to differ. Most teams have already set their schedule and have paid for many of the tournaments that they will attend next season. I know that our DD's team schedule is already set and paid for. many of the people who i talk to at recent indoor tournaments and so on have pretty much set theirs as well. When I look at many of the tournaments listed on OFC they appear to be filling up as well. In fact we were not able to attend one of the tournaments that we wanted to go to because it was already full (bummer). As for the nationals I think that with the economy the way it is teams have to plan as far ahead as possible. One of the reasons that I posed the question is because our team will be booking rooms at the site of the nationals that our team already qualified for. If the IFA 14U tournament was going to be in ohio then we might want to givethat a look. Of course it would require a schedule change now as I do not see any IFA qualifiers on our schedule. Therefore, like I mentioned it does matter and teams do need to know one way or another. The others like ASA, USSSA, NSA etc has had their information out since October or earlier. The clock is ticking.

 

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Choosenone, I beg to differ but if Quakerman decides to have the IFA 14U National in Ohio, he will have to turn down teams. Perhaps you should let your DD coach do the talking for his team and organization. Meddling parents!

 

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I don't make the schedules I just follow them. I have an interest in seeing our team attend this national and it would be nice to do so in Ohio. I'm just concerned that teams are not responding because they are making or already have made other plans. These things take time.

 

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Thanks Gregg for your thoughts on it. We are not having it in Springfield, Illinois and that is a fact for now.

We are trying to get feedback from the Texas, Oklahoma teams about coming to Ohio to play the event. I know the California teams so far are coming as I have been working with Amtrax to get good rates for the teams no matter where it is located.

Memphis, Tennessee called this morning and they want this tournament bad. They have 31 fields within 15 minutes of each other. Much to offer as a city. Many in Texas and Oklahoma feel that Memphis would be a great place to meet and centrally located as well.

When making a decision on the tournament, I have to look at all the factors. The last thing I want is to have a true National event (which IFA National is) and teams from other states don't show up. I mean, look at what would be said on this forum. " The IFA Nationals only had teams from 5 states, blah, blah... it was a regional thing"... I don't want to hear that and that is not what is best for IFA as a whole.

I want Ohio teams to go to the event whereever it is... and come back and tell the OFC'ers how much fun they had at our event so maybe in our 2nd year out, IFA will grow in Ohio. I know the 14u event thrown by me is going to be the best event I can throw... plenty of softball games and time out for enjoying the host city of the event. Afterall, it is a vacation made by the parents to bring their daughters to the nationals.

There will be no dead time one day or another as I have two (2) games scheduled for each day. I'm not about dragging teams in On Sunday for opening day events, then on Monday some teams don't play. Nothing worse to me than for the parents to spend money on motels and the girls not play each and every day. Don't think the parents like it very much or feel they get their money's worth.

I have a meeting late this evening with the Cincy people on this issue and a conference call with Memphis on Tuesday morning. My decision will be made on Tuesday by 6 pm. We'll have the final feedback from the southern teams by late this evening. Have been on the phone all morning with IFA people.

I want it here... don't get me wrong... for my Ohio teams. But, I don't want it here if the other states are not coming. I don't want a Regional National... I want the true Nationals.... and that is what we at IFA believe in.

Memphis is a short drive and not that far away and a beautiful city as well.

 

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The IFA 14u Nationals are to be held in Cincinnati this Summer. This is a fact and I will be notifying teams in my e-mail list.

To get a berth to the event, you must either (A) win it or (B) play in three IFA events to win an at large berth. Same with the 10u teams.

I will announce the rules in another thread in the General section and the IFA section.

12u can play up into the 14u "B" division if they wish. You can always play up.

I spoke with the Oklahoma, California, Kansas, Tennessee and Missouri directors and their teams are happy as they have a wish to go anywhere where they can play Ohio teams. Our Ohio girls have a reputation I guess for good ball playing experience and sportsmanship. This is what the Kansas director told me via telephone today.

Tim Cleaver