Teams. What makes one elite?

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Now I know I am probably asking for it by posting this but I just want some opinions. I am not looking for everyone to get one here and push their team. This is not a popularity contest. I want to know what teams by region, NE, NW, Central, etc. are considered "elite". What makes you classify them as elite rather than good? Is it a teams record? History? Again please not boasting up your own organization. Just honest opinions of others would be better. Also no bashing of a team.

 

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Elite-is just a word. I don't think you'll hear anyone from the LASERS,Wolfpack,Heat,Stingrays or others say we are an "Elite" team!!

 

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Who says what teams are so called Elite teams? Their organizations or the parents of the players? I'm just wondering hear...It's not like there is a commitee that says so...So I agree it's just a word...

 

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I think it is something earned over time. The so called "elite " teams have usually been around for a while and have had success which in turn, brings in the better players, which adds to their credibility.
Its sort of like college athletics, the better teams with the established track record and success in each sport are almost always mentioned when it comes to the best incoming athletes. They have to recruit like everybody else, but their name draws just as many, if not more. Just look at the OHIO St's, USC's, Notre Dame's in football, the Dukes, Kentuckys, N Carolinas in basketball etc. there are teams that will come up with bigger years sure, but the "elite " teams are always near the top.

 

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I like the word established better than elite . Elite sounds so ....elitist ! ?But to give an opinion , I'd say an elite program is one that has stood the test of time. One whose teams consitinently compete in the national tourneys. A organization that has a roster of athelets where the bottom of the order is close to the top on O . This team would have good athelets in the outfield , not just in the infield on D. Team would not just have a strong # 1 arm , then chopped liver. Team shows mental tuffness by winning close games and showing a capability of coming from behind to win. ?Thats what my elite team would look like. ?
The sad thing is this team I just described is 2 hours from home for me?> > > ?MD

 

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Hey Dan. ?That team for me was 2 hours away also. ?My DD and the rest of the family make that drive religiously. ?It is well worth it. ?It's hard sometimes, but you just have to do what you have to do!!! ?

My opinion, ?that is why those elite teams are Elite teams!! ? ?

The players do what it takes to be dedicated and work hard. ?They are mentally tough and will do their best to be there late on Sunday!!!


GO STINGRAYS!!

 

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If it is just a word why is it thrown around so much when discussing teams. Just to sound pretty? I'm with Dan they should be called Established rather than elite if there is really nothing that makes a team elite. My thoughts are that a team can have elite players making it a good, better, great, or whatever you would like to say, team.

 

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Elite ,...The team that kicks your butt week after week,... strives for excellance and always know's how to acheive it. Elite

 

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Terms like Elite are all about the Parents lol, the majority of well rounded kids could careless. Most kids if they enjoy the kids they play with have no real urgency to change teams on their own, their parents talk them into joining a team that the parent feels is "Elite".

 

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I'm going to make some assumptions. First, "travel ball" should be "select", meaning only the top-tier teams and players, the "best of the best", should be participating. IMO, select travel ball should be the pathway for college ball. Secondly, "recreational softball" is meant to provide a venue for all the teams and players that have not reached, and possibly have no desire to reach, a level of play to be considered the "best of the best". Third, there is no set standard that defines where the dividing line between these two levels is.

If a goal is to improve the level of play at the travel ball level, there has to be a system in place to keep the talent pools of teams separated. Realistically, a self policing method will never work because of differing opinions of what constitutes an ?elite? team.

As a benchmark for success at the top end, let's assume that if a girl from Ohio gets accepted onto a DI college team, she has somehow, somewhere, acquired the skills to become a pretty decent softball player. But the ratio between all girls playing ?travel ball? in Ohio compared to the ones accepted to DI college teams is a telling factor of the quality of travel ball in Ohio.

A curious statistic is to look at the 11 Ohio DI program?s rosters. Count the Ohio girls on those rosters. Then, figure out which travel programs they came from. I haven?t actually done this, but I?m betting you could count those programs on one hand. You could actually go back over several years and get similar results. There?s a reason these girls were playing on those teams. Strength of schedule, exposure to college coaches, and the general level of play are a few. Those teams are where I?d start if I was building an elite travel team list for Ohio.

How many teams fit into this category in Ohio?

 

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If it is just a word why is it thrown around so much when discussing teams. Just to sound pretty? I'm with Dan they should be called Established rather than elite if there is really nothing that makes a team elite. My thoughts are that a team can have elite players making it a good, better, great, or whatever you would like to say, team.

I agree, I've been guilty of using "elite." "Established" makes more sense. Of course, now someone will ask, "what is established?"

 

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Elite- When you get your pool play schedule and go "oh sh##, we gotta play them this early" You all know what Im talking about...lol, just a lighter version

 

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Terms like Elite are all about the Parents lol, the majority of well rounded kids could careless. Most kids if they enjoy the kids they play with have no real urgency to change teams on their own, their parents talk them into joining a team that the parent feels is "Elite".

Uber_Jones, YOU NAILED IT! ?"Elite" is a word that parents thought up, (or maybe Ringer ?;D) to seperate their kids from the so called "average" ball players. ?The girls couldn't care less about their title, unless its "Champion" at the tournament they just busted their asses to win! ?I know of MANY teams where (and I quote) "The players do what it takes to be dedicated and work hard. ?They are mentally tough and will do their best to be there late on Sunday!!!" ?This is not an "elite" requirement, this is a requirement among travel ball teams all across the state. ?I'm all about the kids, not the parents getting "bragging rights". ?Most of these girls work their tails off in practices, scrimmages, tournaments and the word "elite" is just a ridiculous title that makes the girl on the "B" team feel pretty crappy around the girl on the "A" team, but most importantly, it allows some parents to do a bit more "chest-thumping"! (that's what this is all about, isn't it?) ?

GO TRAVEL SOFTBALL PLAYERS of OHIO!!

 

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The other side of the my earlier defiition. If you dont flinch or say "oh sh##" , then your Elite. I also will add whatever we want to call it there are some "elite teams and organizations." Years of hard work, winter practice, private lessons, coaches clinics, video software, many tourney wins, respected by others and a list of college signings are things I equate to elite. I dont mind the word, we strive for it in our organization.

 

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They are only Elite if that is the team name across the front of the Jersey.... ;D

 

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Good idea, maybe we should all change our team name to "Elite".

 

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I will politely disagree with substituting established for elite. We have been doing travel ball for a few years, and there are teams/organizations that you see year in and year out. Being there every year does not make a team elite. Just as putting a team on the field that dominates an age group does not make them established. A few years ago there was a team out of the Cincinnati area called the Cruisers. At their age group, would have said at least deserved some consideration as an "elite" team. They only hung together 2-3 years.
It is tough and controversial to determine who is "elite". This is just a suggestion but use your own experience and make a list of the top 10 teams that you know of, and that is a decent start. If your experience has put you at the better tournaments around the entire state cut the list in 1/2. If your experience is not those tournaments cut the list further. That will get you closer.
Regardless of how you rank teams, being on an "elite" team is only good for you if they fit your goals and your families financial and personal capabilities. Not every team or athlete that plays and extensive travel schedule is elite. Nor is every team or athlete that doesn't travel extensively a second echelon team.

 

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Amen! I couldn't agree more, DogsDad.

 

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I looked up elite and here is the definition 1a-the part or group having the highest quality or importance

as we look the definition, we can take out importance. Does not really apply to softball. Lets look at highest quality. There are a few organizations that hold tryouts in every corner of the state. The do attract the highest quality of players. The high quality players want to play for that organization. Just look how many girls go to their tryouts. How many other girls talk about wanting to go to those tryouts or even wish they could play on one of those teams. That in my mind would be an elite team. Teams that get invited to invitational tournaments would be another category. Not every team gets invited to let's say compuware in Michigan, I believe the Stingray tournament in an invitational. Maybe elite is not the best word but I do think there are organizations out there that prepare they players better, get invited to invitationals every year and playing on these team carries prestige.

 

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Did anyone ever have the pleasure of driving a Chrysler "K" car back in the 80's? How about a Corvair? Both of those "vehicles" came from undeniably WELL ESTABLISHED companies, but no one in their right mind could call them quality vehicles. Unfortunately, neither of those cars would even come close to being classed with a Honda Civic.

Quality teams and established teams are two entirely different things. I think it's a fair assumption that if a team, or organization, has been in existence for 10 years, you could call them "established". However, not all "established" teams have the same agenda. No "chest-thumping" here - I'm NOT naming or promoting any team. All I'm doing is stating facts.

We all know there is a group of teams, probably less than 10, that promote themselves as college showcase teams. Their primary focus is to develop and showcase their players to college coaches. That is the PRIMARY reason girls are on these specific teams. If that is NOT your focus, there are a TON of teams in Ohio that still need quality softball players. By the way, all those girls and coaches DO put their uniforms and shoes on the SAME WAY every other girl in Ohio does! Sorry for not jumping on the PC bandwagon.

Every parent and their DD needs to be on the same page as far as athletics is concerned. If mom and dad's plans for DD are a DI college softball scholarship, but DD's plan is a law degree at Capital University, there may be some friction down the road. Point is, it HAS to be DD's plan.

Bigtrain's vision of creating a team from scratch is more of what Ohio needs - quality wise. Only time will tell if that formula works. But I'd almost bet money that it will...