Tournament Age Limit

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Question from rookie parents about travel/tournament softball:

(1) Do (ASA) tournaments grant age limit "exceptions" or "waivers"? If so, is this a common occurrence?
The player(s) in question - born in the year prior to the cutoff year (so only a few months over the age limit - not at 14 YO playing 10U!!!)

(2) Since we're rookies, we're looking for honest advice from more experienced parents:

If waivers are not generally granted by tournaments, is this a big deal? Should we speak up, even if it is "against" our own team? We think it would be better to address this situation (if it needs to be addressed) BEFORE the violation occurs.

Of course, if tournaments frequently grant exceptions to the age limit, then, there will be no violation and no further discussion is necessary.

Thanks!

 

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I have been doing this a long time and have never heard of an exception of any kind. That's not to say that teams haven't used a player that is older than what is allowed, but until the opposing team questions it there is no issue (aside from the whole integrity of the team/coach/org). This is kind of like speeding on the freeway, sure it is illegal but nobody notices unless you get caught.

As far as you blowing the whistle on your own team; how bad do you want to play for that team/org in the future? Is the coach aware of the age issue? Is the player a real stud that may draw a challenge at some point? If the girl is an average player odds are she will never be discovered, if she is a standout or is freakishly tall or powerful for the age group she may draw some attention.

I would start by bringing it to the coaches attention, if he has no issue with it then you have a decision to make. JMHO

 

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There are no age limit waivers or exceptions, you must be born in the year you are playing. The only exception is you are permitted to "play up" in age group, a younger player may play in the older age groups but NOT the other way around and anyone who tells you different is lying. If yours or any team is found to have players that are not of proper age or are "playing down" than every tournament game that those players participated in results in a forfiet. That's alot of hard work with no possibility of success for the girls who are the right age, a good way to lose your team for next year. Nobody likes a cheater.

 

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The only exception I've ever heard of is in our Emerald Necklace and only if birhday is close and not a pitcher or catcher.

 

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The only exception I've ever heard of is in our Emerald Necklace and only if birhday is close and not a pitcher or catcher.

Is this an ASA sanctioned tournament?

 

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Yes, this is an ASA tournament.

 

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Just for clarification..... There are 2 birth years per age group, such as 16u is 1995 and 1996, 14u is 1997 and 1998, and so forth. Maybe your player in question is ok after all.

 

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Nah, the Emerald Necklace league is a Cuyahoga county "B" league that is made up of community teams. They really only use ASA for insurance and basic guidelines for the games.

 

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@Calling it fair:

Are you saying that the tournament in question is the Cuyahoga County Emerald Necklace league? Because that is a whole other kettle of fish. I though you were asking about true travel ball sanctioned by the ASA. Just using the ASA rules, with modifications, doesn't make it an ASA sanctioned tournament. A league such as Cuyahoga County Emerald Necklace is free to make its own rules.

 

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The tournament is one of the "fastpitch showdowns". There are several across the midwest throughout the summer.

 

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Never heard of any waiver like this and would never consider doing it as a coach. Its cheating, plain and simple.

 

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Sorry everyone, I was just saying that was the only exception I heard of and it's not a high caliber league except for a few teams. It's just a little better than community leagues.

 

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I'm not sure how it happened, but there are two threads with identical names and OPs. Here is what I posted on the other thread earlier this morning. BTW, Beckham's "Showdown" events are open roster, but I highly doubt he would knowingly allow an older player to play down. If I remember correctly, the ASA Sanction cards and ASA roster are not relevant in Beckham's events, though I might be wrong about that. Anyway, back to my original response:

I do not know of any situation in which a waiver has been granted, or for that matter in which a waiver has been requested. I've read the ASA Code a gazillion times (not that I have mastered it, as the document isn't exactly a model of good draftmanship) and I don't think I've seen any reference to a waiver. Whether Ohio ASA has some form of waiver, I don't know, but again I've never heard of a waiver being granted.

I didn't understand your reference to 14u . . . I'm just going to assume that the player(s) in question are a few months over the age limit.

Whether to raise the issue is a tough call. Presumably the coaches know that they are playing with an illegal player or players for the age group. If you raise it with the parents and coaches, there could be retribution. On the other hand, if you are playing in an ENQ or a ASA/USA qualifier, the team could be disqualified when and if birth certificates are checked, and they definitely will be checked if you make it to Eastern National or ASA/USA Nationals; they might even be checked at the qualifier, though TD practices vary on that.

Then there is the larger question whether, assuming your coaches turn in a roster at the ASA events in which you are playing, the roster truthfully states the age of the player and the question of what birth date was used in obtaining the player's sanction card.

I guess if it were me I would hold my nose and not say anything unless your team is entering a ENQ or an ASA/USA qualifier. If it is a qualifier, I would raise the issue with the coaches, because if you win the berth, there will be a whole lot of expenses to travel to the nationals with a significant risk that the entire team will be disqualified once you get there.

And unless I'm missing something, find a different team for next year. Coaches who deliberately use an overage player raise all other kinds of red flags.​

Last edited by cgs; Today at 09:54 AM.
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And unless I'm missing something, find a different team for next year. Coaches who deliberately use an overage player raise all other kinds of red flags.


Amen, brother.

 

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I see this in fall ball pretty frequently. Not supposed to happen in ASA qualifiers but apparently it does.

 

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I see this in fall ball pretty frequently. ...

Speaking ASA, it is legal to stay down in the Fall for non-qualifiers because players do not officially age-up until the beginning of the year. That said, most team that do it generally get a lot of grief over it - especially if they place high in a tourney.