Can NorCal pull it off?

[jtat32]

Sure it can happen, give me Ricketts and 4 kids from Sorcerers, 4 kids from KG, 4 kids from Grapes, 4 kids from AASA, 4 kids from Sting, and then we will be on same page as Tyson and Rico and Richardson. gotta love it!

Given that Sorcerer won a championship with Ricketts, why do you need to combine the other teams?

[rbi]

Well jtat from 09' to 14', lots of changes have occurred. In 09' Sorcerers did it with 14-15 kids and one pitcher threw pretty much entire post season, at ASA Natls in OKC. You scrapped and clawed your way and hoped everyone stayed healthy as you could not afford to lose one kid. Even today in Norcal, you have 15-16 man rosters, kids get hurt, kids go on college visits, kids have proms, kids have SAT tests, parents get upset and pull kid mid season, and you never know if your going to have enough kids at any given tournament EVEN at top level. Sure you can load rosters up in Norcal but the drop off is significant, and not fair to the kids. IN 2014 you have Super teams in Socal and different parts of country, that have formed with 20-25 man rosters, with VERY little drop off in talent, 3 #1 pitchers who are all big time next level kids, 5 or 6 coachs, with HUGE budgets. They juggle roster around throughout the season depending upon who is doing what and/or who they are playing against, and then put together the cream of the crop for PGF and BAMN! you wonder what just happened when your packing your hotel room up and going home as the super teams are just starting to warm up in winners bracket at PGF.

[fastpitchdad05]

In2014 you have Super teams in Socal and different parts of country, that have formed with 20-25 man rosters, with VERY little drop off in talent, 3 #1 pitchers who are all big time next level kids, 5 or 6 coachs, with HUGE budgets. They juggle roster around throughout the season depending upon who is doing what and/or who they are playing against, and then put together the cream of the crop for PGF and BAMN! you wonder what just happened when your packing your hotel room up and going home as the super teams are just starting to warm up in winners bracket at PGF.

Wow, really? I got to figure out where that is happening and try to get in on it.

These PGF rosters seem to fit RBI's description:

http://premiergirlsfp.bbstats.pointstre ... onid=28876

http://premiergirlsfp.bbstats.pointstre ... onid=28876

There could be more, but I didn't look.

EDIT: Of course I'm referring to roster sizes and depth not HUGE coach budgets.

[gobblygoop]

I don't see it happening up here for a while. But of would be easy to do at the 12 and 14 levels, especially for an org that has multiple teams in the same age group. I'm going to use the Grapettes for an example, not that I'm a grape honk, but because the have four 14U's. The could practice together, play desperate and merge down to one super team for qualifiers. But, too many egos involved, it would take a strong org/leader to get it done.

[fastpitchdad05]

In2014 you have Super teams in Socal and different parts of country, that have formed with 20-25 man rosters, with VERY little drop off in talent, 3 #1 pitchers who are all big time next level kids, 5 or 6 coachs, with HUGE budgets. They juggle roster around throughout the season depending upon who is doing what and/or who they are playing against, and then put together the cream of the crop for PGF and BAMN! you wonder what just happened when your packing your hotel room up and going home as the super teams are just starting to warm up in winners bracket at PGF.

Wow, really? I got to figure out where that is happening and try to get in on it.

These PGF rosters seem to fit RBI's description:

http://premiergirlsfp.bbstats.pointstre ... onid=28876

http://premiergirlsfp.bbstats.pointstre ... onid=28876

There could be more, but I didn't look.

EDIT: Of course I'm referring to roster sizes and depth not HUGE coach budgets.

Ok those teams have 20, not 25, and those kids were on that team all year. They did not assemble a "superteam" for PGF. What is a huge budget. I know it is not uncommon for a 18G team to spend 30k + to run a team for a year with no paid coaches.

Well...when DD's team played against one of these teams at the beginning of the summer they had at least 25 girls in their dugout.

And...one of these teams had at least one key player on their PGF roster that is still listed on another team's roster in their org.

Not going to take the time to look for other examples, but RBI's assertions, even if exaggerated, do have at least some foundation of truth.

Meh...it is what it is. I don't see it changing. And my interest is waning...

[rbi]

I think some of you are missing my point including Spaz, i am not referring to these so called "super teams" forming just for PGF, although i do see some teams picking up kids at end of season, and PGF allows this and i think it is kind of nice for kids to get the chance to show their skills one more time that season, when they otherwise would not, and that goes on everywhere not just socal. Lets get off the budget thing and paid coachs, as i know the amount of time coachs spend working with kids, well some coachs lol, and the budget thing referring to being paid wasnt my point SPAZ, its the amount of money a team has to attract certain players, supply the kids with first class training facilities, as much equipment as a college program, and top notch coaching, and get the best fields every weekend and play in front of the best schools in the country week end week out, great weather year round to practice and HS teams playing in Fall and Spring is just pure insanity, NOT because they are buying you a freakin cheeseburger. To be honest im jealous if anything Spaz cuz you guys have the red carpet each year .Most of the SoCal Super teams only leave their own beds on weekends ONCE a year WITH a 30k budget, and some of the tournaments they play in are their OWN, so yeah. Back to my original point, these "super teams" that are STACKED to the gills with 3 pitchers going to TOP 5 colleges in the country and a boat load of big time talent SITTING in the dugout is NO match for us poor folk up North, sorry. Until you see that you are really missing the whole transformation of SoCal super teams, at LEAST at the 18G level. You have teams flying all over the country from back EAST and South with HUGE budgets ,week end week out just to be seen. On top of that you have teams rolling up in team buses with name on it from the Midwest, others with four or five 15 passenger vans, one of which JUST for equipment (socal),, seriously shoot we share having kids bring the first aid kit and one other carries the wiffle's thats our "equipment van". Norcal was real close to hanging with the big boys until the recent transformation of these "super teams", call it what you want, AND the infestation of copy cat teams up North that have severely spread out the talent base that there is up here, PLUS we have more and more talented NorCal kids feeling the need to jump on board the "super teams", just so mom and dad can tell everyone they do, when they dont really need to, and all that has KILLED our chances!. Until NorCal figures it out the slide will continue, as the rest of the country has already jumped on board with the dreaded SoCal teams. Can it be done up North, hell yea with the right personality leading the charge, will it be done probably not.

Bottom line is, the days of NorCal winning a National title are gone, at least at PGF, but with that being said once you figure it out that its NOT all about winning and its about providing an opportunity for our kids to get an education at a great university, then everything is ok, because 2 weeks after PGF is over nobody cares, and a LOT of lucky kids are packing their bags to great schools and thats what its all about,

FWIW

[slice]

I don't see it happening up here for a while. But of would be easy to do at the 12 and 14 levels, especially for an org that has multiple teams in the same age group. I'm going to use the Grapettes for an example, not that I'm a grape honk, but because the have four 14U's. The could practice together, play desperate and merge down to one super team for qualifiers. But, too many egos involved, it would take a strong org/leader to get it done.

Unfortunately it would NOT be easy to do this at the 12 & 14 levels. There is a reason why we have “200 +” teams in these age groups. We have a unlimited supply of girls and a lot of quality coaches up in the area.

Why pick out the Grapettes (for your example) .....not that I’m a honk or anything. They have 4 teams for reason. Just as any other Org up here can do, because they can. For the most part, each team “practices differently” on “different days” in “different areas”.

Play desperate????........I need a vowel (help).

Merge to one team.....If that was the case then they wouldn’t have 4. However I do know a couple of Orgs that do that and they still don’t qualify.

There are egos everywhere.....along with concepts, style, expectations, image etc., etc., another reason why it can’t work in 12s & 14s.

As for ”STRONG ORG LEADERSHIP”.....I think the GUY in charge there knows his stuff, has vision and certainly understands his product.

Now as a side note please “re-vhue and use sphell check” before submi.......oh nevermind!!!

Again I’m not a Grape honk.

[fastpitchdad05]

I think some of you are missing my point including Spaz, i am not referring to these so called "super teams" forming just for PGF, although i do see some teams picking up kids at end of season, and PGF allows this and i think it is kind of nice for kids to get the chance to show their skills one more time that season, when they otherwise would not, and that goes on everywhere not just socal. Lets get off the budget thing and paid coachs, as i know the amount of time coachs spend working with kids, well some coachs lol, and the budget thing referring to being paid wasnt my point SPAZ, its the amount of money a team has to attract certain players, supply the kids with first class training facilities, as much equipment as a college program, and top notch coaching, and get the best fields every weekend and play in front of the best schools in the country week end week out, great weather year round to practice and HS teams playing in Fall and Spring is just pure insanity, NOT because they are buying you a freakin cheeseburger. To be honest im jealous if anything Spaz cuz you guys have the red carpet each year .Most of the SoCal Super teams only leave their own beds on weekends ONCE a year WITH a 30k budget, and some of the tournaments they play in are their OWN, so yeah. Back to my original point, these "super teams" that are STACKED to the gills with 3 pitchers going to TOP 5 colleges in the country and a boat load of big time talent SITTING in the dugout is NO match for us poor folk up North, sorry. Until you see that you are really missing the whole transformation of SoCal super teams, at LEAST at the 18G level. You have teams flying all over the country from back EAST and South with HUGE budgets ,week end week out just to be seen. On top of that you have teams rolling up in team buses with name on it from the Midwest, others with four or five 15 passenger vans, one of which JUST for equipment (socal),, seriously shoot we share having kids bring the first aid kit and one other carries the wiffle's thats our "equipment van". Norcal was real close to hanging with the big boys until the recent transformation of these "super teams", call it what you want, AND the infestation of copy cat teams up North that have severely spread out the talent base that there is up here, PLUS we have more and more talented NorCal kids feeling the need to jump on board the "super teams", just so mom and dad can tell everyone they do, when they dont really need to, and all that has KILLED our chances!. Until NorCal figures it out the slide will continue, as the rest of the country has already jumped on board with the dreaded SoCal teams. Can it be done up North, hell yea with the right personality leading the charge, will it be done probably not.

Bottom line is, the days of NorCal winning a National title are gone, at least at PGF, but with that being said once you figure it out that its NOT all about winning and its about providing an opportunity for our kids to get an education at a great university, then everything is ok, because 2 weeks after PGF is over nobody cares, and a LOT of lucky kids are packing their bags to great schools and thats what its all about,

FWIW

If you are saying that these teams are formed right before PGF "just for PGF" then I have to disagree. There is some tinkering of lineups done, but the top teams are mostly the same core that they have been for months.

And RBI...for God's sakes...learn to use proper paragraphs!

[izicsz]

I guess artomatic has not browsed this thread. He would have chimed in on the quality of the spelling and grammar by now!

While reading rbi's last post, it occurred to me that the Firecrackers are not trying to produce quality teams up here in Norcal. It is definitely a plot to weaken Norcal by spreading the talent pool even more! Now, granted, we do a great job of doing this to ourselves! However, T R has come up with a plan not only to spread the talent so thin between teams as to keep Norcal noncompetitive, he has also come up with a way to convince the parents of the DD's that play for the Norcal Firecracker teams to send him a check every month. A Freak-en Genius!!

[rbi]

fastpitchdad, did you not read the first two sentences, when you been around it for a while you kind of get the idea of who is doing what at the top. Sorry if i gave you a headache with the long paragraph, i will try harder next time. Damn state school's anyhow what can i say