Little League Softball World Series

[as the world turns]

The major problem with this is that little league softball has no business existing. There is no comparison to ASA softball and little league will never surpass ASA. ASA allstars was the best competition before we moved on to travelball. any little league program should take a look at the ASA competion and realize thet they are offering a lower caliber of softball to young ladies. Put anyone of those littles teams against a ASA team nd you will see the ASA dominate. Parents of little league softball need to branch out and see what better softball there is available.

This is a little harsh... I have had my teams playing ASA for a great number of years. With that said, Little league is where a lot of girls got started at t-ball and maybe even coach pitch. The ones that wanted more went to travel ball, the ones that wanted it socially or not as competitvely stay in little league. I do think there defintly is a place for little league, as there is a place for ASA. Of course you cant compare the talent level knor shall we even try, you cant make a cookie cutter program for everyone, cus everyone may not love softball as much as you do. Just like in school, you cant make every kid take the accelerated courses, some kids struggle with the basic courses.

ASA softball and little league are both weak

[Battle]

Parents of little league softball need to branch out and see what better softball there is available.

Why, if they are happy doing what they want to do?

[jonriv]

Perhaps PGF, ASA, TCS etc... could all learn from LL softball- they actually get paid to put their product on TV

[soupy62]

The major problem with this is that little league softball has no business existing. There is no comparison to ASA softball and little league will never surpass ASA. ASA allstars was the best competition before we moved on to travelball. any little league program should take a look at the ASA competion and realize thet they are offering a lower caliber of softball to young ladies. Put anyone of those littles teams against a ASA team nd you will see the ASA dominate. Parents of little league softball need to branch out and see what better softball there is available.

Using your theory ASA, NSA, AFA, Pony, USSSA, High School, Juco, NAIA, Div 3 a,d Div 2 should just shut down. They only softball any kid should play is PGF, and the only ball college kids should play is Div 1. Thats 100% ignorant. Little League ball is an extension of High school ball where a kid dont have to travel an hour to play with a bunch of kids she only see's at softball. Here teammates are school mates, nieghbors and friends. Grandparents, aunts and uncles can come out and see them play! I dont think anyone here will dispute that fact that the other branches are better in some cases MUCH better. But LL does have its place.

[PDad]

Perhaps PGF, ASA, TCS etc... could all learn from LL softball- they actually get paid to put their product on TV

Do you really think LL softball could get paid without being bundled with baseball?

[8u/10udad]

Both my daughters have played both, ASA and LL and I can tell you that, IMO, LL is far below the level of ASA. You can just see it in the quality of play and level of experience of the girls playing. Now, it may be the area that I did live in, but, automatically, you can see the vast difference.

[Fredegar]

LL softball does some good things. Because of the ties to LL baseball (as PDad said), it provides more TV exposure for girls softball. Good for LL for making sure the girls are on TV, because ESPN would likely be fine just televising the boys.

The unfortunate thing about LL softball is that most of America watch these 12-year old girls play and believe these are the best kids in the country. The closest equivalent is ASA Nationals for 12U Rec All-Stars, where the same age girls from a local community (just like LL) are performing at a much higher level. Sadly, America doesn't know this quality of play exists.

Obviously, 12U TB teams (ASA, PGF, etc.) are better still, but now we're comparing apples and oranges, by comparing Travel to Rec.

[Trophy Hunter]

Is There a LL rule prohibiting players from playing year round? Does it have to be an all-star team? Why can't a travel team play LL? It seems fairly well organized for 10-12u players, with great exposure at the high end, who can then move in to travel ball for 14u if they want to pursue it.

[ontheblack]

NPF is associated with MLB as an "Official Development Partner". FP wont be televised like LL is until we come up with a reason for MLB to fund it. That most likely will come from a united front put together to get both softball and baseball back into the Olympics. The problem we face though is that we are fragmented, with an alphabet soup of sanctioning bodies.

USSSA has probably the best chance at this point since they forged a relationship with NPF. PGF would probably have the next best shot with Bill Conroy.

JMO, what's your take on this?

[DonnieS]

Both my daughters have played both, ASA and LL and I can tell you that, IMO, LL is far below the level of ASA. You can just see it in the quality of play and level of experience of the girls playing. Now, it may be the area that I did live in, but, automatically, you can see the vast difference.

Thats our experience - to the point where when a kid came to try out for the team, I would first ask ' Are you coming from LL?', because I knew if she was , she was probably behind the girls who hadnt , had been poorly taught and likely was not fixable. And like you, it may just be the area we live in, but I dont think so after watching it on tv. If you dont have a choice, no big deal, if you do have a choice, play real fastpitch.