USA Softball releases list of identified athletes from 2015

[jonriv]

I enjoy the irony..... Not that excluding anyone is a good thing, but.....

I find it ironic that all those people up in arms about ASA and team selection were just fine with PGA and "good" fields etc... I am sure Battle is all happy about ASA's policy Everybody is against exclusionary policies-unless it benefits them

[PDad]

The list is much ado about nothing since there isn't a JWNT in 2016 and none were invited to the 2016 WNT selection camp. In fact, the article only says they were identified as age-eligible. Whoopee!!

In total, 69 athletes were identified as either 2017 Junior Women's National Team age-eligible or as Women's National Team age-eligible. These athletes will enter into the identification pool with other athletes who have been previously identified at various ASA/USA events, the National Identification Program through Softball Factory, recommendations from college coaches, high school coaches and ASA/USA Junior Olympic (JO) Coaches.

The only invitee shown for the 2016 WNT camp without college or Team USA experience, Brooke Vines, played at PGF with So Cal A's.

[as the world turns]

The last time I saw 8 players selected from the same team was rec ball all-stars.

[AlwaysImprove]

I enjoy the irony..... Not that excluding anyone is a good thing, but.....

I find it ironic that all those people up in arms about ASA and team selection were just fine with PGA and "good" fields etc... I am sure Battle is all happy about ASA's policy Everybody is against exclusionary policies-unless it benefits them

First of all PDad is correct. Much ado about nothing. Olympic softball is but a pipe dream. Tokyo may consider adding it as a 'Demonstration Sport', but it is important to note that in 1996 IOC removed Demonstration Sports from the 'official' list. Which means no money, no support. This would be a few national teams coming together for a tournament that happens to be held close to where the Olympics are being held.

Your reply shows your fundamental misunderstanding of how things work. It is not about the ASA or about PGF.

Things play out the way they play out because of Teams. Teams have coaches, players and parents. Those teams are the sport. They are going to do what is best for them. The hierarchy, as such as it is, at recruiting tournaments will always be dictated by the Teams that have the most Recruitable Players. It is a good thing those teams largely do not get along, and mostly do not trust each other, as this creates opportunities for the mid level teams to participate up the hierarchy.

Now on the National Team. Regardless of what you, Battle or ASA says, if there were any importance to a 'National Team', any relevance at all, it must be reflective of the best players in the nation. In the eyes of most from that sports community. That is fundamental. The current National Team does not even aspire to that goal. And for that, anyone involved should be ashamed. They are not longer doing what is right for the sport. There can be no argument on that.

Furthermore, any team that participates in silly ASA political efforts at the expense of recruiting opportunities for their kids should not be surprised when their kids bail to better run teams/orgs.

[Pale Rider]

So Olympic team is kinda like Pony League?...We sorta know its there...but not really

[as the world turns]

So Olympic team is kinda like Pony League?...We sorta know its there...but not really

In the world of relevance, yes.

[rbi]

Every year this topic comes up, i get so frustrated and pissed and want to type a bunch of garbage, but its just not worth my time, and either is this whole National Team and WJNT , its an eyesore for USA Softball., just out right joke...

[Goldball4]

We wouldn't be hsving this discussion, if PGF demonstrated how great they are. Please answer one question for me pgf deciples! Why does pgf need to interfere with the ASA gold national tournament? They have started their tournament earlier every year. Now we start the friday before, in the middle of ASA nationals. Thats why ASA said screw them, and are now standing back up to them. Here's another, now a qualifier is the same weekend as zoom to june! Why? If they are so"powerful", and are where the best teams want to be, why must they use these monopoly type tactics? Please deciples: spaz, numero, as mars turns, and the rest of the big talkers,, answer that!

[NumeroUno]

Hummm didn't know I was a deciple but thanks. I've been called worse.

First off I have always been a big ASA fan. I do not agree with their big money tourney. Young kids shouldn't be playing for money don't believe in that. I also think cutting out a lot of the best players in the country from our national team because they have a problem with PGF is very childish n proving it's not about the players anymore.

As for Zoom into June one of my favorite events of the year ( since it started I cooked for the hundreds of colleges coaches that come ) ( something im good at . )

It has been on the first weekend of June every year n this year they moved it to the second weekend. I'm not sure why but I will find out. I think high school play offs or field scheduling issue but not sure.

So from the deciple to the fast pitch pawn let me know if their is anything else I can help you with.

[AlwaysImprove]

We wouldn't be hsving this discussion, if PGF demonstrated how great they are. Please answer one question for me pgf deciples! Why does pgf need to interfere with the ASA gold national tournament? They have started their tournament earlier every year. Now we start the friday before, in the middle of ASA nationals. Thats why ASA said screw them, and are now standing back up to them. Here's another, now a qualifier is the same weekend as zoom to june! Why? If they are so"powerful", and are where the best teams want to be, why must they use these monopoly type tactics? Please deciples: spaz, numero, as mars turns, and the rest of the big talkers,, answer that!

Let's be honest about what you are saying. Let me paraphrase: "Somehow PGF wronged ASA in the past, so now it is fine for ASA to use the National team to retaliate." Did I get that correct?

Your statement is exactly how/why ASA continuously finds itself in a catch-22. The only way they can make headway is to politicize the National team, kind of the only remaining property ASA has that is worth anything. However, politicizing it is destroyed what little value there was.

When faced with a waves of teams leaving, ASA could have chosen to politically undo the Johnson City/Midland Texas political cabal, or hunker down. They chose hunker down. ASA made their own trap. No one else is going to feel sorry for them.

They get to have their national team for now, and the samwiches have not fully run out yet. For the rest of it, most of the sport has already moved on.