Information about Premier Fastpitch Girls Softball

[SnocatzDad]

I would guess the real question would be how long the honeymoon will last. With an invitational component, I'd question how long it would be before someone starts complaining that they were not invited while OCB Gold#5 was. Even if OCB Gold#5 happened to be one of the top 20 teams in the country, it's human nature to view most decisions made by arbitrary means as political in nature.

[Comp]

Sno, that was my point in a post on another thread. The Boulder tournament promotes themselves as inviting the best teams, yet the spots always go to the big name organizations or teams that have been with them for years. Selection to attend has nothing to do with the playing ability of the teams, it is completely political.

Yes, some of the best teams have been invited and it appears they are going to attend, but without some type of qualification format to gain entrance it will be nothing more than an invitational subject to the whims of the powers that be.

[MavFan]

I would guess the real question would be how long the honeymoon will last. With an invitational component, I'd question how long it would be before someone starts complaining that they were not invited while OCB Gold#5 was. Even if OCB Gold#5 happened to be one of the top 20 teams in the country, it's human nature to view most decisions made by arbitrary means as political in nature.

SnocatzDad, I agree with you, but looking at it from a "starting a new organization" standpoint, I see why GH's group is doing what they are doing.

We have watched football leagues fail in the past (WFL, USFL, the CFL here in the US) because of the power the NFL has. For sake of argument, (and understanding that it is different), what if, in 1981 or whatever year it was, the USFL was able to get the Steelers, Patriots, Cowboys 49ers, Dolphins and Broncos to leave the NFL and help start the new league rather than counting on Herschel Walker and the New Jersey Generals to be the starting point. I would believe that more teams would have given more respect to the USFL and other teams may have left the NFL for the USFL. Thus increasing the chances for the success of the USFL.


Taking the analogy to the Premeir Fastpitch concept, GH knows that on his own and with just his team, the chances of success is reduced to slim and none. But with a group of teams, the concept looks stronger and the potential for long term success increases.

If the concept is to get the best 64 teams or 128 teams to SoCal rather than ASA Gold nation, I too would hope the "invitational" component of this tournament will be short lived.

[Clean_up]

Sno, that was my point in a post on another thread. The Boulder tournament promotes themselves as inviting the best teams, yet the spots always go to the big name organizations or teams that have been with them for years. Selection to attend has nothing to do with the playing ability of the teams, it is completely political.

Yes, some of the best teams have been invited and it appears they are going to attend, but without some type of qualification format to gain entrance it will be nothing more than an invitational subject to the whims of the powers that be.

I believe it was mentioned in a previous post that they are working on qualifiers as well, not all the details are worked out as of today...

[anonlooker]

If you guys could read you would find that Gary has already addressed the "invitational" aspect of Premier, saying that he is working with coaches around the country to set up the infrastructure for qualifiers. No easy task. So while that may not be in place for the inaugural tourney, he has to start somewhere, and based on the initial list of teams he's off to a damn good start.

And to anyone who decries the possibility that he might someday make some money doing this, GMAFB! We all get paid for what we do, and what he does adds value to the fastpitch experience for all who participate in the sport. There probably isn't a guy in the country who provides more opportunity for players to be seen by college coaches than Gary does, and for that alone he deserves the respect and support of the entire fastpitch community.

[MavFan]

If you guys could read you would find that Gary has already addressed the "invitational" aspect of Premier, saying that he is working with coaches around the country to set up the infrastructure for qualifiers. No easy task. So while that may not be in place for the inaugural tourney, he has to start somewhere, and based on the initial list of teams he's off to a damn good start.

And to anyone who decries the possibility that he might someday make some money doing this, GMAFB! We all get paid for what we do, and what he does adds value to the fastpitch experience for all who participate in the sport. There probably isn't a guy in the country who provides more opportunity for players to be seen by college coaches than Gary does, and for that alone he deserves the respect and support of the entire fastpitch community.

I agree that he addressed it in that they are setting up the infrastructure for qualifiers. I think the question is how long do you have a combo invitational/ qualifier concept.

[anonlooker]

As long as it takes. That's called respect and support.

[tommy]

The bottom line is Gary is trying to do something that many of us coaches have talked about doing for a few years. We can no longer afford 10 days in Oklahoma or two more qualifiers to qualify or ace testing for every coach etc etc...even the college coaches have had enough. at their own meeting they talk about boycotting gold nationals. why would we charge them $100 which is more than the spectators. We need them. This tournament will allow more underclassman to play at a national level and another oppurtunity for them to be seen by a college. Those teams who want an ASA national title with college players can still play in oklahoma. Anyone who knows me knows im as competitive as anyone and probalbly talked about as much on these boards as anyone ahhahah. Ive known Gary a few years and girls play for him to get recruited and to recieve the level of coaching he gives. Whether in asa or whatever league those who know softball will still want their daughters to play for him. I know that i am expecting a daughter and i think highly of myself as a coach lol but when she gets old enough i will come looking for him ( wheelchair and all) to coach my daughter....no matter where he is coaching...

Tommy
VB

[hotwheels]

The bottom line is Gary is trying to do something that many of us coaches have talked about doing for a few years. We can no longer afford 10 days in Oklahoma or two more qualifiers to qualify or ace testing for every coach etc etc...even the college coaches have had enough. at their own meeting they talk about boycotting gold nationals. why would we charge them $100 which is more than the spectators. We need them. This tournament will allow more underclassman to play at a national level and another oppurtunity for them to be seen by a college. Those teams who want an ASA national title with college players can still play in oklahoma. Anyone who knows me knows im as competitive as anyone and probalbly talked about as much on these boards as anyone ahhahah. Ive known Gary a few years and girls play for him to get recruited and to recieve the level of coaching he gives. Whether in asa or whatever league those who know softball will still want their daughters to play for him. I know that i am expecting a daughter and i think highly of myself as a coach lol but when she gets old enough i will come looking for him ( wheelchair and all) to coach my daughter....no matter where he is coaching...

Tommy
VB

Well said!

[Iluvblue]

It is kind of funny to see this all happening. For the past several years I have been clamoring about the costs associated with this sport. We need ways to get costs down. The ACE stuff that we must go through is one thing only... money. How can you justify the fact that the ace stuff has no end? After level 3 or 4, it is just called "Continuing education." It should be called continuing payments.


Teams dont need ASA. Teams dont need tournaments. Teams can and are starting to do things on their own. Thus the number of friendlies in our area has grown significantly. I do not want to see softball splinter off, but.... if ASA doesnt start listening to the people that matter most(the teams) then they will inevitably lose out to someone like Gary. We all dont care about mens slow pitch. We care about girls fastpitch. many of the people involved with ASA on these boards likely rarely watch a girls game. change will take place, and hopefully for the better.