Where were the California and Texas Teams in 16U Sioux Falls

[93players]

So Cal Athletics tied for 5th, San Diego Renegades tied for 9th, Corona Angels and Texas Storm Demarini in the 15s, and Beverly Bandits and Texas Blaze Prinzo in the 25s.

Anyone who watched the games would know that they NW Blaze, Hatters Gold, Atl Vipers, Hotshots were dominating teams. Sharp defense and big hitters top to bottom. Bigger and older players, more athletic, and similar to what you see in top D1 programs.

Why are the Texas and California teams failing to dominate? What are we doing wrong? Congrats to these teams for making the top 25 but where were the traditional powers in California and Texas. The OC Batbusters, the Glory teams, the Travellers, the Firecrackers, the Texas Storm Elite and Fusion.

Any ideas? Is this the decline of Cal and Tx dominance in this sport?

[Iluvblue]

Any ideas? Is this the decline of Cal and Tx dominance in this sport?


We hear this all the time. The reality is the best 16u eligible players are playing Gold. 16u in California is no mans land for the most part. There are still a FEW teams that play 16u that are legit. Last years 16u Champions were from Ca, but they stayed down with that goal in mind and they are playing Gold this year, and could have still played 16u(most of them).

The rush to Gold is big in the West. Many kids go straight from 14u to Gold. So there is your answer, like it or not.

[Sam]

So Cal Athletics tied for 5th, San Diego Renegades tied for 9th, Corona Angels and Texas Storm Demarini in the 15s, and Beverly Bandits and Texas Blaze Prinzo in the 25s.

Anyone who watched the games would know that they NW Blaze, Hatters Gold, Atl Vipers, Hotshots were dominating teams. Sharp defense and big hitters top to bottom. Bigger and older players, more athletic, and similar to what you see in top D1 programs.

Why are the Texas and California teams failing to dominate? What are we doing wrong? Congrats to these teams for making the top 25 but where were the traditional powers in California and Texas. The OC Batbusters, the Glory teams, the Travellers, the Firecrackers, the Texas Storm Elite and Fusion.

Any ideas? Is this the decline of Cal and Tx dominance in this sport?

They are 1st year 16U players....and that is relatively thin since the kids that can play Gold at that age do so. You may never see a SoCal win at 16U ever again.

[ManitouDan]

I wish there was no Gold level. There is no gold at 10-16. why 18 ? So the 16's can play up ? and now at 16 we don't get a true picture of who the best teams are because some states claim their best are playing a different level. If there were no gold then we have a true picture of who the best in the land is at that particular age group, just like at 10,12 and 14u. MD

I'm sure someone will throw out some legit reason why I'm wrong but thats cool fire away. MD

[DonnieS]

I wish there was no Gold level. There is no gold at 10-16. why 18 ? So the 16's can play up ? and now at 16 we don't get a true picture of who the best teams are because some states claim their best are playing a different level. If there were no gold then we have a true picture of who the best in the land is at that particular age group, just like at 10,12 and 14u. MD

I'm sure someone will throw out some legit reason why I'm wrong but thats cool fire away. MD

It has to do with why they are playing. When you get to 14u, the next step for some is trying to make it to play some level of college ball and for some to both get ready for college ball and to play high school ball. If things were like 12u, 10u, and you are playing for the fun of it, then you are right - but they arent 12u or 10u anymore.

What I dont understand is why there is a 16u - once you are in high school, play 18u/18g, thats who you compete against in high school.

[fasterpitch92701]

I would have to agree with the posters noting the move to 18G. Many (not all) of the 16U teams from the west were young 16's. The direction on the left coast is to move to 18G at the earliest time practical if... if you can do it with a talented team and if... you are good enough.

The downside is that there are too many wannabe 18G teams. There are too many players and parents and coaches that, apparently, believe this is the easy (easier) ticket to college. It's not reality but the fable lives on and many people bet that college is a lock. It's a losing bet. The alternative for girls not really ready for 18G is to play 18U. Either way, 16's are a 1 year event for many serious players in the west, for better or worse. If you don't believe it, look at the list of attending coaches from the left or right coast that were at Sioux Falls. Very limited. Some of those coaches who didn't attend missed some fine players. Regardless, the majority of coaches were from the mid-west (even discounting the proximity).

That takes nothing away from the fine teams that did well in Sioux Falls. There are some excellent teams, however, the caliber of teams varied significantly.

[Bruwinfan]

You forgot to mention Team Smith in the top 7...battling a long way through the loser's bracket.
Kudos to those above mentioned teams...They deserve the glory! As far as TX & CA teams "failing to dominate", one off year doesn't mean revamp the "system". Besides, another argument could be made for the multitude of teams from CA and TX...perhaps spreading the quality of talent out over so many teams tends to delute the programs as well? Not saying that's the reason, but a possibility. Regardless, 164 teams out there...they had to do something "right" to get there in the first place....

[fastpitch fool]

UCLA
Oregon
Oregon St.
Cal-Berkeley
UC Santa Barbara
Cal Poly
California Riverside
Fresno St.

Just to name a few

[fasterpitch92701]

Stanford? Washington? UC Davis? UC San Diego (maybe)?

Santa Clara was there. Cal Bezerkely was there but they have all the 2011's they need already verbal'ed.

East Coast? Didn't see squat.

[93players]

Many Texas teams moved their best up to 18Gold, creating second gold teams. How many organizations have two gold teams in OKC today? What happens to those Gold teams that dont make it. Many of them can be beat handily by the top 25 finishers in Sioux Falls. My sense is that parent politics and cash pressure teams to move kids up who should not be moved up. Once a few move, they all want to move and organizations say, we need the numbers to make the whole organization run. We had a CA player come to Texas who made a top Gold program as an 8th grader and she was not Gold material for our team as a junior. So my view is that 5% of the players might deserve it, but not entire teams.

Donnie has a point about playing high school age kids once you are in high school, but the ASA Gold system makes regular 18U a cheap coin.

16U may be saved by the East and Midwest sending their best 16U players to this tournament. When most of us were hoping to draw someone other than CA, we probably should have wished for those CA teams (other than the few in the top). LOL.