DALLAS METRO'S 14U

[bigbopper]

WHAT'S YOUR ORDER OF FINISH FOR THE DALLAS METRO'S FOR 14U?
TEAMS ENTERED
SHADOWS
FUSION [MENDEZ]
FUSION [MORK]
94 ELITE
94 GLORY
WHY IS THERE ONLY 5 TEAMS IN THIS TOURNY? DOESN'T WINNER QUALIFY FOR NATIONALS?

[sscoon]

Considering there is only one team signed up for the 10U and three signed up for 18U, I'd say the 5-team tournament is tougher!

Some of the teams that all have normally played in the 18U have moved up to Gold this year, but many are going the U-trips or USFA route this summer due to easy qualifying. I don't know how much easier it could get considering you only would have to beat out 3 teams in Metros this year. Seems that metros are much earlier this year too.

[MaryAnn]

There aren't really any other teams in Dallas Metro that would fair well in this tournament anyway, much less stand a chance at ASA nationals. Most of them realize this and don't waste their time trying to qualify for ASA nationals, preferring to attend some other venue instead. The other teams in the area that are on the same level as these teams (Batbusters Montoya, Glory Elliott and 93 Rapid Fire) compete in Fort Worth Metro, which by the way only has 5 teams signed up as well.

[soreshins]

The Dallas teams also know that it is going to be miserable in Midland. I don't think I would want spend the last week of July in Midland if I didn't feel I had a good shot to do well.

[YOUKNOW]

If you think you nationals is a vaction that should tell you what kind of team you got. ASA is king.

[3Bsnag]

I agree with YOUKNOW on this. You here the parents & kids talking about how bad they want to go to UT, OK, AZ, UCLA, etc. Now that the incoming freshman are recruiting age, you are thinking about going to a vacation destination? If you and yours really want to go to a big name school, this is the year they definitely have to start going to big name competition. Get out of the comfort zone and get out of the metroplex towards the big showcases and exposures.

Now if you don't qualify, that's a different story. But what are you going to do about it next year? Is your team filled with kids with the same goal? Are you going to a qualifier that has 93 extremely competitive teams and 6 berths or are you going beyond to that qualifier that has 20 teams and 2 berths?
And if I hear one more kid say she wants to go to Arizona, she's 14 or 15, plays on a "B" team, and still sidearms the ball, I'm gonna scream.

What was the OP about again?

[3Bsnag]

Oh yeah, any of those teams could take the berth from metro's. I'd say the underdogs are the Shadows, but we all know they've been in the hunt this spring. Good luck to all!

[TXfastpitchsoftball]

But what are you going to do about it next year? Is your team filled with kids with the same goal? Are you going to a qualifier that has 93 extremely competitive teams and 6 berths or are you going beyond to that qualifier that has 20 teams and 2 berths?

Wondering where you think high school freshmen and sophomores with realistic college aspirations should be playing next year? 16u or 18u or 18 Gold? What do you mean that if you want to get seen you need to be at the "big showcases and qualifiers," .

[3Bsnag]

Wondering where you think high school freshmen and sophomores with realistic college aspirations should be playing next year? 16u or 18u or 18 Gold? What do you mean that if you want to get seen you need to be at the "big showcases and qualifiers,"

I think that depends on your team and what type of college you want. Personally, my plan for the kiddo is one more year of 14's, 9th grade at 16's, and Gold after that. That's assuming a lot, but everyone has to start a plan somewhere, right?

As for the showcases and qualifiers comment, that's really aimed at the 2nd yr 14's, 16's & 18's and I probably shouldn't have included in this thread. But since we're here ,
- I think North TX in particular is massively lacking in quality 16 and 18G teams
- Are they going to RM, Fireworks/Sparkler/Indy, Vegas, Surf City, NJ, Rising Stars? I know you can't hit them all, but if you take a look at the schedules for some of our Gold teams, the biggest exposure on their schedule is RM. I know that's an awesome tournament, but Suzy isn't getting recruited by her beloved AZ or UCLA there.
- I don't think coaches and parents are very focused, even though everyone says they are. Does the coach have a team plan other than to qualify for nationals? Where do they see their team in 6 mos, 2 years, etc. Are the parents aligning their kids with teams, players, parents with the same goals or are we caught up in playing for the big name that wins local tournaments?

I've said this before, there's nothing wrong with going to a smaller D1, NAIA, DIII, etc. It may fit perfectly into Suzy's plan for becoming an architect or whatever. I just think we have a large amount of girls here, many with huge talent and/or potential, and only 3 routes to go- join the 1 big name Gold team, drive to Houston, play out of state. However the 14-18 landscape is changing fast and will hopefully catch up.

JMHO

[behindtheplate]

If Suzie is going to be a freshman, she should be playing 16-U already. THE best place to be seen at your age is 16-U ASA Nationals. Give it up already...how many Texas girls have EVER played for Arizona or UCLA...ONE, and she quit and came home after a year. They do not recruit Texas nor will they in the future. That would be like going to Mississippi to get Tex-Mex!

Exposure tournaments are a must. Ronald McDonald is a great exposure tourney, but if your not playing on one of the top 10 teams in the state, you will be playing a schedule and location where God may have trouble finding you. Team New Jersey is a huge tourney for exposure, but only if you are willing to consider going to schools on the Eastern Seaboard. Rising Stars has become a tourney with no more cred than the JD exposure in DFW. Vegas, pretty good but mostly small schools from the west. Colorado...unless your playing Boulder where the gold teams AND COACHES go you are also wasting your money. But the biggest thing is unless you are doing major homework you will not be seen at any of these exposure tournaments because no one will know who you are.