Who are the big tough teams at 10u level A?? are there any?

[gunshy]

It is tough and the problems you are seeing are there. When our team was 10u we traveled to Tennessee specifically to play 2 teams and the year before went to Marion, Arkansas to play in a tournament solely to play a highly touted unbeaten team from Mississippi. These are kind of extreme travel measures for 10u, but that is what we did and we won NSA A World Series both years. The teams that do seek out the competition at 10u and play aggressively will be the ones that are still around at 12u AND will be the ones that draw top players. The teams that get enamoured with local trophys at 10u will disappear when their best players leave for teams with better vision. If you want your team grow and survive long-term, you have to go the extra mile and GROW your team through the challenge of good competition. Also, don't get shook up with indoor results; this game is an outdoor game and the results indoors don't always translate as some would like to the real game outside. Get online and search the surrounding states for tournament results and see who is placing high in their tournaments......seek those teams out.
Once you get qualified for Nationals your only other obligation is State, so free up your schedule and find events with these high caliber teams in them.

[dadorcoach?]

All - please do not let this thread lose its value! We have a pretty good team this year and we have used this thread to get into tournaments that have the teams the "insiders" have told us are the best teams around. The fact is that most of us do not have the financial wherewithall to travel to Tenn or Ohio to see the best of the best. We are trying to play the best tournaments offered in IN and IL that are within a few hours. We are taking a few weekends to go a little further and will play in the WS or Nationals as well.

I also really like how teams, through discussion, seem to be falling into "tiers". This could help make Indiana tournaments more competitive. The thread is helping do what many of you are saying you want - teams will seek out teams of greater or equal talent. There will always be those that want to beat up on the weaker teams. We cannot stop that here.

If people feel the need to argue the morals of competitive softball at younger ages, start a new thread! Let's keep this one enjoyable and informative.

[Turn two]

Gunshy makes a great point - indoor softball and outdoor softball are two different animals and many times are approached to many different fashions by coaches. I would be hesitant to put teams in tiers based on indoor softball. Case in point, the 18U team that I coach has consistently lost to a younger team the last two years when playing indoors. Each game was by one run in extra innings both years. When we played in the Summer, we run ruled them. Gunshy's team has similar experiences. Indoor softball is a great tool, but it is just that a tool to help prepare your team for the Summer.

[dadorcoach?]

I did not phrase the tier comment correctly. I do not like the thought of placing 10u teams into hard tiers either. My comment was more based around how the coaches seem to be segmenting on their own through info passed along on the thread. It allows coaches to decide on tournaments with their eyes open.

Keep up the good work everyone!

[snoop]

fact is that most of us do not have the financial wherewithall to travel to Tenn or Ohio to see the best of the best.

Not alot of people do, but it's not hard to figure it out. Share rooms,rides, eat in,don't make every weekend a family vacation! We still do that at 18's, and we don't have near as long of a
season.


The other organizations' directors need to grow a set and police this better than just taking the $$$ and running.

Good luck with that! That's what they do! Wait a couple years, when your playing at 3am in that sportzone "world series" with 25 teams and 1 "field"!!

[WinThemAll]

Good luck with that! That's what they do! Wait a couple years, when your playing at 3am in that sportzone "world series" with 25 teams and 1 "field"!!

Been there done that. That's why we don't play there anymore.

Just as someone state above, this thread does have great value. For those naysayers who say at 10U it doesn't matter. . .it does. If you are trying to develop players a thread like this helps to make sure you are getting to play in the better tournaments with good competition.

I am looking forward to see how this changes once we get outside.

[prdpop]

I would agree that indoor is way different than outdoor. Even at 10U teams often have players missing for other sports. The Heat talked about missing 2 last tournament, saw Xtreme this year 2 times and they were missing players, talked w/ a Gator parent@ SZ and they said their top pitcher has been missing at most of their indoor. Plus some coaches want to see what they have, move girls, pitch several different girls. Let's hold judgement on best till state and WS. I think CP has a great idea trying to find other teams to play on here. Brings up another question, where are some of the 10Us playing out of state this year?

[10GatorCoach]

Gators 2001

Stingray's-Columbus, OH
BNGSA ASA-A-Bloomington, IL. (Still a maybe)
NSA A World Series-Chattanooga, TN

Next Year:

Stingray's-Columbus, OH
Lady Laser's-OH
USA/ASA National Qualifier-Bloomington, IL
10U NSA A World Series-TBD
10U USA/ASA Nationals-Bloomington, IN

[bucketlist]

Perhaps I gave the impression that my dd plays for one of the top teams. She does not. In fact they have only placed second one time in travel tournaments. I still want those top teams there. We still have fun and play competitive softball. Maybe I am in the minority.

[snoop]

10U NSA A World Series-TBD
10U USA/ASA Nationals-Bloomington, IN


You might want to talk to Gunshy about that! Sounds great, but it VERY hard on the girls and parents!!(Plus You!!) If you pick one, go ASA! You'll understand what we are talking about! Talk to Mark, he should no! Good luck!