NEW ASA POLICY ON SELECTING USA SOFTBALL JUNIOR TEAM

[ontheblack]

Does any of this amount to a hill of beans to anyone other than the 20 players that will be on on the JNT?
Sounds like a pretty mimiscule percentage of the total player pool.

You are right.

However, once ASA, in association with SBF, took money in return for the promise of JNT consideration, they opened up a can of worms with the recent decision. I was just pointing out a potential Achilles heel.

[CULater]

exactly spaz - and I will ask this, can anyone really prove that USA softball didn't select someone because that player played for a team that didn't participate in ASA championship play? I mean look at the ESPN Top 100, does everyone agree that Andrea Hawkins is the single best player in the class of 2012? Does everyone agree that the players on the current US national team playing in Canada are undoubtly the best X number of players? Its subjective and if ASA had simply kept their "mouth shut" they could probably have avoided this whole ordeal. But because they didn't, I have to believe that they have already received some sort of assurances that they were within their rights to select the JNT how they felt.

[ontheblack]

If she elects not to fulfill all the requirements for participation

Do you agree that when she made the decision to not play ASA Championship play, she had still fulfilled the requirement that was in place at the time?

[Trophy Hunter]

If she elects not to fulfill all the requirements for participation

Do you agree that when she made the decision to not play ASA Championship play, she had still fulfilled the requirement that was in place at the time?

I've already agreed that the timing is an issue for this year.

[Fredegar]

So, in order for its players to be eligible for the JNT, a team must participate in ASA Champ Play. Does that mean a team could simply participate in the nearest ASA qualifier, with no intention of continuing on? If that's all that's required, they could treat it as an expensive friendly, or a cheap showcase (if scouts are in attendance).

[SoftballSoccerDad]

What is stopping any 15 players (PGF or whoever) from getting together and calling themselves the Junior USA Team?

[AlwaysImprove]

So, in order for its players to be eligible for the JNT, a team must participate in ASA Champ Play. Does that mean a team could simply participate in the nearest ASA qualifier, with no intention of continuing on? If that's all that's required, they could treat it as an expensive friendly, or a cheap showcase (if scouts are in attendance).

I suspect if you are reading correctly that ASA is saying they are shifting from putting together the best JNT team, to putting together a JNT team that politically works for ASA. So battleground team like TX Impact, slots on JNT can be offered up to help lock them into ASA.

[joemcq51]

If ASA is the governing body of USA softball, and the JNT is part of USA softball, I would think they have every right to dictate who is eligible for the team. People have been calling for change in ASA for years. Sounds like they have made some changes. How many girls were on the JNT last year that are not playing in ASA natl's this year? Just wondering how many girls will actually be impacted. If this is totally legal, PGF may need to look to move their dates in the future. Could still be the desired national tournament, just move it to the end of June.

[Trophy Hunter]

So battleground team like TX Impact, slots on JNT can be offered up to help lock them into ASA.

A "battleground team?"

Did you get that term directly from the PGF "war room?"

Why does there have to be battleground teams? Why does PGF schedule their events in direct conflict with ASA? If this was really about the girls, as PGF claims, they would never schedule conflicting dates.

It's not about the girls at all - that claim is nothing but a lame PGF ruse. It's about control and money, two things the girls don't care about, and don't benefit from.

When PGF scheduled their SoCal qualifier to conflict with ASA, they hurt a lot more girls than they can ever claim to have helped. Because of the conflicting dates, many teams won't be playing any Nationals. How do the girls benefit from that?

[softballmafia]

So battleground team like TX Impact, slots on JNT can be offered up to help lock them into ASA.

A "battleground team?"

Did you get that term directly from the PGF "war room?"

Why does there have to be battleground teams? Why does PGF schedule their events in direct conflict with ASA? If this was really about the girls, as PGF claims, they would never schedule conflicting dates.

It's not about the girls at all - that claim is nothing but a lame PGF ruse. It's about control and money, two things the girls don't care about, and don't benefit from.

When PGF scheduled their SoCal qualifier to conflict with ASA, they hurt a lot more girls than they can ever claim to have helped. Because of the conflicting dates, many teams won't be playing any Nationals. How do the girls benefit from that?

You hit the nail on the head.....if it was about the girls, PGF would have scheduled a different week.....such arrogance on their part. If they really cared, why didn't they pick a different week?