UPDATED! 12u Top Team Ranking – Pre ASA Nationals Poll!

[CharlieHough]

Say what you will but the rankings are pretty spot on. Don't hate the messenger for delivering the news. History shows that the strong teams remain the strong teams. PS '96 battled last year and had a strong showing(they gave us a run at SoCal State) and CA Knighten were the best '96s at ASA Nationals. Not to say another team can not climb the ladder but you cannot dispute the accolades these teams have earned.

As Spazsdad said......the rankings are both fun and fairly on target. We all know that ASA Nationals means everything at the end of the day.

Also, say what you will about the BCS in college football, but nobody waits till the championship game to rank teams and judge performance.

The reality is, today, on November 24th, the top 5 (perhaps top 10) teams can all beat each other on any given day. That will not be true on July 1st.

Again though, IMHO... the true "A" teams accomplish things when it counts on the field against the best competition, under the greatest pressure at ASA Nationals....not on the message boards of Heybucket...

I just found it odd to call a team an "A" team without much of a resume to back it up against the very best at ASA nationals... thats all...

I am sure as second year 12's in 2006, all three of these teams you mention were viewed and ranked as "A" teams early in the year, yet not ranked as 'A" as first year 12s. hmmmmm kinda like this year.

I seriously have no idea...

I'm just sayin.

IMHO

Charlie

[Popsof4]

No... neither LL or CA finished in the top 10 as young 12's... and i would doubt very seriously, they would say they were an "A" team that year...

I said on several occassions during my posts it was my opinion...really nothing more...

Don't get me wrong... the rankings are fun... it's excitement about our kids activities, which is a good thing...

Again though, IMHO... the true "A" teams accomplish things when it counts on the field against the best competition, under the greatest pressure at ASA Nationals....not on the message boards of Heybucket...

I just found it odd to call a team an "A" team without much of a resume to back it up against the very best at ASA nationals... thats all...

I agree with Rae56. This stuff's amusing and likely accurate when you track the results of friendlies, but other than that the proof is in the pudding. Your accomplishments in the past stand for a lot more than what you've done during a fall season.

What we have to remember is most people in this post are 12u parents. This stuff stops once you play for a legitimate 14u team.

[RaeRae56]

Charlie...

No worries...trust me...I love to speculate with rankings and all...especially when my kids were at the younger levels... It is what makes this whole thing fun!

I think you understand my point as well too though... Yes, the girls are young... they have more softball ahead of them than behind them at this point... and the true "A" teams will separate themselves soon enough... and I'm betting that those teams that do separate themselves are not pounding their chest over a USSSA tourney win against weak opponents either... they will be the teams with a long term plan to succeed at ASA Nationals...

My comment "I really have no idea" was in reference to how the 12's stack up vs. each other as I really do not follow them now...

Good Luck with it all...

[Longdisttrvlballer]

It sucks to grow up!!!

[RaeRae56]

hahahahaha... yes it does!

[ice_67]

What we have to remember is most people in this post are 12u parents. This stuff stops once you play for a legitimate 14u team.

I guess that's why the subject line is 12U Top Team Rankings. And all the drama stops when you hit 14U. Sweeeeet.

[RaeRae56]

The drama doesn't stop...it just gets mellower... LOL

I will give you this... after having been through all age levels, the funnest by far is the 12's because of the excitement by the parents and the number of start up teams with big ambitions...

It ends very quickly... beginning at 14u... the good players start funneling to the 'known' programs, some teams die a quiet death and it starts to become more 'business-like'... enjoy it while you can folks, and that includes the rankings... just dont get too far ahead of yourself though when crowning the good teams as much has not yet been proven on the field.

[bracketologist]

No... neither LL or CA finished in the top 10 as young 12's... and i would doubt very seriously, they would say they were an "A" team that year...

I said on several occassions during my posts it was my opinion...really nothing more...

Don't get me wrong... the rankings are fun... it's excitement about our kids activities, which is a good thing...

Again though, IMHO... the true "A" teams accomplish things when it counts on the field against the best competition, under the greatest pressure at ASA Nationals....not on the message boards of Heybucket...

I just found it odd to call a team an "A" team without much of a resume to back it up against the very best at ASA nationals... thats all...

I agree with Rae56. This stuff's amusing and likely accurate when you track the results of friendlies, but other than that the proof is in the pudding. Your accomplishments in the past stand for a lot more than what you've done during a fall season.

What we have to remember is most people in this post are 12u parents. This stuff stops once you play for a legitimate 14u team.

The ranking are for the entertainment value of the 12u community. I do have rankings for 14u also, but it is only provided to coaches – as 14u parents would be mad to know that there are only 5 “legitimate” 14u teams in So. Cal”!

If legitimate = will be competitive at ASA Nationals. IMO the 14u community should get together and ban the top three teams… so we can have more fun on Heybucket!

No offense, but what is a “legitimate” team? A month ago I watched a number of legitimate 18U Gold ‘real gold teams – made and placed in top 30% at nationals lose to a bunch of 13 & 14s! The interesting part was the 14u team won around 50% of the 8-12 games they played!

Softball is a sport and on any given day anything can happen!

[RaeRae56]

Brack...

To me Legitable = a successful track record at States and Nationals

As for your 14u rankings...thats the funnel effect I referred to...right?

And yes... your comments about the 12's is what makes it the most fun division.

[RaeRae56]

good point... hell, i wonder where some of these 18u teams come from haha... maybe i meant to say at 12's it seems like there are more teams on even footing because the separation isn't in full swing yet... better?

to your last point...i guess i would say that the more girls playing the game, overall, it's good for the game.