12u 00/01 Winter Watchlist by Louie UPDATED

[rbi]

just 2 years ago a norcal 12u team finished 3, about 5 years ago, another one finished 3, and 2 years ago(maybe 3, im getting old) a 14u team won asa nationals (prior to premier) and about 5-6 a 16u won asa, and about 4 years an 18g won asa Gold... all from Norcal. So to say norcal can not compete with socal shows how little you actually know.... oh, 2 years ago 18g finished 3rd from norcal, and last year I believe 18g finished 2nd from norcal for Premier.

Thats just off top of my head without thinking much.

Ironically two of those teams listed above had the same big time pitcher (workhorse), and the other had some rookie name Ricketts.


Too win it all, you need to have your lunch pail FULL, starting with the entree (legit stud workshorse in circle), (then you need another pitcher without alot of drop off after your stud to fill in the chump change games, to throw against the weak so your workhorse is not burnt by end of week), (then you need some table setters, as well as kids that can execute on a squeeze against great pitching, start an inning by getting on however it may be), and a couple bombers in lineup and NO weak spots as it never fails who is up in crunch time), (then you need some savvy gamers on Def, kids who dont make the mental mistakes and minimize the physical), and last but not least for desert you need some luck, (bounces to go your way, calls to go your way, the little things that people forget about during the course of the game you need to go oyur way)! And, yes you need a STAFF that can stay calm under pressure and pull the right strings.

Now I know this, because this is what those teams listed above had, except a couple's lunch pails ran out of luck

But again, its all starts in the circle and ends in the circle, everything else is in between, you dont have it in your pail, you wont be there on Championship Sunday!

I dont know how many late round National games I have seen where the pitching gets caught up to and gets rocked, and that is not a DOMINATE pitcher, and the bats run out of gas and you lose 10-3 and pack up and go home, that is not a dominate pitcher, while the team that just crushed you is primed and ready for another, seen it time and time and time again.

and when i say stud i am talking about LIGHTS OUT DOMINATE against the best, not dominate the local friendly, and if you want to see an example in NorCal go to watch Amador Valley HS play, she will be in WCWS in a couple years, that is a DOMINATE pitcher, one that you can throw against ANYONE and she will keep you in the game! She lost ONE game ALL last year, in that one loss, she struck out like 17 batters and lost 1-0, that is keeping you in the game and flat out dominate!!!!

[onlooker]

Dominant*

[Iluvblue]

I didnt go into detail as to what DOMINANT meant like RBI... for some stupid reason I forget that when some people on this board think of dominant pitching.... they have never TRULY seen dominant pitching.

Amanda Williams
Katy Cotta
Kaylani Ricketts
are a couple of dominant pitchers from NORCAL that I have got to see up close and personal.

@ winners of nationals and 1 runner up at the Gold level.

Those are dominant. If you dont have something in the lines of these kids... forget it at 12u.... or any other age division for that matter.

[uncle]

Omg....can we just forget about Magic and dominant pitching. Grapettes once showed why they should be ranked at the no. 1 spot.!
Also, the upset with KG win, must have been a good game. I heard it was ITB. Hype looked to its original form and Storm did as well.

[Tenshun]

just 2 years ago a norcal 12u team finished 3, about 5 years ago, another one finished 3, and 2 years ago(maybe 3, im getting old) a 14u team won asa nationals (prior to premier) and about 5-6 a 16u won asa, and about 4 years an 18g won asa Gold... all from Norcal. So to say norcal can not compete with socal shows how little you actually know.... oh, 2 years ago 18g finished 3rd from norcal, and last year I believe 18g finished 2nd from norcal for Premier.

Thats just off top of my head without thinking much.

Ironically two of those teams listed above had the same big time pitcher (workhorse), and the other had some rookie name Ricketts.


Too win it all, you need to have your lunch pail FULL, starting with the entree (legit stud workshorse in circle), (then you need another pitcher without alot of drop off after your stud to fill in the chump change games, to throw against the weak so your workhorse is not burnt by end of week), (then you need some table setters, as well as kids that can execute on a squeeze against great pitching, start an inning by getting on however it may be), and a couple bombers in lineup and NO weak spots as it never fails who is up in crunch time), (then you need some savvy gamers on Def, kids who dont make the mental mistakes and minimize the physical), and last but not least for desert you need some luck, (bounces to go your way, calls to go your way, the little things that people forget about during the course of the game you need to go oyur way)! And, yes you need a STAFF that can stay calm under pressure and pull the right strings.

Now I know this, because this is what those teams listed above had, except a couple's lunch pails ran out of luck

But again, its all starts in the circle and ends in the circle, everything else is in between, you dont have it in your pail, you wont be there on Championship Sunday!

I dont know how many late round National games I have seen where the pitching gets caught up to and gets rocked, and that is not a DOMINATE pitcher, and the bats run out of gas and you lose 10-3 and pack up and go home, that is not a dominate pitcher, while the team that just crushed you is primed and ready for another, seen it time and time and time again.

and when i say stud i am talking about LIGHTS OUT DOMINATE against the best, not dominate the local friendly, and if you want to see an example in NorCal go to watch Amador Valley HS play, she will be in WCWS in a couple years, that is a DOMINATE pitcher, one that you can throw against ANYONE and she will keep you in the game! She lost ONE game ALL last year, in that one loss, she struck out like 17 batters and lost 1-0, that is keeping you in the game and flat out dominate!!!!

Great post RBI. You not only told what it takes to be a dominant pitcher, but you also gave out the recipe to the secret sauce of making a nationally dominant team.

Got to have all the pieces and they have to click all the time.

[RockThePark]

I'm a little confused...it isn't ALL about winning. It's about having fun, especially at this age. Many of us have our daughters playing for a quality team primarily for the instruction, experience, character development and in later years, exposure, so they can hopefully get a college scholarship. If the team happens to develop into a top team, win a lot of tournaments and Nationals then that is icing on the cake. If you look at a lot of the top Div 1 teams you will see quite a few Nor Cal players and pitchers...Cal, UCLA, Oklahoma, Oregon, just to name a few, all have quality pitchers, all from Nor Cal. Maybe a lot of the teams can't compete with the teams from So Cal as a team unit, but as individual players, many of our NorCal players can.

[girlshaveballs]

thanks to RockthePark for putting everything back into perspective and reminding us why we do this day in and day out.

[GameTime23]

RBI.......Great post...Straight BEAST with the softball knowledge….Thanks!!!

Amador pitcher is a BEAST …..Had like 17 k’s in NCS championship last year….and she's only a JR this year...SCARY!!!


Good stuff too RockthePark...

[Iluvblue]

no matter how dominant... the 17k pitcher CAN STILL LOSE:)

[rbi]

I'm a little confused...it isn't ALL about winning. It's about having fun, especially at this age. Many of us have our daughters playing for a quality team primarily for the instruction, experience, character development and in later years, exposure, so they can hopefully get a college scholarship. If the team happens to develop into a top team, win a lot of tournaments and Nationals then that is icing on the cake. If you look at a lot of the top Div 1 teams you will see quite a few Nor Cal players and pitchers...Cal, UCLA, Oklahoma, Oregon, just to name a few, all have quality pitchers, all from Nor Cal. Maybe a lot of the teams can't compete with the teams from So Cal as a team unit, but as individual players, many of our NorCal players can.

Rockthepark, you make a very valid point and I like what i hear BUT, and I will just say this. To the kids at 12u its all about having fun and learning the game, to the parents and coachs its all about bragging rights and the all mighty W! Then as they get older, its switchs and the kids stop having fun as its pressure packed and still not about the "W" as its about getting a scholarship and, to the coachs about another notch in their belt (getting Suzy a scholarship).. If you read a lot about todays game it scares the hell out of college coachs that kids dont know what it is to compete anymore by the time they get to them. I put that on the college coachs as they wanted this display/exposure atmosphere and the kids are just out their playing. Just wait, when you get home on Sunday night after a long weekend in LA at a showcase, you wont even remember how many games you won or lost, its actually kind of sad.

With that said, you betya it gets a little more serious as they get older as its about that kids future as a softball player, and if she is even going to play at college level based upon her performance at the what is now 14u ,16u, and gold.

Lastly, the pitchers from NorCal you bet are legit and when they played TB for NorCal teams they all won

Cal- Henderson (Lady Magic) one of top teams at the time in country
UCLA- Carda (Lady Magic) one of the top teams at the time in country
Oklahoma- Rikketts (Sorcerers) one of the top teams at the time in country
Oregon- Hawkins (Sorcerers) one of the top teams at the time in country

** everyone of those pitchers are dominant and very very few are around, and when you have those types of pitchers a lot of those other things "chemistry" for one is not as crucial. You have to remember in NorCal this talent is being brought in from all over the region to put together these "elite" teams, they see each other on weekends twice a month for the Summer, tough to build chemistry. In SoCal they "throw away" kids on elite teams that would start and bat leadoff on 95% of teams up in NorCal, its just pure numbers. So only way we can compete is by having that "dominant" workhorse and all the other stuff I talked about earlier.

I sure hope you practice what you preach, as at 12's your right, it IS supposed to be fun, and the kids should be smiling, and not crying when they get to the parking lot. Enjoy the ride it goes fast......