Katy Christmas Classic 14U

[DonnieS]

Jeeezz! The girls have to move up to 16U in the spring and won't be able to play together because of high school ball...so they wanted to have one last tournament that they could hopefully compete well in before having to take a break.

Different approach. Most people play up in the fall to get ready for the spring and if you have high school players on your team, why would you play 14u ? What are you getting them ready for? They could be facing kids that are almost 19 in high school ball.

[texasfastpitch]

Jeeezz! I think you all have too much time on your hands if all you have to worry about is a bunch of 13, 14 and (3) barely 15 year old girls that are playing in a softball tournament!!! Our team conists of 11 girls....5 of which are 94 birthdays! 3 of the 93 birthdays are Oct/Nov/Dec 93's. We have replaced several players and are trying out new players and are using this tournament to give the team a test drive.

The reason we play 18U down in San Antonio is because our 14U tournaments are the equivalent of 12U tournaments in Houston and Dallas.

By the way our team didn't win last year...we came in second after playing 8 games on Sunday because they lost their first bracket game on Saturday!

We aren't looking for trophies....we are looking to play in a tournament that we have enjoyed playing in the last 4 years and having a good time. The girls have to move up to 16U in the spring and won't be able to play together because of high school ball...so they wanted to have one last tournament that they could hopefully compete well in before having to take a break.

If a '95 teams sends us home...oh well!!! If we place in the tournament...then yipppeee! In a hundered years from now...who is gonna give a rats a$$.

That's all fine and good, but there is a 16U bracket in this tournament. Justify it how you like, but it is a little tacky what you all are doing. Our team will be a 2nd year 14U come Spring. We have been playing up in 16s most of the season. I can't possibly see how this could be of any benefit to your team, other than trying to add another trophy under your belt. There are even a couple of 94s playing up in 16s in this tournament. Based on what I've seen on your website and your performance at last's years tournament, certainly you all should be able to hold your own in your own age group. I just don't get it, but that's just MY OPINION!!

[soreshins]

I don't know what they do in San Antonio, but in Houston, it is considered "bad form" to play down in the fall. If you are going to be 16U after January 1, don't show up at Ronald McDonald or the Katy Xmas Classic and play 14U. If a Houston based team did this they would be laughed out of town. The truth is if you win, there is no achievement. You should win easily. If you lose, you have an instant morale problem.

[Rounding3rd]

Now that everyone has come to a pretty good consensus on the 14Us and who might come out on top , as well as, brow beat the Corp for playing down Who is everyones picks (guess!!) for the 16U division?

[texasfastpitch]

Now that everyone has come to a pretty good consensus on the 14Us and who might come out on top , as well as, brow beat the Corp for playing down Who is everyones picks (guess!!) for the 16U division?

Here's the team list:
Texas Smackdown
Texas Showstoppers
Texas Cyclones
***Katy Force-Whitaker
Texas Storm DeMarini
Sugarland FPC
Katy Express-Lomax
Louisiana Vengeance
No Mercy 93
Texas Velocity-Riley
MC Magic-Thomey
TX Ice-Bayne
Pearland Thunder-Bean
Texas Fusion - Hodnett
Cinco Coop
Texas Hawks-Romero
Texas Eclipse 93

My top picks are: Texas Storm DeMarini, MC Magic 94 & Texas Ice (and maybe the LA team, they probably aren't traveling all this way to lose!)

[onedownonetogo]

Jeeezz! The girls have to move up to 16U in the spring and won't be able to play together because of high school ball...so they wanted to have one last tournament that they could hopefully compete well in before having to take a break.

Different approach. Most people play up in the fall to get ready for the spring and if you have high school players on your team, why would you play 14u ? What are you getting them ready for? They could be facing kids that are almost 19 in high school ball.

What exactly is a bunch of '94s and young '93s "getting ready" far in the spring. I don't know a single high school team in San Antonio that could place in the 16u Katy Classic. Maybe this young group of kids just want to get out of San Antonio for the weekend, stay in a hotel, swim in a pool, try out some new kids by playing 5 or 6 games instead of four, and generally have a good time this weekend without the pressure to "play up." Sounds to me like those of you afraid to get beat are the ones trophy hunting. You can't have it both ways . . . knock down the quality of San Antonio-area teams in one thread, but then complain when they beat you in their age group in another. Maybe Houston-area 14us should just play in the age group assigned by ASA and not feel the pressure to play up so early. Summer '09 is a long time away.

[Lefty's Dad]

Now that everyone has come to a pretty good consensus on the 14Us and who might come out on top , as well as, brow beat the Corp for playing down Who is everyones picks (guess!!) for the 16U division?

Here's the team list:
Texas Smackdown
Texas Showstoppers
Texas Cyclones
***Katy Force-Whitaker
Texas Storm DeMarini
Sugarland FPC
Katy Express-Lomax
Louisiana Vengeance
No Mercy 93
Texas Velocity-Riley
MC Magic-Thomey
TX Ice-Bayne
Pearland Thunder-Bean
Texas Fusion - Hodnett
Cinco Coop
Texas Hawks-Romero
Texas Eclipse 93

My top picks are: Texas Storm DeMarini, MC Magic 94 & Texas Ice (and maybe the LA team, they probably aren't traveling all this way to lose!)

My picks would be Storm and Magic 94 as well, not so sure about Ice. I wouldn't rule out Thunder either, I've only seen them play in one tournament this Fall but they looked real good.
I'm surpirsed to see FPC in the 16u division for this tournament, they play pretty well in the 14's but in this tournament the only other 14u team I see is Magic and FPC is no Magic Good for them for trying though I suppose.

[texasfastpitch]

Jeeezz! The girls have to move up to 16U in the spring and won't be able to play together because of high school ball...so they wanted to have one last tournament that they could hopefully compete well in before having to take a break.

Different approach. Most people play up in the fall to get ready for the spring and if you have high school players on your team, why would you play 14u ? What are you getting them ready for? They could be facing kids that are almost 19 in high school ball.

What exactly is a bunch of '94s and young '93s "getting ready" far in the spring. I don't know a single high school team in San Antonio that could place in the 16u Katy Classic. Maybe this young group of kids just want to get out of San Antonio for the weekend, stay in a hotel, swim in a pool, try out some new kids by playing 5 or 6 games instead of four, and generally have a good time this weekend without the pressure to "play up." Sounds to me like those of you afraid to get beat are the ones trophy hunting. You can't have it both ways . . . knock down the quality of San Antonio-area teams in one thread, but then complain when they beat you in their age group in another. Maybe Houston-area 14us should just play in the age group assigned by ASA and not feel the pressure to play up so early. Summer '09 is a long time away.

You all are totally missing it, but that's okay. Nobody here is scared of the competition - bring it on. If all you all looking for is a "good time" good luck, I think you all might need it.

[onedownonetogo]

[You all are totally missing it, but that's okay. Nobody here is scared of the competition - bring it on. If all you all looking for is a "good time" good luck, I think you all might need it.

No, you are "missing" it. The Corp either will win, in which case you're whining that they should have played up in 16u even though half their team is still '94s. Or they are going to beat by a bunch of '95s, in which which case they are playing right where they belong in 14u. It's one or the other. Stop whining. Unlike a Houston team that defines a "good time" as whether they win a trophy, The Corp's and most San Antonio team's idea of a "good time" doesn't involve the ball park.

[Rounding3rd]

PRESSURE- Are you kidding me!! Half of the teams you will be playing have played in 16U tourneys this Fall and yes even some of the 95s. They do it for the challenge. These girls love it - they don't feel pressure. For the ones that do it is designed for them to cope with it on bigger stages. If they always play in their own division and blow teams out without a challenge how are they going to handle the pressure of a game against the Corona Angels at Nationals or peform well in Colorado with 30 college coaches watching them . One of the main goals of a coach on the field is to try to prepare his girls to play at the next level no matter what age.

Bottom line is the Corps is a good team and I would have liked to see them in the 16Us where they would probably have preformed well. Oh well theres always next year.

I hope yall have a save trip to Katy and enjoy your weekend!! The weather should be GREAT!