by onedownonetogo » Mon Dec 08, 2008 8:33 am
Why would any kid need the play under "pressure" in a Christmas tournament on the last weekend of the season in 30-degree weather with a first-year of high school or varsity play looking?
You people are complaining about a team that got 5th. If they run-ruled everyone, maybe you would have something, but you are ridiculous. What they learned is that they aren't going to be competitve in ASA "A" at 16u outside Central Texas with their current roster. The Corp don't make it to Sunday in the 16u division.
And what everyone "knows" is that if your DD is really any good and you are a responsible parent really preparing your kids for their softball future, those '95s ought to be playing up in 16u and the '94s ought to be playing up in 18 Gold or you have no chance of getting recruited. But, of course, some parents know that little Suzie isn't going to get recruited and just want to play softball, have fun, make friends, and play for her high school varsity someday.
It cracks me up every year to hear this stuff from teams that have never been close to an ASA National Tournament about "preparing your kids" . . .. The 14us in California can beat most of the 18us in Texas. Maybe the problem is that in Texas egotistical parents are so concerned about playing their exceedingly average '93, '94, and '95 kids "up" to keep up with little Janie down the street that they forget to play in their own age group, develop talent, and keep teams together long enough to become good.
There are a hundred teams like the Corp that are lost in the ASA system. When it comes to playing on a state-wide or national stage, they are too good (and a few of them too old) to play 14u, not good enough to play 16u "A", and will get chastized or made fun of for playing 16u "B" or USFA, etc. What usually happens to a team like this is that the one or two best players are eventually shamed into playing for older teams where they sit the bench or become role players, the younger players are left playing iin an older age group where they don't belong, and everyone is less for it.
I say again to the Corp and teams like them; you keep doing what your doing, forget about the parents on this board who "think" they know what they are doing, win some games, recruit some talen, keep your kids together, and laugh all the way back to an ASA National Championship in what ever age you decide to play in in two years.