Information about Premier Fastpitch Girls Softball

[PDad]

How is the umpiring at Gary's showcases (I don't know)? I would expect the umpiring to be even better for the Premier tournaments. I seriously doubt they'll just call a local umpire service with the lowest prices and take whatever they send.

I also suspect there is a bit of a good ol' boy network that gets to work the 18 Gold Nationals. I'll bet there will be enough umpires available for the Premier tournaments that do as good of a job.

[Blind Squirrel]

I am such an idiot. I've been watching the kids this whole time instead of the umpires. At least my kid's coaches got it right when they selected which tournaments to attend based upon the quality of the umpires.

The participants in the NIT and NCAA basketball tournaments are selected from the same pool of teams. The moral of the story is obvious.

John

no, I dont think it is obvious.

What the heck is the moral?

Tournaments actually are selected for top honors based on the quality of the event. A large part of a quality event is in fact umpires. An example is Colorado fireworks, where they spend a great deal of money bringing in and housing and taking care of umpires, and they want good ones. By this investment, they are not simply using left over Colorado local yocals. Another example is Fresno Force, which also brings in outside umpires to ensure they are offering a quality field of play. You parents may not be aware of it, your big concern is how far you have to walk to the restroom, how much wind there is when you are trying to set up your awning, and where to buy a hot dog. Those managing these tournaments and especially those who are concerned with a quality event are certainly aware of it. But if you name a top event, you will find quality ASA trained umpires... right down to the NCAA WCWS.

I dont know Gary's plan, 3 man crews, flying them in, or perhaps he has the attitude about umpires that "they all suck" as you guys do.. but from my vantage, umpiring, and the quality there of, is in fact a big deal as a part of the overall show and package you get when you attend an event.

My first paragraph was in response to the other guys third paragraph where he seemed to suggest that umpires are the center of the softball universe. I'm just a dumbass parent whose focus is on the kids. To me, everyone else plays a supporting role. I notice them only when they do something I think is noteworthy, which, in the case of umpires means I almost never notice them at all. That would explain why, in more than 10 years of my 2 kids playing a variety of sports, I have never yelled a derogatory remark at an official. Further, I doubt that people think umps in general suck. Those that do feel that way are ignorant in that they have likely never tried to call a game. Or their self-serving perception is that their little precious is victimized by umpires every time she strikes out or her team loses, which happens far too often for them to bear.

I separated subsequent comments into a separate paragraph because it was a response to a separate issue. That issue was the following comment: "Until Premier can make such a claim, Premier cannot rightfully claim to be the organization with the best competition." First, I don't know that Gary is trying to establish a competing organization but rather to put on a tournament. Second, "the best competition" to me means just that. What is the relative strength of the teams in a particular tournament? The moral is it doesn't matter what the tournament is called, it matters who is competing. The NIT had the best teams at one time, now it is the NCAA tournament. The "National Championship" is awarded accordingly. If my kid's team won in OKC next year, I sure as Hell wouldn't go popping off around SoCal about her team being the National Champs when I know the quality and quantity of the teams that weren't there. In fact, if I gave a shit about such things, I would rather have an OCBB Friendly Champs T-Shirt from Gary's new tournament than I would a National Champ medal from next year's OKC tournament. Because of my perceptions of the other teams in the tournament.

I get your pride and defensiveness. I would likely feel the same way if I cared as much about and put as much time and effort into, the thankless job of umpiring that you and your ilk do. But not every parent/coach/HB post seeks to indict all officials as the scourge of mankind.

Regards,
John

[wadeintothem]

lol - ok but.. whats the moral of your story?

[wadeintothem]

I didn't say the state is where they were from but the region. Please read again.

Have you ever been to a USA ASA national or just a regional national?

[Sftbll4ever]

I didn't say the state is where they were from but the region. Please read again.

Have you ever been to a USA ASA national or just a regional national?

What Wade said!!!

The ASA Nationals I have been too had them from several different states OUTSIDE of the region. We actually collected MANY coins from them.

[Blind Squirrel]

lol - ok but.. whats the moral of your story?

What, you couldn't "wade" through all my bullshit to actually find my point? Just because reading my posts is like playing Wheres Waldo?

"The moral is it doesn't matter what the tournament is called, it matters who is competing."

Now that I think about it, it probably doesn't apply so much to the post I was responding to as it does to previous posts. Maybe I should have written in addition to "what the tournament is called" ... "or what the quality of officiating is ...".

I blame umpires for my ADHD. And my intellectual, character and parenting deficiencies. However, I do take partial responsibility for some other stuff.

Do you think all of the umps at Gary's tournament will have to stay at a Holiday Inn?

John

[ice_67]

All I know is when my teams go to ASA Nationals all the umpires are from the region where the ASA torunament is held. None from other parts of the United States. They announce who they are and where they are from before every game and I listen to where they are from. You know, kind of worried about home cookin'.

So...................wouldn't that leave a ton of great umpires from all over Gary's area that would love to work his great event. Umpires who if ASA Nationals was ever in California (Not!) would be very qualifed to work a high quality tournament and be very highly qualified as well to work Gary's tournament.

12U USA/ASA in Normal Illinois this year. 44 Umps, 32 from IL, 5 from IN, 3 from OH, 2 from KY, 2 from IA, UIC from OH, 2 Assist UIC from IL and 1 coordinator from IL.

[3Bsnag]

61 umpires in Marietta
36 from GA
11 from a neighboring state
Only 1 from CA ( )
and really cool, 1 from Alaska

Why did I look this up again?

[tommy]

Well i've been at the last 11 gold nationals. And for being the premiere event the officiating is not what it should have been. Lets face it a the best or good official in some part of the country that has officiated 100 games a year due to weather or whatever may and probably wont be as good as decent official in Cali that has 1000 under their belt. And the truth is to someone like me who has had issues with umpires mainly who dont know the rule book, even at nationals, we have learned to live with the good and bad and play anyways that it wont matter. As a matter of fact sometimes when the umpire is told or thinks they are among the best their attitude is horrible and abuse their power and have a bigger effect on the game when ejecting coaches. those who take pride in ejections should realize that either you have a chip on your shoulder or you are so bad everyone is always yelling at you and you have to throw them out. All that being said there are some great people umpiring men and women in Cali. that could do this if they dont go outside cali. If the officiating were an issue than the other tournaments that Gary host and run would not draw all the teams they do from around the country. This tourn gives us an option and the list has just about every past gold national Champion coming to it. that in itself tells you something and That will always leave any other tournament champion wondering where they stand against the best.....the truth is that most teams will decide where to go based on needs and wants. Be it money, recruiting, or the beloved national title. Both will be good tournaments and now we have a choice to decide what best fits our team needs.

Tommy

[wadeintothem]

61 umpires in Marietta
36 from GA
11 from a neighboring state
Only 1 from CA ( )
and really cool, 1 from Alaska

Why did I look this up again?

there were 2 from CA btw, I got listed as friggin georgia in that little book. @#W#$%@#$'s.

But they treated us great so I wont hold it against em! Dont you remember all the screaming for us at the team torture umpire thingy in the beginning.. was 2 from CA! jeez.