Information about Premier Fastpitch Girls Softball

[ssarge]

The real big difference between me and you then is I am not looking for someone to follow.

Actually, I think you have demonmstrated on this board that you are perfectly cast as an umpire.


By definition, an effective umpire has to know he is right, be prepared to defend that he is right, be totally unswayed by a cocophany of voices insisting he is wrong, and continue to move forward secure in the knowledge that he was right because he is always right, and his is the only opinion that matters.

Absent those qualities, an umpire will not be effective consistently. It is a role to which few in society are well cast - seriously - because the majority of us know we get it wrong sometimes. And fear we get it wrong more often that that. The BETTER umpires don't have that fear, or if they do, they sublimate it so deeply that it is a non-issue. And it is good for the sport that they are able to do that, be decisive, maintain control, and fulfill a thankless role.


The thing is, the BEST umpires actualy ARE right the vast majority of the time. . . . .A different deal, entirely.

Regards,

Scott

[wadeintothem]

Actually, I think you have demonmstrated on this board that you are perfectly cast as an umpire.


By definition, an effective umpire has to know he is right, be prepared to defend that he is right, be totally unswayed by a cocophany of voices insisting he is wrong, and continue to move forward secure in the knowledge that he was right because he is always right, and his is the only opinion that matters.

Absent those qualities, an umpire will not be effective consistently. It is a role to which few in society are well cast - seriously - because the majority of us know we get it wrong sometimes. And fear we get it wrong more often that that. The BETTER umpires don't have that fear, or if they do, they sublimate it so deeply that it is a non-issue. And it is good for the sport that they are able to do that, be decisive, maintain control, and fulfill a thankless role.


The thing is, the BEST umpires actualy ARE right the vast majority of the time. . . . .A different deal, entirely.

Regards,

Scott

You honestly believe that because I think its obvious this so cal deal is nothing but a show case and not a national championship, that is demonstrative of my abilities on the field?

Thats lame.. and youre usually smarter than that ssarge. Especially on a forum where I have worked so many games of people on this forum.

[Iluvblue]

Gary,

please explain to me the issues with college players playing at the Gold level? My kid did it, but it was because she loves the game. The adult division is a beer league. ASA screwed up ALL divisions when they changed the age cutoff several years ago. They essentially split the 14u division in two. 8th graders and HS freshman, thus we now have to wait for HS kids to finish up so we can have the entire 14u division together. Change the age division back to Sept. 1, and problem is probably solved except for a few kids that scrap in.

If you say no college players, but allow the kids that are already signed or verballed, what is the difference? College coaches will be seeing kids that are not available to them, no?


And I have no problem with PGF. I am a vocal propponent for girls FASTPITCH up here. If that means we are playing in ASA or playing in PGF I dont care. The teams and coaches are what makes the ship go, not the other way around.

Up here the people running tournaments could run it under the crappy girls fastpitch league. Would it change anything? Nope, same people running the tournament, same umpires, same fields, and same teams would show up. Calling it ASA or not is irrelevant.

[Iluvblue]

I gather the opinions of Wade and Gary are different but from a guy who's been coaching competitively for 5 years now, there's no question who I'd follow.



This is part of the problem IMO. Not to knock Gary, but if Gary said the sky were red, 50% of the parents and coaches out there would say, damn, it is looking a little redder today.

Thus the reason everyone and their brother wants to play Gold, go to 100 hundred exposure tournaments, and pays 65 bucks for a 20 minute pitching lesson. All of these "Experienced coaches" told me I need to have my 15 year old playing Gold if I want to get her seen, so it must be so.

All because someone with years of experience and players that have played at big name schools said so.

[anonlooker]

The real big difference between me and you then is I am not looking for someone to follow.

You're kidding right? You're a deeply entrenched company man, a follower of bureaucracy and the status quo, apparently incapable of seeing the world of possibilities which exist beyond the ASA morass. A true Democrat (since you opted to politicize the discussion), needing, looking to, and supporting Big Brother to the edge of the abyss; opposed to free enterprise, entrepreneurialism, and any innovation that challenges your master... a true stuck in the mud follower.

[wadeintothem]

On August 15, 2010 I will start a thread and we will see what became of our idea.

Gary, I have no doubt that:

1. You will actually have a good tournament. that is a lot of good people, including yourself.

2. On that date you will come on here crowing about what a great tournament it was, how all the umpires finally got all the calls right and were the best you've seen, how the fields were the best and immacutlate, how everyone hit many home runs because of the short fences, how gum drops fell from the sky, and how angels floated from the clouds and sang the national anthem at opening ceremonies...

As an umpire, I have a lot of first hand experience with how self interest affects view and judgement.

But that still wont make it the 18Gold National Championship.. just a damn fine show case with some good HS players.

[sbphil]

This thread was intended to provide information regarding Premier Fastpitch, as many questions have arisen regarding the new organization. I gave my many reasons for our supporting Premier on a companion thread on this site. The discussion here is wandering farther away than need be from what, at least to me, is pertinent. Maybe dispelling the myths raised in this thread would be productive so that quality dialogue can resume.
1. This is not about Gary, but about ridding 18 Gold of a host of problems for which coaches have long sought redress from ASA. Gary had the foresight and courage to bring people together in an attempt to foster positive action. This certainly does not make him evil, selfish, subversive, misguided or un-American. Neither does it make the supporters of the concept Gary's "minions."
2. This is not an anti-ASA movement . As noted, we as coaches have tried for years to get ASA to listen to our concerns. What we have sought are ways to make the game better for the kids who play it and for the families that support their children in that endeavor. Our efforts at communicating with ASA have gotten us nowhere. Tommy emphasized those points.
3. This is not a SoCal movement nor a diabolical plot to position SoCal teams at the apex of the Gold hierarchy. My team, for example, is not from SoCal. Neither are many other clubs from across the nation that are expressing strong interest in or support for PFGS.
4. We, as coaches, will not abandon high-level, competitive Gold softball for a glorified exposure tournament. Those of you who know any of us supporting the new organization would, I'm sure, never believe that. An underlying precept is to get the strongest teams to the National Championships, something that does not happen under the current ASA format.
5. It is not conceived IMHO as a vehicle for moving younger players to the Gold level. No comment needed.
6. The new Premier Nationals will be able to attract quality umpires. Gary emphasized that. And, I might add, that the ASA umpire selection process is far from perfect. One of our early round games this year in OKC was as poorly officiated as one could imagine.
7. Our clubs will not have two teams designed so as to send the lesser squad to Premier and the stronger squad to ASA. Why would anyone take on the enormous task of establishing a new organization just to do that?
8. The best players will not leave our clubs for teams wanting to attend Gold Nationals in OKC. My club's tryouts have not yet been concluded, but already we have had the most kids try out in our history. I suspect that experience is not unique.
9. Premier will be a National Championship event. Check the list of teams already involved, with more to come. Recall that the NIT, not the NCAA, was once the more prestigious college hoops championship event. The AFL New York Jets shocked the NFL with its Super Bow IIIl victory and a bigger, stronger, more popular league was forged.

There will be those of you who do not agree with the concept of trying a new way, hopefully a better way, of organizing and staging a Gold National Championship event. An event that many Gold coaches believe will feature the best teams, will be well officiated, held at a reasonable overall cost to families, conducted in a shorter period of time, in a place with plenty for people to do, with terrific air service, a great August climate, free spectator admission, no charges for college coaches to receive recruiting materials, and yes, Wade, maybe even a t-shirt.

[jmo]

This thread was intended to provide information regarding Premier Fastpitch, as many questions have arisen regarding the new organization. I gave my many reasons for our supporting Premier on a companion thread on this site. The discussion here is wandering farther away than need be from what, at least to me, is pertinent. Maybe dispelling the myths raised in this thread would be productive so that quality dialogue can resume.
1. This is not about Gary, but about ridding 18 Gold of a host of problems for which coaches have long sought redress from ASA. Gary had the foresight and courage to bring people together in an attempt to foster positive action. This certainly does not make him evil, selfish, subversive, misguided or un-American. Neither does it make the supporters of the concept Gary's "minions."
2. This is not an anti-ASA movement . As noted, we as coaches have tried for years to get ASA to listen to our concerns. What we have sought are ways to make the game better for the kids who play it and for the families that support their children in that endeavor. Our efforts at communicating with ASA have gotten us nowhere. Tommy emphasized those points.
3. This is not a SoCal movement nor a diabolical plot to position SoCal teams at the apex of the Gold hierarchy. My team, for example, is not from SoCal. Neither are many other clubs from across the nation that are expressing strong interest in or support for PFGS.
4. We, as coaches, will not abandon high-level, competitive Gold softball for a glorified exposure tournament. Those of you who know any of us supporting the new organization would, I'm sure, never believe that. An underlying precept is to get the strongest teams to the National Championships, something that does not happen under the current ASA format.
5. It is not conceived IMHO as a vehicle for moving younger players to the Gold level. No comment needed.
6. The new Premier Nationals will be able to attract quality umpires. Gary emphasized that. And, I might add, that the ASA umpire selection process is far from perfect. One of our early round games this year in OKC was as poorly officiated as one could imagine.
7. Our clubs will not have two teams designed so as to send the lesser squad to Premier and the stronger squad to ASA. Why would anyone take on the enormous task of establishing a new organization just to do that?
8. The best players will not leave our clubs for teams wanting to attend Gold Nationals in OKC. My club's tryouts have not yet been concluded, but already we have had the most kids try out in our history. I suspect that experience is not unique.
9. Premier will be a National Championship event. Check the list of teams already involved, with more to come. Recall that the NIT, not the NCAA, was once the more prestigious college hoops championship event. The AFL New York Jets shocked the NFL with its Super Bow IIIl victory and a bigger, stronger, more popular league was forged.

There will be those of you who do not agree with the concept of trying a new way, hopefully a better way, of organizing and staging a Gold National Championship event. An event that many Gold coaches believe will feature the best teams, will be well officiated, held at a reasonable overall cost to families, conducted in a shorter period of time, in a place with plenty for people to do, with terrific air service, a great August climate, free spectator admission, no charges for college coaches to receive recruiting materials, and yes, Wade, maybe even a t-shirt.

Great Post Phil!!

[wadeintothem]

Can someone get me one of the Tshirts?

I kind of pick them up wherever I go and am kind of a collector.
I'll be down there for the 18A nats and you can bring it over to me.

[ssarge]

You honestly believe that because I think its obvious this so cal deal is nothing but a show case and not a national championship, that is demonstrative of my abilities on the field?

What I believe is that you are arguing well past the point of reasonableness because you just don't know how to back down.

EVERYTHING Gary, Phil, Tommy, and Bret (among others) have said resonates with the vast majority of readers on this board. And a large majority of participants in Gold softball. It is really that simple.

And NO ONE is going to travel an 18U team to LA to play a showcase the second week of August. Why would anyone do that? If you are good enough to get IN this tournament, your players are all signed or commited already anyway. Just as virtually all of the players actually on the field at Gold Nationals NOW are. People will be playing in the Premier tournament to test their competitive mettle against the best, because that is where the best will be.

Thats lame.. and youre usually smarter than that ssarge. Especially on a forum where I have worked so many games of people on this forum.

I don't understand your comment. Read my post again. I indicated your tendancies are positive as it relates to umpiring. And I meant it.

Off the field, you AREN'T the guy with ultimate authority, so things are different. Most people would have been persuaded by the evidence presented here. And I thought you had turned that corner a couple of days ago. I may have jumped the gun.

I will reiterate that I think you are a good umpire, and that you are well suited to being an umpire. On THIS message board, I think you are dramatically missing the point.