Information about Premier Fastpitch Girls Softball

[Gary Haning]

Your point too is valid. The difference is that Amanda was a sophomore and did not win until she was a senior at that point she was a longtime part of our team.

Yes there still is nothing to prevent a team from adding players from whereever but there is far less of it going on and those players have not a had a year of weight-lifting, training and competition in packed stadiums against older more experienced athletes.

In the past few years we have faced like 5 pitchers who started and/or were their teams Ace in the College World Series two months earlier. That experience cannot be matched prior to playing in college.

Agree completely not every and not many kids can compete in Gold at 14/15 but some can and if they can they will learn much more than if they are beating the brains out of kids far beneath their skill level.

[Gary Haning]

Again I agree, the exposure tournaments have run amok. it is the proverbial viscious cycle. Everyone wants more exposure, everyone has more exposure tournaments and so on. You should also understand if you don't already know that exposure tournaments are far easier to run on all parties and more profitable.

We are actually changing a couple tournaments to elimination formats because we recognize we are losing the ability to compete as we would like to compete.

If I could show you some of the emails I get, I swear I have had everything offered but a Ferrari in exchange for the "best fields".

[anonlooker]

Again I agree, the exposure tournaments have run amok. it is the proverbial viscious cycle. Everyone wants more exposure, everyone has more exposure tournaments and so on. You should also understand if you don't already know that exposure tournaments are far easier to run on all parties and more profitable.

We are actually changing a couple tournaments to elimination formats because we recognize we are losing the ability to compete as we would like to compete.

If I could show you some of the emails I get, I swear I have had everything offered but a Ferrari in exchange for the "best fields".

In that case, which Ferrari would you like, sir? Color preference? Why yes, stadium court is very much to my liking, and thank you for asking!

[Gary Haning]

Thanks and I will take the red one in the first Vacation movie, while you are at it I will also take the driver.

[Gary Haning]

Cont again;
You are the coach of an 18U team, you have a player who has played for you for 3 or 4 years. Sweetheart of a kid, great family, someone you would be proud to have as a daughter.
Kid comes to you and says, “I want to play next summer after college”. You don’t believe in taking college players. It is a really tough place to be in. I would much rather the rules prevent this situation.
Other side of the same situation, kid plays on a team many years, has a great relationship with the coaches the players, everything has been great for all of time. Coach sees he has a chance to win Nationals. Coach calls the kid at college, please come back. Kid has plans, she has not had a summer off since 10U, wants to go to Europe. Coach is relentless, old friends still in HS call, kid is trying to study, acclimate to college and college SB. It is a really tough place for her to be in. I would much rather the rules prevent this situation.

Another viewpoint:

Kid thinks she wants to come back, asks to do so or agrees to do so. She goes through a tough college season and knows in April there is no way that she wants to play that summer. She has made a commitment, she keeps that promise and suffers for two months. It is a really tough situation for her to be in. I would rather the rules prevent this situation.

One last time:

Kid doesn’t think she wants to play, tells the coach no thanks. Coach goes out recruits a say SS, same position as the college kid. HS kid plays the fall gets some looks, gains some experience. She is going to be good player by all accounts.
April rolls around, college kid isn’t playing much and her college coach says you need to play summer. Kid calls her old coach, just kidding before now I want to play. Coach knows this kid will make difference even thought the other has played well. June comes, college kid comes back, HS kid sits. Colleges who were recruiting her want to see her play in meaningful games but the college kid gets those games. It is too late to find another team. HS school kid loses her scholarship opportunity amd maybe will never get another from a school she likes as much as the one who was recruiting her, maybe none at all. It is a really tough situation for her to be in. I would rather the rules prevent this situation.

There are numerous other scenarios I could write but I am sure my point is clear. Doesn’t mean all have to agree but these are more of MY opinions.

[wadeintothem]

I will give you props for being perhaps the most independent thinker I've ever seen. Independent of even yourself. Before you "WTF am I talking about" me, I'm talking about things like you saying something about the true gold teams being in OKC next year and how they will be the real 18 Gold National Champions

versus

"18G OKC may well look like a 16 Eastern Nationals in skill level."

Just ran out of time or I'd explain further.

John

Yeah, thats before I found out at least most of the orgs were forming up two teams and sending one to the so cal show case and one fatty one to OKC.

Now shhhhh.

I'm trying to watch Gary explain how he needs ASA 18G in OKC to be a HS showcase like his tournament, or how he HAS to use college players, or has to release all the girls earning his org money, without me getting involved and pointing out the obvious... I implied I would stay out of it unless addressed.. so shhh.

[Iluvblue]

I can respect all of those reasons, but you know that as a coach, you just have to make tough decisions. That is why we get the bog bucks, right?:)

From what i see in those reasons, most of them are to make your life easier and not have to make those tough decisions.

I don think a young lady getting badgered to play is enough of a reason to force other kids that want to play, into NOT being able to play. Heck, if she is a college person, isnt she supposed to be learning how to be an adult? If so, grow up and say I dont want to play this Summer.

I can appreciate the position you are in when a kid wants to come back when you dont believe in it. I have had my last two teams begging me to move up with them. VERY HARD to tell kids that you love that you will not coach them when the only thing keeping you from coaching them is yourself. But that is just life. You want the easy way out:) And nothing wrong with that I guess.

In any event, no matter the reason, I applaud you for taking the risk and standing up to make some changes. i LOVE this sport and anything we coaches can do to make this sport better, I am for. So good luck with something that will be a HUGE undertaking.

[Gary Haning]

You are correct, I do not want to be in that situation and I do not want to see players put into that situation.

It is a HUGE undertaking and thankfully there are many taking it with me.

Our goal from the very beginning was and is to have the most competitive tournament in the country with every team drawing from the same pool of players in their respective areas or even another area if that is what they choose. We think we are well on our way to that goal and we are all excited to see how it works out.

[azsoftballmom]

Cont again;
You are the coach of an 18U team, you have a player who has played for you for 3 or 4 years. Sweetheart of a kid, great family, someone you would be proud to have as a daughter.
Kid comes to you and says, “I want to play next summer after college”. You don’t believe in taking college players. It is a really tough place to be in. I would much rather the rules prevent this situation.
Other side of the same situation, kid plays on a team many years, has a great relationship with the coaches the players, everything has been great for all of time. Coach sees he has a chance to win Nationals. Coach calls the kid at college, please come back. Kid has plans, she has not had a summer off since 10U, wants to go to Europe. Coach is relentless, old friends still in HS call, kid is trying to study, acclimate to college and college SB. It is a really tough place for her to be in. I would much rather the rules prevent this situation.

Another viewpoint:

Kid thinks she wants to come back, asks to do so or agrees to do so. She goes through a tough college season and knows in April there is no way that she wants to play that summer. She has made a commitment, she keeps that promise and suffers for two months. It is a really tough situation for her to be in. I would rather the rules prevent this situation.

One last time:

Kid doesn’t think she wants to play, tells the coach no thanks. Coach goes out recruits a say SS, same position as the college kid. HS kid plays the fall gets some looks, gains some experience. She is going to be good player by all accounts.
April rolls around, college kid isn’t playing much and her college coach says you need to play summer. Kid calls her old coach, just kidding before now I want to play. Coach knows this kid will make difference even thought the other has played well. June comes, college kid comes back, HS kid sits. Colleges who were recruiting her want to see her play in meaningful games but the college kid gets those games. It is too late to find another team. HS school kid loses her scholarship opportunity amd maybe will never get another from a school she likes as much as the one who was recruiting her, maybe none at all. It is a really tough situation for her to be in. I would rather the rules prevent this situation.

There are numerous other scenarios I could write but I am sure my point is clear. Doesn’t mean all have to agree but these are more of MY opinions.

All very valid points. It should as simple as this: once the kid goes to college, the national championship is the WCWS.

[Bill_B]

I will give you props for being perhaps the most independent thinker I've ever seen. Independent of even yourself. Before you "WTF am I talking about" me, I'm talking about things like you saying something about the true gold teams being in OKC next year and how they will be the real 18 Gold National Champions

versus

"18G OKC may well look like a 16 Eastern Nationals in skill level."

Just ran out of time or I'd explain further.

John

Yeah, thats before I found out at least most of the orgs were forming up two teams and sending one to the so cal show case and one fatty one to OKC.

Now shhhhh.

I'm trying to watch Gary explain how he needs ASA 18G in OKC to be a HS showcase like his tournament, or how he HAS to use college players, or has to release all the girls earning his org money, without me getting involved and pointing out the obvious... I implied I would stay out of it unless addressed.. so shhh.

Mr. WadeIntoThem,

After having read what you have written over about a year’s period of time it is evident to me that you have a fairly inflated opinion of yourself. Lately, you have demonstrated your hubris by taking an inconsistent position with regard to the relationship between the Premier Tournament and the ASA. I would expect someone of your exalted status to have at least given some measure of thought to your position. You apparently believe you can waver in your position, support your position-du-jour with specious arguments, disrespect in the most condescending fashion, and not expect be taken to task.

You continuously talk about the ASA conducting the only real championships in the country. Furthermore, you constantly assert that a selection process has ensured that these real championships have the best umpires in the country.

I have heard nothing about the umpire selection process in terms of specifics. If the selection process consists of taking a test on the order of the ACE test given to coaches, I question whether the ASA process really does the job. It certainly is not evident during games.

Why is it such a big deal to win the USA/ASA championships? Does the ASA do anything at all to ensure that the teams and players are recognized? Do they notify the local papers and other media about what has been accomplished? The ASA does nothing to ensure that winners are recognized outside the confines of the ASA.

Little league is able to televise semi finals and championship games for its softball players in at least three age divisions? Why can’t the ASA do that? Do you know that some players have opted to play for little league instead of ASA on the outside chance that they may be seen on national television?

The Premier Tournament cannot be a bad thing for the Fastpitch game. ASA has lost its sheen especially since there is no longer an Olympic Fastpitch event. We need to do something to grow this sport. The Premier is a move in the right direction. How can an organization that sponsors a Hooter’s tournament be taken seriously in a women’s Fastpitch context?

For some reason you seem to be the ASA’s chief apologist. If your goal is to thwart the real excitement many feel about this new endeavor you’re going to need to take a different tack. Do you honestly believe the Premier Tournament is going to be bad for the sport? If your interest includes benefitting players you really need to reconsider your position and embrace this tournament wholeheartedly. Why not climb on board and help the sport grow rather than hanging on to the status quo? Instead of trying to prevent something potentially beneficial to the sport from happening, someone with your experience and knowledge ought to be asking what you can do to help.