Asa 2015 rule and code changes

[MTR]

I agree. Plus with nationals, you are travelling away from home and what if a girl gets a couple of at bats all weekend - who wins in that scenario?

Then maybe she shouldn't be going to a national tournament.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Then maybe she shouldn't be going to a national tournament.

She's only 10. Her team qualified for nationals. It would be exploiting a 10-year-old to take her to nationals and not play her so that the coaches and the parents of the best 9 can have a better chance of winning. Kids that age want to play more than they want to win national titles, so I say give them what they want. They'll probably do about as well anyway. Not necessarily saying that everyone must bat, but I'd make sure all played a very significant role in that tournament.

 

[KCPRK]

She's only 10. Her team qualified for nationals. It would be exploiting a 10-year-old to take her to nationals and not play her so that the coaches and the parents of the best 9 can have a better chance of winning. Kids that age want to play more than they want to win national titles, so I say give them what they want. They'll probably do about as well anyway. Not necessarily saying that everyone must bat, but I'd make sure all played a very significant role in that tournament.

As a coach that has coached 10u and 18u at a ASA nationals I agree that at 10u everyone bats and plays. If you were good enough to get there at 10u odds are all players helped in some way Let em play at 10U.

14,16,18 is a different scenario IMHO

 

[CoogansBluff]

PS, It is OK at 10u but they should not have nationals at that level. I'd rather kids go learn the game and practice. Although I do like watching LL World Series, so I am torn. But many national tourneys are just regionals correct? It is almost like everyone claims now they participated in one...

LLWS is age 12, although perhaps there is a 10U national as well. But I also see LLWS as different than travel ball because it's an all-star team, built mainly for the goal of winning local, state, regional tournaments. It's a temporary team. It's more like high school or college in that regard. It's a privilege, so players are not entitled to play.

Travel is different. Of course, people can define travel teams however they wish, but for the most part, they serve the need of kids who want to play year-round, with the emphasis on play. That's what kids are looking for with travel teams, the opportunity to play and enjoy the game and get better, which is not easily accomplished getting one-quarter the at-bats of the best player on the team.

I understand how it is frustrating for a high school coach to inherit a bunch of kids who've never had to really compete for playing time, but I still support the idea of travel teams that provide plenty of playing time for those kids who put in the required effort. They can learn the harsh lesson of 'not everybody plays' in high school. They might not make to high school as a softball player if kids are getting buried on the bench by travel coaches who put winning first too soon.

 

[nicelag]

[/B]

I have a problem with this in general. What a player is doing when she is not participating for your team is none of your business, period.

I believe the March 31st rule has been in place for a while, and it prevents girls from playing or practicing with travel ball teams. Looks like it will just be expanded to cover other situations as well. I do agree though. If my daughter wants to play or practice with better competition in her free time why should they care? But it’s all big brother ASA.

I have heard and have issue with the fact that the select team rosters will have to be submitted at the beginning of the season, and that will be your gold all-star team. I hear that you will be able to add to the list throughout the season but cannon take away. That being said that will in fact single out and eliminate many girls. But all-stars does that anyway so it is what it is. What happens to the new girls in a league that nobody knows who they are, or those girls who get better during the season? Sure, they can be added to the list, but without the detractions you could easily end up with 20+ girls on the team in a round robin format where they all have to play and bat. That is crazy!

Looks to me like ASA is grasping at straws! They have been very stubborn, belligerent and closed minded in regards to ideas or suggestions for years, and now they are paying the price and running scared in my opinion. When travel ball (PGF) really started drawing girls from ASA nobody really cared because they were pulling from the 14U division which traditionally has the smallest numbers. When PGF came along and added a national championship for the 12U division they were able to fill the all-star void and started taking those players in large numbers as well. Now we had their attention! Now large numbers of 10U players are making the jump which has really got them (ASA) running scared. In my opinion once PGF figures out a way to effectively institute and national championship format for the 10U division, to fill that all-star void, watch out! Many more girls will leave for travel ball and decimate ASA rec ball. And, it may not be far away.

As far as the "creating boundaries" idea I hate it! I dealt with boundaries in regards to my son in Little League and it was horrible. You have no options. At least in So Cal ASA softball if you have a bunch of Neanderthals that want to bring in the "Good 'Ole Boy's Club" and run rough shot over a league (LBHF), and basically destroy it (like a lot of the leagues around here), then you can leave and go elsewhere without penalty. Again, if I find and better league, and a better situation for my DD, then why should ASA care? I have an idea, you want more enrollment for your league? Get rid of DBGF (Daddy Ball Girls Fastpitch) and Run a better league.

Sorry for the rants, but I feel better now!

Remember, this is just my opinion and based on hearsay (allegedly) in regards to the new rule changes. Until we in So Cal attend the ASA annual meeting this weekend and find out for sure it’s all just guesswork.

 

[MTR]

I believe the March 31st rule has been in place for a while, and it prevents girls from playing or practicing with travel ball teams. Looks like it will just be expanded to cover other situations as well. I do agree though. If my daughter wants to play or practice with better competition in her free time why should they care? But it’s all big brother ASA.

I have heard and have issue with the fact that the select team rosters will have to be submitted at the beginning of the season, and that will be your gold all-star team. I hear that you will be able to add to the list throughout the season but cannon take away. That being said that will in fact single out and eliminate many girls. But all-stars does that anyway so it is what it is. What happens to the new girls in a league that nobody knows who they are, or those girls who get better during the season? Sure, they can be added to the list, but without the detractions you could easily end up with 20+ girls on the team in a round robin format where they all have to play and bat. That is crazy!

Looks to me like ASA is grasping at straws! They have been very stubborn, belligerent and closed minded in regards to ideas or suggestions for years, and now they are paying the price and running scared in my opinion. When travel ball (PGF) really started drawing girls from ASA nobody really cared because they were pulling from the 14U division which traditionally has the smallest numbers. When PGF came along and added a national championship for the 12U division they were able to fill the all-star void and started taking those players in large numbers as well. Now we had their attention! Now large numbers of 10U players are making the jump which has really got them (ASA) running scared. In my opinion once PGF figures out a way to effectively institute and national championship format for the 10U division, to fill that all-star void, watch out! Many more girls will leave for travel ball and decimate ASA rec ball. And, it may not be far away.

As far as the "creating boundaries" idea I hate it! I dealt with boundaries in regards to my son in Little League and it was horrible. You have no options. At least in So Cal ASA softball if you have a bunch of Neanderthals that want to bring in the "Good 'Ole Boy's Club" and run rough shot over a league (LBHF), and basically destroy it (like a lot of the leagues around here), then you can leave and go elsewhere without penalty. Again, if I find and better league, and a better situation for my DD, then why should ASA care? I have an idea, you want more enrollment for your league? Get rid of DBGF (Daddy Ball Girls Fastpitch) and Run a better league.

Sorry for the rants, but I feel better now!

Remember, this is just my opinion and based on hearsay (allegedly) in regards to the new rule changes. Until we in So Cal attend the ASA annual meeting this weekend and find out for sure it’s all just guesswork.

You are referring to a local rule for a local association, not ASA in general. BTW, other organizations, including a fair about of state HS associations have the same type of restriction. And I still have a problem with it regardless of the sport or circumstance and yes, I'm referring to amateur sports.

 

[MTR]

Yeah, batting everyone has convinced me we really have babified the game, and we no longer have competition inside teams; you get stuff guaranteed.

PS, It is OK at 10u but they should not have nationals at that level. I'd rather kids go learn the game and practice. Although I do like watching LL World Series, so I am torn. But many national tourneys are just regionals correct? It is almost like everyone claims now they participated in one...

I think I would rather have full rotation of players, not just adding batters. Part of the (fun of) battle is facing a batter or pitcher again!

I couldn't agree more, but have often been handed my head on this and other boards for voicing such an opinion over the past decade.

And as has been stated before, you play hundreds of games in the year, why is there a problem taking one tournament in playing the game right, and to win a championship and if that means the best players play, so be it, no one is missing an opportunity in any manner.

 

[marriard]

Neither of those passed. There was also a proposal to require JO pitchers to wear a face mask, but that proposal was withdrawn.
.

So from this thread I have learned that once again they didn't address real problems with the playing rules (leaping, penalty for illegal pitch, LBR, etc) but did spend all their time trying to legislate who plays where and for who and how much.

 

[Ajaywill]

So from this thread I have learned that once again they didn't address real problems with the playing rules (leaping, penalty for illegal pitch, LBR, etc) but did spend all their time trying to legislate who plays where and for who and how much.

If that's what you got, you really didn't read very well.....

The pitching rules were debated and voted down at the NATIONAL council meeting...for all of ASA Championship play.
The back and forth about select teams and boundaries and rec leagues is specific to CALIFORNIA!

 

[MTR]

So from this thread I have learned that once again they didn't address real problems with the playing rules (leaping, penalty for illegal pitch, LBR, etc) but did spend all their time trying to legislate who plays where and for who and how much.

Why do you perceive them as problems? Why I don't agree that some change or elimination of some rules would be beneficial, they are discussed, at length, and voted upon in at least 4 separate committees and possibly on the floor by the general council. So your contention that such things were not addressed is completely unfounded.