Asa 2015 rule and code changes

[SoCal_Dad]

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.

I seriously doubt PGF has had any real effect on ASA rec ball - only with some parents that don't know better. Travel ball in general is responsible for the exodus from rec leagues.

That said, PGF has had a huge effect on ASA travel ball. I don't see PGF pursuing 10U nationals - only regionals.

 

[marriard]

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!

I didn't say they didn't debate them, I said they didn't address them. All is NOT WELL with these rules, but apparently they think it is all OK.

 

[Elk Grove Hurricane]

Couldn't agree more with you, Coogans. I'm embarrassed by league all-star coaches who don't play their entire roster, especially in pool play. The game is for the kids, and by that I mean ALL of the kids, not just the tweens who are excelling at 10 and 12. Most of these girls will never play in college, but denying them a chance to play in a game against other kids in entire tournaments (and it happened locally quite often) says more about their coaches than it does about anything else. I'd love to see ASA adopt the little league baseball rules, everyone on the roster has to play in every game, some play more of course, but there is no merit to any argument that any kid that age should sit on the bench for a game. When they reach high school age, then you can introduce the concept of fighting for playing time, etc.

 

[MTR]

Couldn't agree more with you, Coogans. I'm embarrassed by league all-star coaches who don't play their entire roster, especially in pool play. The game is for the kids, and by that I mean ALL of the kids, not just the tweens who are excelling at 10 and 12. Most of these girls will never play in college, but denying them a chance to play in a game against other kids in entire tournaments (and it happened locally quite often) says more about their coaches than it does about anything else. I'd love to see ASA adopt the little league baseball rules, everyone on the roster has to play in every game, some play more of course, but there is no merit to any argument that any kid that age should sit on the bench for a game. When they reach high school age, then you can introduce the concept of fighting for playing time, etc.

No one has said anything about having players ride the bench as routine. There are participation oriented rules, the DP/FLEX, courtesy runners, re-entry rules, so any coach that doesn't get a player in the game should be the target of the issue, not the sanctioning body. Many of these girls play hundreds of games in a calendar year and ASA rules are for Championship Play where, believe it or not, the teams are actually playing for something other than exposure.

A sanctioning body should not have the responsibility of managing each team. It is the parent who placed the softball welfare of their child in the hands of that particular coach and that is where the responsibility lies.

 

[coachbob]

Anybody go today? What's the word?

 

[Elk Grove Hurricane]

This is where we disagree:

ASA rules are for Championship Play where, believe it or not, the teams are actually playing for something other than exposure.A sanctioning body should not have the responsibility of managing each team. It is the parent who placed the softball welfare of their child in the hands of that particular coach and that is where the responsibility lies.[/QUOTE]
We agree that they are playing for something, we disagree on whether what they're playing for should be prioritized over why they are playing. I may not have made it clear in my post, but I'm talking about rec league All-Stars. They all should play, regardless of whether they're playing for a trophy or just another game.

 

[WARRIORMIKE]

Anybody go today? What's the word?

Ask EricF He has all the answers

 

[MTR]

We agree that they are playing for something, we disagree on whether what they're playing for should be prioritized over why they are playing. I may not have made it clear in my post, but I'm talking about rec league All-Stars. They all should play, regardless of whether they're playing for a trophy or just another game.

Other than Championship Play, you can use whatever participation rules you want. IMO, when a team is playing for a national championship, they should be bringing their best game which means that some lesser players may not get as much time as the better players.

 

[Eric F]

Ask EricF He has all the answers

If anyone wants a summary of the Select Team presentation from the So Cal conference, shoot me a PM with your email.

 

[SoCal_Dad]

The 2013 standard for ASA was developed due to field studies that indicated the average swing speed that was being used to calculate the 2004 standard were not entirely accurate based on actual play. In fact, it was determined that actual average swing speeds were a somewhat lower than had previous been thought. When the bat exit speed formula was recalculated with the new lower swing speeds, bats that would not have passed under the old calculation now would pass. Thus the need for the new 2013 stamp. These field studies were only done for the slowpitch game, that is why the bats with the new stamp were legal in slowpitch only.

ASA also passed a rule change for this year (2014) that bats with the 2013 stamp were now legal for Men's and Boy's fastpitch as well as Men's Modified pitch. Field studies in those games produced similar data as the slowpitch game.

My understanding is that field studies will be conducted this year in the JO and Women's fastpitch games to see if changes are necessary in the bat standards for those games. I believe there is some level of cooperation with NCAA in these studies.

Any report on the field studies for girls fast pitch?