how would you feel?? tournament issue

[softball4us]

Just curious how other coaches/teams/parents would feel about this situation b/c it really irritated me!

Our 14U team played in a NSA tournament this past weekend. Apparently there was not enough 16U teams so they took two of the 14U teams and put them with the 16U bracket to play a one day tournament on Saturday but then they pre seeded the 2 teams into the 14U elimination games on Sunday. These two 14U teams went on to play in the championship game on Saturday for 16U and one of them one the championship. To top it off the 2 14U teams that played in the championship game in the 16U also ended up playing the championship game in 14U. So we all signed up for the same tournament yet these 2 14U teams get 2 chances at a championship? Im not sure this is a fair way to run a tournament that we paid $385 for. Yes all teams need to play the each other and need to be challenged by teams that are obviously awesome teams but for 2 teams to get a chance to play in 2 championships just doesn't sound right to me. There were enough 14U teams without those to play on sunday so Im not sure why they got the chance to win 2 championships?

 

[BadMonkeys]

NSA rulebook Section 8 b) A player cannot play in two (2) age divisions in one tournament.

This would be regarding an NSA sanctioned tournament. If it's a non sanctioned tournament then it doesn't mean anything.
I believe all the sanctioning bodies have similar rules. You don't hear of these types of things happening in sanctioned tournaments.

 

[humpty]

Sounds fishy letting a team play 2 age groups in same tournament. If your not happy don't support that tournament directors tournaments.

 

[Sparky Guy]

The bottom line SB4U. Those teams did the TD a favor by playing in the 16U division that was short teams. Apparently the TD knew the teams were strong enough to play there as evidenced by them both being the championship game. They were also strong enough to win the 14U division too.

The general tenor of your post takes on a "Things should be fair." theme. Unfortunately softball is not always "Fair." These teams sounded like they were the strongest teams in both age groups and you feel they got preferential treatment because the helped the TD. As the TD why wouldn't I let the teams play where they were originally signed up for? From your post it sounds like the TD seeded the two teams where they would have ended up after pool play.

If you've ever run a tournament you'll know that it's rare things run smooth from start to finish. Sounds like the TD made some good adjustments on the fly that benefited the teams in both divisions.

If your DD's team would have beat either of those teams would you have posted here?

 

[BadMonkeys]

The bottom line SB4U. Those teams did the TD a favor by playing in the 16U division that was short teams. Apparently the TD knew the teams were strong enough to play there as evidenced by them both being the championship game. They were also strong enough to win the 14U division too.

The general tenor of your post takes on a "Things should be fair." theme. Unfortunately softball is not always "Fair." These teams sounded like they were the strongest teams in both age groups and you feel they got preferential treatment because the helped the TD. As the TD why wouldn't I let the teams play where they were originally signed up for? From your post it sounds like the TD seeded the two teams where they would have ended up after pool play.

If you've ever run a tournament you'll know that it's rare things run smooth from start to finish. Sounds like the TD made some good adjustments on the fly that benefited the teams in both divisions.

If your DD's team would have beat either of those teams would you have posted here?

If it is an NSA sanctioned tournament it was in violation of NSA rules. That's the real bottom line. If they play up in 16U they stay up in 16U.
If it's a non sanctioned event using NSA rules it doesn't matter.

 

[CoogansBluff]

... they pre seeded the 2 teams into the 14U elimination games on Sunday.

What do you mean by that? Are you saying that these two 14U teams didn't play in the winners bracket of 14U, but were placed directly into the losers bracket of 14U?

 

[shockcoach]

If it is an NSA sanctioned tournament it was in violation of NSA rules. That's the real bottom line. If they play up in 16U they stay up in 16U.
If it's a non sanctioned event using NSA rules it doesn't matter.

Rulebooks apply for championship tournament play. TD can modify the rules for invitationals however he/she sees fit.

 

[BadMonkeys]

Rulebooks apply for championship tournament play. TD can modify the rules for invitationals however he/she sees fit.

When I say sanctioned I mean a WS qualifying tournament. When you say invitational do you mean a non qualifying tournament?

 

[chinamigarden]

Here is what I think. Did you get what you paid for? Then why care what someone else got.

 

[softball4us]

What do you mean by that? Are you saying that these two 14U teams didn't play in the winners bracket of 14U, but were placed directly into the losers bracket of 14U?

There was no losers bracket. The 2 teams both got a bye and got to play in the 14U single elimination play on sunday.