Less Travel teams?

[wild man]

I have been away from the forum a while, Got roped into Coaching Two Basketball teams. But I went to Schedule LL Softball A few days ago and I have never seen so many Coaches and adminastrators for Softball ever.

I started asking about the huge no. of teams poping up all the sudden and the answer was simple. They all said that ASA travel ball was losing numbers due to the extreme cost. And alot of kids are sighning up for LL.
Is this the case where your at?
Should make an interesting season. I am only Coaching HS this year but will Umoire the LL games So I will get to see the result.

 

[starsnuffer]

I think ASA is loosing members because they're a bunch of grumpy old men with no idea what to do with fastpitch softball, and that they got comfortable, rested on their laurels, and fell behind the curve as many other organizations evolved.

That said, the number of teams has more to do with daddyballism then anything else, but I think that teams do a good job of policing themselves to where you have elite level tournaments where the "best" teams know they will have peer level competition, and then you have the lower level non-sanctioned tournaments where the smaller less experienced teams will find competition playing one another. At the end of the day, I think that's what it's all about.

-W

 

[FPMark]

I don't know where you are, but around here I haven't noticed any decrease in the number of TB teams. I have seen alot of them playing less 'long distance' tournaments and maybe playing more friendlies to cut expenses. If there were a strong LL program locally, some may find it a good alternative. The state of the economy has taken it's toll on everyone, especially with gas prices getting out of controll.

 

[DOG310]

Around N TX seems to be a ton of 10 and 12U teams. Only a couple, 3-4, that seem competitive. Rest seem to need a "bracket pitcher".

 

[Coach Tom]

In my opinion it runs in cycles, the typical ebbs and flows of softball if you will. As kids get cut from teams, dad goes off and starts a new team. After a few seasons of getting their butts kicked they realize they don't have the talent. The other parents get tired of shelling out money to watch their kids lose. Teams disband and the best girls find new teams and you have this consolidation. This seems to happen every 3 - 4 years. Then it starts over with expansion of teams. Yes the economy can and does play a role in this but really to a lesser extent, it really is about girls not landing on a team and dad convince his daughter is the next Jenny Finch.

 

[absdad]

I started asking about the huge no. of teams poping up all the sudden and the answer was simple. They all said that ASA travel ball was losing numbers due to the extreme cost. And alot of kids are sighning up for LL.
Is this the case where your at?
Should make an interesting season. I am only Coaching HS this year but will Umoire the LL games So I will get to see the result.

What do you consider exteme cost? Or what did they say the thought was on extreme cost? The tournament fees for ASA are cheaper than for USSSA here. In our area an ASA tournament costs about $260 for a team to enter. But they have gate fees of about $5 per adult, per day; $3 for kids (non-players). Coaches and players get in for free. The USSSA tournaments cost a team about $380-400 to enter, with no gate fees.
I know things are different in different parts of the country. In our region, ASA is the better competition. BUT... these tournaments are not run very well. The USSSA tournaments here, are run incredibly smooth. But the competition is not as good (usually).

Curious to see what they're beef about costs were.

Many teams in our area, play both ASA and USSSA. There are some who only play one or the other. I don't think the number of teams has changed... our local message boards are overloaded with 10, 12, and 14u teams looking for one more or two more players to "complete the roster". But then, that seems to happen every single year. It seems to happen mostly in the C and B teams.

 

[Sparky Guy]

our local message boards are overloaded with 10, 12, and 14u teams looking for one more or two more players to "complete the roster".

Coupled those with the ads that proclaim your daughter/pitcher will get all kids of innings if she's not happy where she's at.

My ultimate favorite is the one that says "Need strong #2 & #3 pitcher." to complete the line up. If you read between the lines it should say.. "My daughter is the #1 pitcher on the team, even if you're a better pitcher. She will get all the innings she wants. You'll relieve her." By my way of thinking why wouldn't you advertise for nothing but a quality pitcher?

 

[Sparky Guy]

In my opinion it runs in cycles, the typical ebbs and flows of softball if you will. As kids get cut from teams, dad goes off and starts a new team. After a few seasons of getting their butts kicked they realize they don't have the talent.

This is the normal attrition rate with softball. At 10U and rec you have all kinds of girls playing. By 12U a certain percentage of the leave for lack of talent or other interests. At 14U is when the decisions are made about playing ball. At 16U you have the serious athletes who want to play ball. The majority of these girls play 18U. Those who wish more and have the talent end up playing at some level in college. The shape that comes to mind is a pyramid. As you get higher up the intensity and player talent grows proportionately. At the very top is the pro and international levels.

 

[MTR]

I think ASA is loosing members because they're a bunch of grumpy old men with no idea what to do with fastpitch softball, and that they got comfortable, rested on their laurels, and fell behind the curve as many other organizations evolved.

Really? And you know this how?

You really don't know, do you? Standard BS from someone who proclaims something is wrong or broken when s/he doesn't even know what that system is. Go figure!

There are issues in different places with different associations without exception and it rarely has anything to do with the sanctioning body itself.

 

[InTheCrowd]

From where I live, I see the adjustment to the distances travel, more local tournaments, and maybe one less tournament to address cost issue. I don't see fewer team, probably the same number.