Thread: ASA is playing hardball

here we go, this should turn ugly.....so much for having the best players playing for the United States. Sounds pretty petty to me.

NEW ASA POLICY ON SELECTING USA SOFTBALL JUNIOR WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM
ASA Director of National Teams Ronnie Isham noted on Wednesday that ASA/USA Softball will select players for the 2013 ISF Junior World Championship from the ASA Program .
Only those age eligible players who compete on ASA Registered teams and participate in ASA Championship Play and/or at the upcoming ASA Gold Nationals will be evaluated and eligible. In effect, the ASA Gold Nationals and ASA Championship Play will be the selection camp for the USA Softball Jr. Women’s National Team which will compete in Brampton, Ontario Canada in July, 2013.
Players whose teams compete in other Softball Associations will only be eligible if they have competed at the ASA Gold Nationals or in ASA Championship Play.
Reminded that there are very good players whose teams compete at ASA 18U and 16U, Isham said exceptions are possible for outstanding players from the other two ASA Divisions.
A sizeable number of top teams, including former Gold champions – the Firecrackers, Batbusters, So Cal Athletics, Team North Florida – no longer compete in ASA Gold but will play this year at Premiere, Thus, some of the nation’s best players will not be eligible for the 2013 ISF Junior World Championship team. Isham said no exceptions will be made for players whose teams only compete in other Softball Associations.

Politics. Pure and Simple. It gets these teams back into ASA if they wish to be eligible.

I guess the gauntlet has been thrown down.....should be interesting to see how this shakes out!

I don't keep up with Premier, but I know the politics.
I can't figure out, why the national team would care if a girl had played summer ball or not.
Premier places a lot of girls in top college programs.

There's no point in USA softball anymore, since there is no more Olympic softball. I just see this as a boost for NPF play, and another nail in the coffin for Team USA.

-W

This is nothing but a strong-arm bully tactic bluff by the ASA. I'm wondering if they are trying to save face with the NPF players telling them they would not play for them this year. Will it work?? Nope.. Here's why. All/Most of the VERY top recruits have been identified by the college coaches already. These coaches know what a player can/will bring to their program. Showcasing their talent against top competition is the goal of the teams and players. The players don't need the Jr. National Team to be noticed. Is it an honor? Yes! Is it necessary? No.

Because of the ASA dragging their heels and not listening to the people paying the freight, PGF was launched. What PGF has is a small group of dedicated, smart and well known people in the softball world. They moved fast and delivered what they promised while the ASA sat on their hands. The best teams in the nation are heading to PGF and because of that so are the coaches. In the end USA Softball stands the chance of being embarrassed if the National Team does not do well because they excluded some the best players in the country.

And of course... It wouldn't be the USA if someone didn't file a lawsuit over the policy.

Let me see. ASA = NGB = National Team

I don't see an issue. Can you show any other sport in this or any other country where to be considered for the National Team that the athlete doesn't have to take part in that sanctioning body's program?

Seems to me the PGF openly opposes allowing the best age-eligible players take part in their program. And that is okay, they have specific priorities different from that of ASA.

Unfortunately, at this time, it appears that the priority of ASA is for the best players in the world to ONLY be associated with them, not another association. Seems like the most important thing would be to get the best players in the world onto the National team, regardless who they are.