Pitching speeds at LL World Series.....

Vertigo · Aug 21, 2013

Well, if it means anything, ALL of our All-Star girls for our LL play on a TB team; however, our TB team only pulls from our LL - we don't hold open tryouts, or pull from other towns. During fall and spring, we do play in TB tourneys; and we also have winter workouts together. In order to make our TB team, the girls have to make our LL All-Star team, or receive a special invite (if you played on one of our rec teams). Come All-Star tourney time, we disband and then regroup in time for the fall TB season for the next age level. These girls really seem to gel together, having played together in the same league for several years; therefore they tend to stick with the team. Yes, we've had a couple here and there leave for true TB teams that hold open tryouts and pull from all over, but then we find them playing for a new team almost every year. All our girls live within the boundary, and they all play the required amount of games on a rec team for our LL. There is a signed affidavit from the LL stating that all of the girls on the All-Star team meet all of the rec play-time and boundary requirements; birth certs and place of residence are checked at the district meeting prior to the tourneys starting.

Many of the LL's in this area have a similar set up - it's probably more typical than a rare occurrence; and it doesn't go against the LL rules in any way, shape or form.

JJsqueeze · Aug 21, 2013

Vertigo said:
There is a signed affidavit from the LL stating that all of the girls on the All-Star team meet all of the rec play-time and boundary requirements; birth certs and place of residence are checked at the district meeting prior to the tourneys starting.

Many of the LL's in this area have a similar set up - it's probably more typical than a rare occurrence; and it doesn't go against the LL rules in any way, shape or form.

The fact that this is so well justified just screams that all of the rules are being pushed to the max and probably bent a little...so and so has an aunt that lives in the boundary...we'll use her address....maybe not...but it sure smells like it.

fpitch11 · Aug 21, 2013

Biscuit- you are still missing my point. First of all, LL has rules about pitching that would absolutely not allow a pitcher to dominate and win the LLWS. They might dominate in a few games, but cannot pitch every game. Therefore, it is unlikely that the BEST 12U pitcher in the country would win the LLWS. In some respects this is much better for development than your typical travel tournament when one pitcher pitches several games in a row. Also, again there are many of these teams that have girls that play travel ball to prepare. The difference though is that they are all from the same community, and regardless of what you infer there is no way around this. In travel ball you have a girl from Colorado playing on a Cali team, etc. Of course a LL team cannot do this or compete against this type of team. However the pitching rules and geographic restrictions are the great equalizers.
I am sorry you are embarrassed for your friends and others to have to "endure" this horrible spectacle on TV. Maybe if it is so easy to recruit and beat these teams you should take your area travel team and try again, if it is not beneath you. I can assure you that there is no greater thrill than winning the LLWS for any softball playing young girl, and that includes any other ABC "national championship". Does this put them on a par with a PGF or ASA national Champion skillwise? Of course not, but they are two totally different animals. But at 12U does it really matter if you miss one PGF or ASA season to pursue a fun goal with your friends? Of course not.

RubberBiscuit · Aug 22, 2013

fpitch11 said:
Biscuit- you are still missing my point. First of all, LL has rules about pitching that would absolutely not allow a pitcher to dominate and win the LLWS. They might dominate in a few games, but cannot pitch every game. Therefore, it is unlikely that the BEST 12U pitcher in the country would win the LLWS. In some respects this is much better for development than your typical travel tournament when one pitcher pitches several games in a row. Also, again there are many of these teams that have girls that play travel ball to prepare. The difference though is that they are all from the same community, and regardless of what you infer there is no way around this. In travel ball you have a girl from Colorado playing on a Cali team, etc. Of course a LL team cannot do this or compete against this type of team. However the pitching rules and geographic restrictions are the great equalizers.
I am sorry you are embarrassed for your friends and others to have to "endure" this horrible spectacle on TV. Maybe if it is so easy to recruit and beat these teams you should take your area travel team and try again, if it is not beneath you. I can assure you that there is no greater thrill than winning the LLWS for any softball playing young girl, and that includes any other ABC "national championship". Does this put them on a par with a PGF or ASA national Champion skillwise? Of course not, but they are two totally different animals. But at 12U does it really matter if you miss one PGF or ASA season to pursue a fun goal with your friends? Of course not.

Dude - you totally missed me telling the world here that DD & I DID do LL up through her two years at 12U. Both years we did go to regionals with my DD as one of the pitchers. We know very well that one pitcher can not carry a team. I know everything I think there is to know about LL at this level of discussion. I agree that LL IS a better development base for MORE players - I said that too. I know all about TB differences - no need to try and teach anything.

My gripe is that, like one other poster called out, there are too many true "rec-league" teams that get to LL Regionals to only get their butts handed to them by TB-dominated other states teams. Out of all the tournaments I have been to the most lopsided play was at these regional events where even this year a team went to regionals and got outscored 45-5 over 4 games. You think this team went there to get faced with this?

But would I do what you suggest, and bend some easily bent geographic residence restrictions to build a TB-LL team, "heck No", DD & I are not a trophy hunters.....

Trust me, if I wasn't soooooo longing for more softball on tv I would blow off this pageant called LL in a heartbeat. (BUT still support the local LL AS I HAVE with umping and coaching etc. BUT recommend to them NOT to do All-Stars.)

Vertigo · Aug 22, 2013

Who mentioned that boundary rules are, for a fact, bent? LL has no ruling against an All-Star team developing their own TB team. Our LL does not sponser our TB team in any way, shape or form. We just pull our girls from our own LL. All associated fees/cost come out of our own pockets. These girls all live within our LL boundaries or attend a school within the boundaries (ok per LL rules, too, btw). So what's the issue or infraction here?

JJsqueeze · Aug 22, 2013

Vertigo said:
Who mentioned that boundary rules are, for a fact, bent? LL has no ruling against an All-Star team developing their own TB team. Our LL does not sponser our TB team in any way, shape or form. We just pull our girls from our own LL. All associated fees/cost come out of our own pockets. These girls all live within our LL boundaries or attend a school within the boundaries (ok per LL rules, too, btw). So what's the issue or infraction here?

Honest question- do you have any girls that are on your team where you tried very hard to find to find
A way to justify her inclusion, or had to strategize a way to get her on the team? Even if when all is said and done there were no violations of any rules? If so- then this is what I am talking about. Or did you just say well take the girls that randomly sign up for the season, play every game and make a ll all star team from them as is?

PGSAKen · Aug 22, 2013

JJsqueeze said:
Honest question- do you have any girls that are on your team where you tried very hard to find to find
A way to justify her inclusion, or had to strategize a way to get her on the team? Even if when all is said and done there were no violations of any rules? If so- then this is what I am talking about. Or did you just say well take the girls that randomly sign up for the season, play every game and make a ll all star team from them as is?

The simple definition of recruiting would create a conflict of interest in this scenario.

Hey come play in our league this year so you can try out for all stars and LL WS.........This infers inclusion which always creates exclusion. Recruit Sally from the "area" (inclusion) and Susie whose always played in the league will be excluded from allstars.

JJsqueeze · Aug 22, 2013

My tax returns never violate any rules either...

Vertigo · Aug 22, 2013

How it works is any girl from our LL who tried out for and made our LL Allstar team gets an invite to play on our TB team. So those girls who make the TB team have to play in our LL. The LL does the player evals - we do not. The Allstar team is not always made up of the same exact players who play on the previous year's TB team (ie. if a better player relocated to the area during the winter and then played rec and went to evals, she obviously would bump someone for the Allstar team and then would receive an invite to the TB team for fall). TB participation does not equal automatic Allstar team member; however, it is typically most of those same girls who make the Allstar team because they also made it the year before. No rules stretched or bent here.

Rick Pauly · Aug 22, 2013

Just pulled up this thread so pardon me if this has already been covered.
I remember this same discussion about LL speeds about 6 years ago.......a young lady was hitting some 62 mph speeds....everyone thought the speeds were bogus. Well, I knew the young lady...having given her lots of lessons and knew the speeds were legit......this young lady is now off to Stanford University and has hit 72 mph in games. So it is possible. By the way, all three pitchers from that LL team signed scholarships with D-I programs. LL is a great place for kids to determine if they really want to be a ball player.

Pitching speeds at LL World Series.....

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

Vertigo

JJsqueeze

Dad, Husband....legend

fpitch11

RubberBiscuit

Vertigo

JJsqueeze

Dad, Husband....legend

PGSAKen

JJsqueeze

Dad, Husband....legend

Vertigo

Rick Pauly

Similar threads

Latest posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Share this page

Online statistics

Forum statistics