Men's Fastpitch world championship: warning, getting on my soap box!!

[Hillhouse]

Yesterday, Canada defeated New Zealand in the final of the ISF men's world championship. And yet, unless you really know where to look for info on men's FP you won't find much of anything. This disgusts me. FP softball was basically founded and popularized by men and the women's game didn't popularize until a lot later. Most people can only think of USA women as one of the top in the world. But it wasn't that long ago that they lagged behind other countries. Men's fastpitch put ASA on the map, and was THE GAME in many small towns (and big cities) in the USA. While men's FP has declined and is almost on lifesupport in the USA, the disparity of news, info, support from the associations, etc. is non-existent. Why? Because the lack of the game these days in towns and cities means ASA registration is down. Without the money, ASA won't promote. But isn't this a catch 22? If the men got 1/10th of the resources of the women, maybe a game on ESPN during all the women's stuff, maybe the game could get off life support. Maybe. But, take the Olympics for example. The ISF, governing body of the softball game worldwide didn't push for men's FP to go with the women's game in the Olympics. No. They aligned with baseball. A game who will not send the MLB players, has steroid issues, and refuses to stop the MLB season for Olympics the way NHL does. Isn't the ISF supposed to support softball, BOTH Genders? Do they? Hell no. How is that fair? If the roles were reversed and the men got all the resources... womens groups would be going nuts if the ISF only supported the men... and they would be right to do that!!! The ISF is the world body for softball, not just women's. While I'm glad the odds are in softball's favor to return to Olympics, thanks to Japan wanting it badly... I can't help but wonder why they don't work to help the men. Instead, you have to dig hard to find news about men's FP. And yet, SOOOOOOO many people take their DD's to former men's pitchers for lessons.

A lot of people ask why I do not coach or why I'm not in the coaching pool for Team USA. The answer is 2 reasons: #1. Mike White is there, and he's forgot more about pitching than anyone on this board will EVER know. And #2. I'm way too outspoken. ASA and ISF are not big fans of mine because I am an outspoken critic. They prefer "yes men", which I am not. On top of that, there are great coaches in the USA pool so maybe I am not needed. (Of course I haven't applied for entry either, which would help!! LOL).

I am not saying the women don't deserve what they get. They are great... have a great "feeder system" for their program, and have success to warrant all their accolades. But, the ISF and others have turned their backs on the other gender. And that simply sucks and isn't fair.

For those interested, the USA men won the "consolation bracket", I think I read they finally ended in 9th place. They didn't qualify for the playoff round.
That is a much lower finish then they hoped, obviously. But, where are the ASA reports? Go to USA softball's site.. 6 of 8 headlines are about girls/women.

I just don't understand why the governing bodies cannot support the entire game, not just 1/2.

Off my soapbox.

Bill

 

[JJsqueeze]

Over the years- I have tried to find men's games to watch, rec type teams to join, footage of you pitching in games. Every time I gave up after an hour or so of trying to navigate the ASA site to find info, searching the web etc. they make it really hard for someone to turn curiosity into participation or support. It just seems like they are resigned to seeing the men's side die.

The thing that I don't understand is why slow pitch is so much more popular. I kind of think if that were not an option then those players would opt to play FP and it would boost the popularity. I just can't understand how a game that is all offense is fun to play or watch.

 

[grcsftbll]

I suppose maybe men's softball will get more recognition as they start allowing women to play pro baseball. There's a lot of gender inequality in sports IMO. I don't really get why a game like baseball can't be coed on a higher level. My 11 year old daughter plays baseball. She's the only girl on her team now though the first team she played on she was 1 of 3. One of the other girls was BY FAR the strongest player on the team, stronger than any of the boys. Anyway.

 

[JJsqueeze]

I suppose maybe men's softball will get more recognition as they start allowing women to play pro baseball. There's a lot of gender inequality in sports IMO. I don't really get why a game like baseball can't be coed on a higher level. My 11 year old daughter plays baseball. She's the only girl on her team now though the first team she played on she was 1 of 3. One of the other girls was BY FAR the strongest player on the team, stronger than any of the boys. Anyway.

I am going to say this as gentle as I possibly can....WTF are you talking about? There is no WAY women could compete with MLB players. There is a reason there is a WNBA and an NBA. And how the hell would this help men's fastpitch?

 

[grcsftbll]

It was a digression. I do that.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk

 

[JJsqueeze]

I was just busting your chops. Without digressions thread would die quickly.

 

[bucket pinata]

I love Fast pitch, I would rather watch fast pitch at almost any level, Then watch a baseball game. I have two DDs that play and hopefully will be playing fast pitch in college and if not it was still worth the journey. All that being said If I had a son he would be playing Baseball and without my DDs Fast pitch would not even be on my Radar. I think Bill you are up against Human nature and trying to make a logical argument on how things should be against those laws will ultimately result in bad for your health type frustration. I would want my son to be able to play with his friends, Little league ,High school Ball, and have major league dreams, pretty sure I'm not in the minority on That. But that is not MY reality so I have fallen in love with fast pitch instead as so many other young Hopefuls with our own set of Dreams and we will be forever grateful to the out of the box mens Fastpitch Players that have done so much and continue to do so sharing all that they have learned during there time enjoying the game. I hope one day that will be good enough because If you look at all young ladies that the mens style techniques have helped it ought to be, women don't have to compete with Baseball and the men Do,and whether its fair or not that one very high Hurdle.

PS: Hope this one gets me another softball

 

[Softball scholar]

Im 45 and have never seen a mens fastpitch game. I hear that there's a league here or there, but it just barely existant. I've heard some of the older pitching coaches talk about how good the leagues used to be. I wish I had a chance to give it a try, but wouldnt have a clue where to get started.

By the way with the batting practice I throw to the team and my DD and what I've learned from DD pitching lessons, I think I'm developed my speed to be over 40 MPH and I can get the ball over the plate 2/3 of the time. It sounds pretty meek, but if there's ever a fastpitch bucket dad league, Im the man. Can any of you bucket dads do better?

 

[cuzmail]

Can any of you bucket dads do better?

Not this bucket Dad !

 

[JohnnyO]

I too wish men's fastpitch was still thriving. I played about 14 years. Our town of 12,000 used to have 3 mens teams, now zero. We didn't play ISC or AA ball like Bill but we played class A and played a few AA teams along the way like Happy Chef out of Minnesota. What cost us like any other team is the pitching, we never had the kids that would do the work to develop and when the old guys retired the team was done. I played with a Hall of Fame pitcher and have never in my life played with such a good athlete. he played into his mid sixties. I also kept all our stats, and I remember one year he never struck out once in over 200+ at bats. We lived softball playing atleast four days a week, 75+ games a summer, and remember Minnesota has a two week summer

So we must keep pushing our girls game to bring up these new pitchers. For with out them we will go just like us boys have... into coaching. Keep your soap box out there Bill we need you to keep pushing.