ASA followed suit a few months later and is still barring college players from Gold for the 6th year. ASA should allow college players back in Gold rather than pervert their amateur JO sport.
Another stated factor in the rationale for excluding college players was saving coaches from the dilemma of being loyal to the players that had been there all year for them vs displacing them with college players for the last 1-2 months. However, it still happens as both ASA and PGF teams pick up hired guns to help them compete in their national - the only difference is they're not college players. There are a number of players that play in both nationals - once with their regular team and also with another team as a pick-up player.
Personally, I don't care if either one allows college players. ASA is the one most likely to do it from a purist standpoint and it would have been a better way to differentiate themselves from PGF. As far as exposure goes, college players would have little impact because the overwhelming majority of playing time in bracket games is players that are already committed. Definitely true for PGF. YMMV with ASA 18G.Everyone should allow college players as long as they are age eligible. That has always been my opinion. The only people who seem to have a problem with college players being included are those who are chasing the carrot and the perception that that player being there is going to keep Lil' Susie from a chance to be "seen".
Top teams at that level contend largely by having the best players, so some will use whatever is available to them and that puts pressure on the others to do likewise to keep up (e.g. arms race). My point is that rationale on college players is not applied consistently across the board with non-college players. A slew of player wanted posts pop up after local qualifiers from teams with berths looking for an impact pitcher, big bat and/or speedy slapper from teams that didn't qualify.So, this seems to be more of an issue of the coach with the "win at all costs" attitude that displaces his/her loyal players who have been on the roster? "Pick up" players were never meant to be a booster to a team, but to help qualified teams to be able to compete and not have to withdraw due to player unavailability.