The talent in your rec league: What's possible

[Jquick823]

USSSA in the VA, MD, DE, PA, NJ area is probably like most and varies based on many factors.

Last season we were a "C" team because we had 1 pitcher that could win a game but when she pitched we competed with most "B" and the occasional "A" team.

This season we were a "B" team because we had 2 pitchers that could win a game and rarely were we ever out of a game unless it was against what i would consider a true "A" team.

"C" in USSSA is realy just for teaching, however most C teams play 10-12 tournaments but lack the pitching and catching positions to be "B" or "OPEN". "B" teams in my area usually pitch/catch well but lack the offense past the 5 hole to move to "A". "A" has the pitcher at 12U throwing mid 50's with movement and offense/speed/defense/athletes everywhere. I would disagree with JJsqueeze on the progression through WS classification due to luck of the draw. USSSA WS this year we pulled 2 top "A" teams and the top "B" team from our region in pool play. Then pulled 2 more "A" and 1 "B" after that. Needless to say we didn't do well in pool play and we weren't an "A" team. 1-1 vs B and 0-4 vs A. That is a "B" team. IF there was a seperate "B" only bracket at our WS then yes i would agree that those who go home early are "C" level.

 

[JJsqueeze]

In N.C., you will have A teams playing USSSA, but they'll often play up in age division, or they'll be pretty dominant.

How does the USSSA World Series compare to the NSA World Series? The fields in NSA in N.C. are usually a little stronger than USSSA.

Not sure what TCS is?

TCS is Triple Crown Sports, they put on a lot of tournaments out here in the West. I don't think many of the top teams play USSSA out here. Since there is no qualification needed and it is local, it is the choice du jour for local teams that want a world series experience without the travel expense. Good teams play in it, but the reality is that so many of the teams are just not that good that if you get bounced early it is a pretty good indicator that you are not a very good team. Same goes for TCS. I am sure there is the occasional bad luck story, but really if you can't survive a couple of rounds against the teams I saw bounced early in TCS Reno, some of which I am very familiar with, then you just aren't very competitive. East coast may be a whole different world, but since PGF is local out here, it siphons off the top teams and TCS and USSSA are left with a few good teams, a sea of mediocrity and an ocean of developmental teams.

 

[Jquick823]

Where i'm at JJsqueze USSSA is king and that's where the competition is for the most part. Exceptions to every rule. PONY is also pretty big and decent teams there. ASA/PGF/WFC/TCS or any of the others are trying to break in and get their pay day but so far they aren't doing well.

 

[JJsqueeze]

I don't doubt it Jquick- I don't see any teams from the area you mentioned so I am sure they just haven't gotten a foothold yet. I wouldn't be surprised if they do though, I know they have attracted some top teams from east of the Mississippi somehow but they are still few and far between. It is such a long haul out here that I don't see why anyone would do it. They will probably need to set up an East Coast Championship at some point if they really want to have a go. Then having the East and West coast champions play somewhere in the Midwest would be awesome.

Anyone out west- please feel free to correct my understanding of the competition level at these various tourneys, I am only a year into TB so I could be way off, these are just my observations from the teams I know, the tourneys they enter and the results I see.