Tournament formats - Everyone gets a ring

[CloudofDust]

Over the last few years, it seems the focus of tournament play has shifted from 4-pool, single-elimination in 1 or 2 brackets, to 2-pool, double-elimination with 3 brackets being the standard. In the "old" days, fields were 30-40+ teams with only the true champions and runner's up in the top bracket receiving individual awards. The winner of the 2nd level bracket would get a team trophy.

Now I'm seeing 12-team tournaments break into 3 brackets, with the 4 best records going to the top bracket, next 4 to the middle bracket and teams that couldn't win a pool game going to the lowest bracket. The winner and runner's up of each bracket get "Champions" and "Finalists" banners and rings. That's HALF of the teams getting rings...and they're not even the best half. I also saw a 7-team tournament break into 2 brackets, with 4 teams gets rings and banners. A team can go 2-3 and win a bracket. Then the proud parents take to social media proclaiming little DD's team went out and "won the championship!!" Wait!!! What are we doing here? This is essentially a participation trophy. I thought society have moved on from that?? I don't mind it so much for 8U and maybe 10U, but I'm seeing this in 12U-16U too.

What's sad is that most of these teams are just awful. The players aren't getting any better but they have this false confidence that they are because the "won" their tournament. I don't get it.

This is bad for softball and bad for youth sports in general.

 

[Nuwin]

What do you plan to do about it?

 

[CoachCeetar]

turns out none of it means anything! It's just some softball games.

 

[peter.kottke]

It mostly bothers folks who want their trophy to “mean” more so get upset that other teams who aren’t “good” won one. Multiple brackets lets more teams get more games and makes for fewer horribly mismatched bracket games. The better teams still have to beat the better teams to win the top bracket. There are plenty of good teams out there you just have to play in the same tournaments they are in.


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[Lobster Birch]

Yeah, it’s terrible more girls get to play more games.

 

[lostcreek1]

I think the reason this is happening in my area. Is that teams won’t and tournament directors won’t make them register in the class they should be in. There are literally no teams registered in A class only a few registered in B class and everyone else registered in C class. Which means there is a great disparity in C class. If teams were actually registered as to their talent levels there would be a lot less need to for multiple brackets.

 

[chinamigarden]

I find the people who complain about kids getting participation awards are often the same people posting pictures on Facebook of their 5k medal they “won” for merely paying the entrance fee and running in the race.

As for winning the silver or bronze bracket and then posting about it. So what. If your DD wins the Gold bracket, should you not post about it because it’s not a national tourney? Or if you win a 18u National should you not post because it’s not the WCWS?

There will always be someone better or a team that is better. Someone less then the best can still take enjoyment of their successes.

 

[cnardone]

I like multiple brackets. No one need a 1-16 seed game on Sunday. Well maybe the number 4 pitcher on the 1 seeds gets 3 innings before the game ends in a run rule.

 

[Bonesaw]

A few years ago my dd team lost their 2 pool games both by run rule. Then they played 1 bracket game, won and were the champions. I thought it was strange. I think having coaches sit on buckets on the field while on defense is strange too.

 

[_MIA_]

Not a fan but mainly because it sometimes causes coaches to prioritize winning in pool a bit more (in particular at the younger ages) if they want to be in the top tier bracket.

Sparkler power pool basically did it this year for 14’s because of rain