What possess's an A team to enter a B tournament?
- Thread starter Country Boy
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In our area, all teams that are entered into a tournament enter as equals. My GDD played in a NSA tournament this week end. Once you lost two games, you were not out of the tournament but moved down to the B bracket, just like starting a new tournament. I am not sure at what point in the tournament you stayed in the A bracket. I like this idea as your play determines what bracket you are instead of sandbagging, saying you are a B team when you are really an A team. Plus, teams get more experience playing more games, have less pressure, more fun and still have a chance to win that trophy. Oh, there were 12 teams in the 12u grouping. The teams get their moneys worth.
In AAU tournaments it works a little different. AAU uses pool play to determine your classification. Sometimes it is two games, sometimes three. Most of the time it is broken down to A class and B class. But if the tournament is big enough, they will break it down to AA, A, B and BB classes. Again, no sandbagging.
I hope I have explained it well enough as a lot of it is Greek to me.
In AAU tournaments it works a little different. AAU uses pool play to determine your classification. Sometimes it is two games, sometimes three. Most of the time it is broken down to A class and B class. But if the tournament is big enough, they will break it down to AA, A, B and BB classes. Again, no sandbagging.
I hope I have explained it well enough as a lot of it is Greek to me.
- Jan 25, 2011
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well,twice this year,in tournaments I have seen the host team,start in a easy pool.They set it up that they get weaker teams to play.Then they had their start times later in the day and the teams that traveled longer, had the 8am starts this was at 12u.I quess if you want to win your own tournament thats how you do it.They should make it a invatational and bring in the teams they know they can beat.
- Feb 3, 2011
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Another point to consider, especially for a first year 12u or 14u program, is that they could very well be getting beat up pretty badly in competition against second-year teams in A tournaments. Depending on the team dynamic, it can be difficult to keep the PARENTS happy unless the team is winning some games here and there, and that could potentially prevent a coach from being able to keep a roster together for a second year.
For that reason, an ASA team will occasionally enter an NSA, IFA, or similar event solely for the purpose of getting some wins and maybe a trophy or two.
For that reason, an ASA team will occasionally enter an NSA, IFA, or similar event solely for the purpose of getting some wins and maybe a trophy or two.
- Jan 31, 2011
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SANDBAGGERS...Its one issue that really irritates me.
- Jun 8, 2011
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In our USSSA 12U 'B' States last weekend there was 1 'A' team, but they were a 10U team who had signed up for 10U 'A' States that got canceled because only 2 teams signed up...so they were allowed to enter the 12U 'B' States. It was double elim and they lost game 1 and game 2...so no big deal to us.
- Jun 8, 2011
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oops...deleted post
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ASA is the only sanctioning body that specifically addresses the classification. You see this a lot in the midwest and southeast but the reality is you still play your best and if there is one A team in there then beat all the others and come in second. The dishonor in this scenario is for the A team and their coaches not the teams that belong in the group.
I guess I'm going to have to ask a couple of stupid questions.
1) What is trophy hunting?
2) Aren't B teams, picking tournaments that they believe they have a chance to win, also trophy hunting?
3) When you win a B tourney, doesn't that prove that you should be playing A?
I guess I don't understand being upset about playing teams better than you. That's how you get better. If you always play inferior teams, you will always be an inferior team. Avoiding teams better than you is, by definition, trophy hunting. I'm not sure how anybody can get upset about a good team showing up for a tournament because they are too good. I guess because they are liable to win the trophy instead of a clearly inferior team. If they are in the same age group, what's the big deal? Seems like a silly arguement.
At the same time, I don't believe A teams should be looking for B tournaments to beat up on the competition, but if they do, you have a chance to see what you need to do to move up to their level.
1) What is trophy hunting?
2) Aren't B teams, picking tournaments that they believe they have a chance to win, also trophy hunting?
3) When you win a B tourney, doesn't that prove that you should be playing A?
I guess I don't understand being upset about playing teams better than you. That's how you get better. If you always play inferior teams, you will always be an inferior team. Avoiding teams better than you is, by definition, trophy hunting. I'm not sure how anybody can get upset about a good team showing up for a tournament because they are too good. I guess because they are liable to win the trophy instead of a clearly inferior team. If they are in the same age group, what's the big deal? Seems like a silly arguement.
At the same time, I don't believe A teams should be looking for B tournaments to beat up on the competition, but if they do, you have a chance to see what you need to do to move up to their level.
USSSA is an interesting assoc. Another thing to consider is that your State Director has purposely left the team as a "B" team. Are they playing in any National tournament that maybe the SD is hoping they represent the area strongly. Rather than send the team as an "A" team that gets smoked, they send them as a "B" team. Just a thought.
