What's your philosophy for choosing tournaments (12U)?

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May 19, 2016
55
8
DD's first-year 12U B-level travel team, in WNY area, is currently assembling its 2018 tournament schedule. For anyone willing to share, I would be interested in knowing the thought process you use for determining which level tournaments to participate in.

Specifically, do you prefer to play only in tournaments that closely match the talent level of your team taken as a whole? Or would you also consider sprinkling in some tournaments where there is a good chance your team will be mercied, and at least half of your roster would be overmatched, but the remainder would have a good chance at individual success in the games?

In my estimation there are four or five girls on my DD's team that could play on the best A level clubs in our area, because of their pitching or hitting skills. And of those four or five, perhaps two or three are skilled enough to play first-year 14U in our immediate area. I'm also aware that first-year 12U is a challenge in itself for most girls, so maybe "playing up" in a tournament or two is overdoing it?

Thanks!
 
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
We're first year 12U, registered 11U open with USSSA and 12U B with USA/ASA. We played 4 tournaments this fall. Two were A, two were open - one of these was more B level, one a mix. We plan for spring to be about a 2:1 ratio, 2 true A level where the 05 teams will stomp us to 1 solid open where we have a shot. DH is the HC and he sees first year 12U as a growth & development year. So we play the better teams where we get beaten soundly ftmp, and play just enough teams closer to our level that the girls can see it's not that they suck, they're just the babies this year. When DD strikes out against a really strong 05 pitcher I just say, "That's all you next year if you keep working!"

ETA: our fall record is 5-13 so this plan only works if you're OK with losing. lol
 
Feb 4, 2015
641
28
Massachusetts
Ideally, you want a team of similarly skilled players. There will always be a top and bottom, but you don't want a huge disparity for the very reasons you're describing. However, you have what you have for this season, so having a mix of tourneys as you mentioned is probably the best approach.

If this were a true 12UB 1st year team, I'd recommend strong B tourneys in the first 1/3, a mix of A/B in the second 1/3, and then maybe even a 14B toward the end of the season.

If you're winning more than 75% of your games or beating up on too many teams, you need to get into more competitive events as a rule of thumb.
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
I have always been a big fan of testing your team by playing better competition. No one wants to get stomped into a mudhole every weekend, but occasionally it is good to expose your weaknesses so you, your players, and your players parents, know what they need to work on to get to the next level.
 
Jun 11, 2013
2,619
113
I suggest trying a few different ones. As long as it's not a safety issue you can find out more from losing than winning early on. We had some players on our team a couple of years ago who thought they were playing at the highest level until we played some tournaments and they realized they needed to work on their games.
 
May 19, 2016
55
8
So we play the better teams where we get beaten soundly ftmp, and play just enough teams closer to our level that the girls can see it's not that they suck, they're just the babies this year. When DD strikes out against a really strong 05 pitcher I just say, "That's all you next year if you keep working!"

ETA: our fall record is 5-13 so this plan only works if you're OK with losing. lol

Appreciate very much the responses so far, which have meshed with my own line of thinking.

I'd be OK with a record like that, assuming, as you said, that those wins came against teams that were close in talent to ours, and not well below it. Our HC has cautioned both the girls and parents several times that the success we had last year will be very tough to duplicate in first year 12U, based on the history of the teams in our organization, and that they should be prepared to take their lumps.
 
May 19, 2016
55
8
If you're winning more than 75% of your games or beating up on too many teams, you need to get into more competitive events as a rule of thumb.

Definitely. My DD's team won 85% of its games last year, though a good chunk of those wins came during organizational league play against rec all-star type teams. This level of competition wasn't purposefully sought out, it was just the teams that were willing and able to play in this organization's league. Our losses came in tournament play and play days. The team did its due diligence to try to enter tournaments that best matched the team's talent level, but it didn't always work out as hoped.

Of the six or seven tournaments we'll play in, I'd like to see a couple of them be solid A level.
 
May 19, 2016
55
8
I have always been a big fan of testing your team by playing better competition. No one wants to get stomped into a mudhole every weekend, but occasionally it is good to expose your weaknesses so you, your players, and your players parents, know what they need to work on to get to the next level.

As long as it's not a safety issue you can find out more from losing than winning early on. We had some players on our team a couple of years ago who thought they were playing at the highest level until we played some tournaments and they realized they needed to work on their games.

That's my thinking here. I'd like to see our more advanced players get an opportunity to play a guaranteed (as much as it can be) dose of A level competition as a measuring stick. But I understand the counterargument that it may not be worth it if the other 60% of the team will likely struggle individually during the tournaments.

If all the parents were onboard with playing "over our heads" for a couple tournaments then I can see it working without sowing discord.
 

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