USSSA Team Classifications

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Jul 14, 2018
982
93
There's always discussion on here about how teams classify themselves, in terms of A/B/C level. USSSA of Eatern Pennsylvania and New Jersey just took a bold step to manage how teams are classified. They instituted a rule, by my understanding, that any team that returns more than six second-year players has to play at the A level.

This has resulted in a big shuffle of teams and rankings during this off-season. Whereas a month ago there were about 10 teams listed as A level and nearly 70 at the B level in New Jersey, there are now 49 at B level and 35 at the A level (those numbers are a little fuzzy, there's no way to look back at who was where before the switch).

Anyone see this happening in USSSA in other parts of the country? Opinions on the matter? I heard an explanation of the rule change third-hand, so anyone with more details should feel free to correct the rule as I've stated it.
 
Apr 25, 2019
285
63
In Louisiana, they made some changes last year that forced teams to get bumped up and down in terms of their classification. Teams that listed themselves as B class and dominating were being bumped up accordingly. So far there has not been much sandbagging so it seems to be working. I like the idea of what they are trying in PA but there are still tons of teams with mixed first year and second year players that are NOT A class. Maybe a combination of the two. Allow teams with more than 6 second year players to list themselves at the beginning of the season as a minimum of B class but bump them up to A class if they have an in-class record of say 70-75% in bracket.
 
Feb 26, 2018
328
28
I'm not sure I'm in 100% agreement with their logic. Just because an 11U Open team returns with at least 6 of their players they have to play 12UA the next year? What if they just weren't very good? Now you're forcing them to play in the A division? I think a lot more consideration needs to go into that determination than just how many players are returning. I get there are teams that go trophy hunting and play down, but around here that gets fixed by our state's USSSA director and reclassifies them.
 
Dec 26, 2017
487
63
Oklahoma
I would LOVE some kind of oversight in Oklahoma about classifications. I only know of one forced reclassification and it was only done after someone badgered the state director and it was done after the team had played their last tournament but before they actually moved up from 10u so it was just lip service (because they just went 11O to get around it).

Baseball here is different. It isn't perfect but the state director for baseball has some method by which they regularly move teams between AA, AAA, and Majors. It's not a perfect solution but the teams who intentionally play down, have to scrap their team name and make a new one, get new uniforms, etc. There are some coaches willing to put that effort in, but it keeps the majority of people in the right divisions.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
There's always discussion on here about how teams classify themselves, in terms of A/B/C level. USSSA of Eatern Pennsylvania and New Jersey just took a bold step to manage how teams are classified. They instituted a rule, by my understanding, that any team that returns more than six second-year players has to play at the A level.
That is dumb..reclassification should be performance based. Something like if you won more than X % of your games in the previous season against teams that were classified the same as you then you need to move up a classification if possible. If for whatever reason in the new season you lay an egg at the beginning of the year then perhaps you can ask to be reclassified as well if your play improves dramatically the governing body can reserve the right to move you up (which as @OsDad mentioned is possible here in OK in USSSA but rarely if ever happens in softball).
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
There's always discussion on here about how teams classify themselves, in terms of A/B/C level. USSSA of Eatern Pennsylvania and New Jersey just took a bold step to manage how teams are classified. They instituted a rule, by my understanding, that any team that returns more than six second-year players has to play at the A level.

This has resulted in a big shuffle of teams and rankings during this off-season. Whereas a month ago there were about 10 teams listed as A level and nearly 70 at the B level in New Jersey, there are now 49 at B level and 35 at the A level (those numbers are a little fuzzy, there's no way to look back at who was where before the switch).

Anyone see this happening in USSSA in other parts of the country? Opinions on the matter? I heard an explanation of the rule change third-hand, so anyone with more details should feel free to correct the rule as I've stated it.

Sounds stupid. I am sure some coach has already just created a 'new' team under a new team name and a different manager's name and just put his old team's roster on it. Zero returners - B team... that was easy.

Our USSSA directors will just move teams as appropriate. If you win a couple of 'B' tourneys, you will be an 'A' team and not allowed in a B bracket the following tournament. It isn't hard - it is not like there is a lot of surprises out there. Any reasonable director knows who the good, bad and average teams are.
 
Dec 26, 2017
487
63
Oklahoma
Our USSSA directors will just move teams as appropriate. If you win a couple of 'B' tourneys, you will be an 'A' team and not allowed in a B bracket the following tournament. It isn't hard - it is not like there is a lot of surprises out there. Any reasonable director knows who the good, bad and average teams are.

Send them down here please.




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Apr 28, 2014
2,316
113
I love it!
For years "A" level teams in PA and NJ would register as "B" and smack everyone around.
A lot of trophy hunters in this neck of the woods. What that left was a small list of 10-15 "A" teams who would play each other every weekend. Most figured it out and decided to play USA or PGF
 

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