Little League Softball World Series on ESPN

[Bernmoll]

Texas must be the one of the few states that proclaims a no select ball policy for pitching - the Rowan North Carolina team has had a team in the finals the last few years and I recall reading an article that their little league works with the travel teams in the area to make it work for the girls. I find it very difficult to cobble up a competitive team with just a set of kids who only play recreationally. I’m in Florida and virtually all the ‘best’ players both in baseball and softball play in travel/select ball too.

 

[Orange Socks]

Texas must be the one of the few states that proclaims a no select ball policy for pitching - the Rowan North Carolina team has had a team in the finals the last few years and I recall reading an article that their little league works with the travel teams in the area to make it work for the girls. I find it very difficult to cobble up a competitive team with just a set of kids who only play recreationally. I’m in Florida and virtually all the ‘best’ players both in baseball and softball play in travel/select ball too.

A couple of years ago, I noticed the Tx players didn't even hide the fact that they played on TB teams. I saw Bombers and Blaze helmets on those kids, possibly others.

 

[_MIA_]

A couple of years ago, I noticed the Tx players didn't even hide the fact that they played on TB teams. I saw Bombers and Blaze helmets on those kids, possibly others.

Looks like the TX West team this year is basically the Buzz Elite 08 team (which is decent) and TX East team is the Lady Knockouts (?).

 

[clemenslee1]

I saw a few of the Regional games today. A few of the pitchers look ok (Georgia,South Carolina). Fielding is blah and hitting even more blah..Oklahoma put together a team of TB players who never played LL ( ) and will play their regionals starting Monday. They have 3 or 4 players who Marcela plays against regularly who are pretty good: catcher/lefty hitter, pitcher/MI who can hit and throws decent (she plays up on an 07 team), catcher/1b who can hit and 3B/OF who is a pretty good hitter. Don't know much about the other kids but a few of the others play for a pretty good Tulsa Elite team. That said that team wouldn't do much in a decent/good PGF tournament. To put it into context for you, maybe on par with TG 2526 (but would probably lose because Abby is better than anything they have in the circle).

I know one of those players is from here locally. I think she is a catcher. She on team Oklahoma thats going. They are playing the south west regional in Waco tx I believe

 

[_MIA_]

I know one of those players is from here locally. I think she is a catcher. She on team Oklahoma thats going. They are playing the south west regional in Waco tx I believe

Right, they play tomorrow. Is the kid Juliana Hutchens ?

 

[clemenslee1]

Right, they play tomorrow. Is the kid Juliana Hutchens ?

Yes her dad was the coach HS Baseball coach here in Muskogee. I think he had several Days TB teams.

 

[_MIA_]

Yes her dad was the coach HS Baseball coach here in Muskogee. I think, he had several Days TB teams.

She can swing it

 

[clemenslee1]

She can swing it

Yep

 

[Traps71]

Texas must be the one of the few states that proclaims a no select ball policy for pitching - the Rowan North Carolina team has had a team in the finals the last few years and I recall reading an article that their little league works with the travel teams in the area to make it work for the girls. I find it very difficult to cobble up a competitive team with just a set of kids who only play recreationally. I’m in Florida and virtually all the ‘best’ players both in baseball and softball play in travel/select ball too.

McLean LL--VA District 4--is consistently competitive at the State and, often, the SE Regional level by taking a similar approach. There is a travel organization that is loosely affiliated with the LL and ensures that the girls can play both travel and LL, especially during the spring season. In the spring, LL games get priority over travel games. My DD had to once leave a tournament on a Sunday in tears to make sure she was there for a make up LL game that evening. It was hard, but we went. Girls who play for other local travel organizations have to attend at least 60% of LL games (roughly a 15-17 game season plus single elimination playoffs). Having lived through it, it's a huge commitment. My older DD was playing or practicing softball sometimes 7 days a week. From what I've seen against the better teams at the State tournament and at SE Regionals, you will not be competitive if you don't have at least a core of girls that play travel.

 

[_MIA_]

McLean LL--VA District 4--is consistently competitive at the State and, often, the SE Regional level by taking a similar approach. There is a travel organization that is loosely affiliated with the LL and ensures that the girls can play both travel and LL, especially during the spring season. In the spring, LL games get priority over travel games. My DD had to once leave a tournament on a Sunday in tears to make sure she was there for a make up LL game that evening. It was hard, but we went. Girls who play for other local travel organizations have to attend at least 60% of LL games (roughly a 15-17 game season plus single elimination playoffs). Having lived through it, it's a huge commitment. My older DD was playing or practicing softball sometimes 7 days a week. From what I've seen against the better teams at the State tournament and at SE Regionals, you will not be competitive if you don't have at least a core of girls that play travel.

I don't think the kids from OK played a minute of LL until the States, if they even played that (I cannot see any results for it just a picture of them with a banner)...