How are A or B teams decided?

[Eric F]

Happens every year in U-Trip. Although honestly, I don’t remember a team ever being made to move down, but some have asked and been approved.

Basically, nobody registers as A because it severely limits your tournament choices. With only 10 or so teams in A, you wind up playing all open tournaments anyway. There are certain teams/coaches who only register as A, but that’s more ego than a reflection of their talent level.


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I gather that U-trip is different in different regions. In the 7 years my DD has been playing TB in So Cal, her teams - no matter how mediocre - have only played A/Open events.

A quick search on the U-trip for So Cal - zero events for B or C. Everything is A/Open.

 

[Shiloh]

Happens every year in U-Trip. Although honestly, I don’t remember a team ever being made to move down, but some have asked and been approved.

Basically, nobody registers as A because it severely limits your tournament choices. With only 10 or so teams in A, you wind up playing all open tournaments anyway. There are certain teams/coaches who only register as A, but that’s more ego than a reflection of their talent level.


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Agree.

I've only heard of teams being moved up.

 

[Cougars]

Not sure how other states work, but USSSA in Illinois, teams can register as open, A, or B.

If you want to be C, you register as B and request C through email to director. In the past, I don't think many teams were denied C, if requested. I've heard that the rules were changed and it's harder to be moved to C this season, but I don't know if that's true.

 

[Vertigo]

When I managed a travel team, I had to register as B but put in a request to be reassigned to C as we were a brand new first-year 14U team in Utrip (mostly LL players making the jump to TB). We played in one C level tourney and realized that B was where we belonged. We just entered B level tourneys after that although we remained a C level team.

Dd then played on a 14U B team her second 14U season which was moved up to A by the regional director when they moved up to 16U. They had a great 14U season, so based on records and the tournaments they placed in, they were automatically moved up.

 

[HunterMO]

Not sure how other states work, but USSSA in Illinois, teams can register as open, A, or B.

If you want to be C, you register as B and request C through email to director. In the past, I don't think many teams were denied C, if requested. I've heard that the rules were changed and it's harder to be moved to C this season, but I don't know if that's true.

Same here for Missouri. Last year, we had to register DD's 12u team as a B then request being moved to a C. Otherwise, the only option was open, A, or B. The 12u team didn't stay together so I don't know if it's changed or become harder for MO.

Fall was DD's first time as part of a "B" level team. They are all first year 14u. Locally (within a couple hours drive), you don't see anything USSSA labeled as A. It's either B or Open. Sounds like the team will play both USSSA and PGF this year. So it will be interesting to see the differences.

I also tend to think A and B "definitions" change region to region. What is a B-team here likely isn't the same as a B-team in SoCal, Florida, Texas, etc.

 

[Strike2]

If you're a team that plays closer to home in an area with lots of USSSA, it makes sense to register as a "B" rather than "A" because of the broader number of tournaments you can enter. It's pretty easy to identify where a team really sits based on its record against teams at different levels.

 

[Bernmoll]

From what I’ve seen with USSSA, you can self select what level when you register.. we have A only, B only and Open tournaments as well. There are teams that win a lot of B tournaments and have seen the director push the team to A. I’ve seen it in baseball as well. When we traveled to South Carolina to play in a USA softball event, our B level team played against a team that classified themselves as C… yet their parents were all wearing shirts that said ‘USSSA state Fastpitch Champions’ or something to that effect. I can’t recall what state they were from. They were definitely not a C level team. All other teams we played were appropriately B level. But this one ‘C’ team - Their coach made some excuse about not getting a chance to change their level when they registered for the tournament.

 

[Lance Steckler]

the ones that are always interesting to see are the teams that obviously play a bunch of USSSA tourneys in their home area and win a bunch, with bunch of points and are "elite, platinum, tungsten carbide Hittin' Kittens" A level team.

And then they get to a USSSA national type event, play in A level and get BLASTED and sent home winless. What's the deal there???

 

[GunnerShotgun]

the ones that are always interesting to see are the teams that obviously play a bunch of USSSA tourneys in their home area and win a bunch, with bunch of points and are "elite, platinum, tungsten carbide Hittin' Kittens" A level team.

And then they get to a USSSA national type event, play in A level and get BLASTED and sent home winless. What's the deal there???

As a coach you set your schedule well in advance and you just never know how it's going to play out. You are trying to schedule for just over .500 winning percentage. Some tournaments you know are going to be tough and some will not be as challenging.

Most parents think it's about "trophy hunting" but I don't see a lot of that at the older ages. Winning isn't everything but it is something.

 

[cnardone]

USSSA (in the northeast, anyway) the team decides which level to register. They have a pretty good ranking system where teams are rated based on the strength of the teams they beat. I have seen a few teams with really high power ratings get pushed to the next level up when it was clear that they were playing below their level.


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We played a B level Tournament this past winter. The eventual winner had a a Saturday run differential of 49-3. Low and behold, they are registered for a local (to me) B Tourney. I would not be surprised to see a similar Saturday run differential. Hopefully they find competition or register for tourneys more commiserate with their skill. But I don't really see anyone forcing their hand.