Seeding based on points in the FALL!?!

So, we played in a 14u tournament over this weekend where the bracket seeding was based off of USSSA points. Easy enough right? Well, more than half of the teams had no points!! This is the FALL. This was our first tournament. It seems to me that it would make more sense to simply do a blind draw. Now don't get me wrong. We will play whoever, whenever but our first bracket game was against the team that won the whole thing and it immediately bumped us into the loser's bracket. It was an absolute slugfest. But we ended up having to play 5 games on Sunday almost in a row. We got one break for one game all day Sunday. We were just gassed and ended up scrapping up a 4th place finish as a first year 14u team. Not bad for our first tourney. But again, it just seemed silly to me that the bracket was made based on points. An 0-4 team would have had a higher seed than us only because they had points. Am I being too picky or is this just the way it goes sometimes?

Just the way it goes. Blind draw might have been the same thing. You got to play a lot of softball this weekend, which ultimately is the point.

in every tourny there will be a first place team.
Somebody has to play them first.

As for usssa points for seeding.
Couldnt there still be bumps in the road for teams trying to collect points playing teams that are always a few points stronger?!

Calif. most tourny venues are simply coach signing up the team. Based on what coach 'thinks'.
The level of teams that sign up for say AFA are sometimes not the same as those trying to qualify for PGF nationals.
However sometimes the coach who won an AFA tournament try to play pgf qualifiers and experiences what your post did, play tough first game.
Lose 1st game, but then lose the next 2nd game also.

Sounds like your team did a real good job! Worked hard! And stayed in for five games!

you got 5 games in one day as a first year 14u team where the goal should be development. What better way to develop than playing games. What is there to be upset about?

texasheat said:

you got 5 games in one day as a first year 14u team where the goal should be development. What better way to develop than playing games. What is there to be upset about?

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Not upset at all. We got lots of reps and definitely found some things to work on, in addition to conditioning. I just thought it was silly to base the bracket on points when there were no points.

BRsoftballDad said:

Not upset at all. We got lots of reps and definitely found some things to work on, in addition to conditioning. I just thought it was silly to base the bracket on points when there were no points.

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I think that system is stupid too. That format encourages teams to play only USSSA sanctioned tourneys. I remember looking at USFA standings by state and my buddy was pounding his chest about how his team was #3 in state based on the points. His team played a lot of USFA tourneys. In all reality, they were not as good as he thought his team was. The more you play the more points your team will accrue and really has no basis on real rankings. Hey coach we will reward you with higher seedings if you play more of our tourneys.

Orange Socks said:

I think that system is stupid too. That format encourages teams to play only USSSA sanctioned tourneys. I remember looking at USFA standings by state and my buddy was pounding his chest about how his team was #3 in state based on the points. His team played a lot of USFA tourneys. In all reality, they were not as good as he thought his team was. The more you play the more points your team will accrue and really has no basis on real rankings. Hey coach we will reward you with higher seedings if you play more of our tourneys.

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So?... Dont earn more points beating better team's
cuz the points arent really for beating better teams, simply playing more.
=GIMMICK

RADcatcher said:

So?... Dont earn more points beating better team's
cuz the points arent really for beating better teams, simply playing more.
=GIMMICK

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and earn points by where the team finishes. 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc.

Seeding bracket, or determining pools, needs to be either based upon a point system, the TD's determination of team strength or blind draw. None of those options is perfect and I can tell you which one would give the TD the most headaches..

Orange Socks said:

and earn points by where the team finishes. 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc.

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So...Earn points by
Playing more venues
&
Finishing stronger

Hmmm? How about a discount for playing more venues 'value points'
Or Snack bar credits