Illinois Travel Teams going to USA

[Kiddj22]

I'm wondering how many travel teams (especially in Central IL) are going to go with or stay with the USA organization with the new age cut off dates?

We've played in random USA, USSSA tournaments over the years, but it doesn't look like a USSSA Tourney would be an option if you use the USA cut-off as you build your team.

I think we will try the new age cut-off and limit to USA tournaments and possibly just DH/RR. It allows the majority of the kids in the same grade to stay together in travel.

 

[Lance Steckler]

I'm in Ohio, but going to new age for USA/ASA next season. Don't play any USSSA tourneys anyway.

 

[angispeds]

You would just register for usssa at the appropriate age.


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[The Man In Blue]

Since you mention Central IL, I will say you may need to look at a different issue ... USSSA is essentially taking over. There are very few USA tournaments in the area this year.

Springfield's main org which hosted USA has folded and a guy has been running a lot of USSSA tournaments in the area.

Bloomington doesn't have near as much going on as they have in the past.

Peoria has largely toward USSSA at the larger facilities.

The USA folks are trying to regroup from a large portion of the "old boy network" retiring in the last few years, and there is a lot of damage to repair.

 

[Kiddj22]

Since you mention Central IL, I will say you may need to look at a different issue ... USSSA is essentially taking over. There are very few USA tournaments in the area this year.

Springfield's main org which hosted USA has folded and a guy has been running a lot of USSSA tournaments in the area.

Bloomington doesn't have near as much going on as they have in the past.

Peoria has largely toward USSSA at the larger facilities.

The USA folks are trying to regroup from a large portion of the "old boy network" retiring in the last few years, and there is a lot of damage to repair.

What I find interesting is that several college coaches prefer the Aug 31 date when it comes to recruiting cause it aligns better with grades/graduation class.

I prefer the Bloomington tournaments at Champion Fields over Springfield, Pekin, Jacksonville. Those tournaments usually are associated with USA. I would be fine just playing local DH, round robins, and maybe 1 tournament anyway. It's less wasted time, cheaper, and we're fortunate to have a nice home facility.

 

[Kiddj22]

You would just register for usssa at the appropriate age.


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We would possibly have 3 girls with December birthdays that according to USSSA would be 14u, not 12U in USA guidelines.

 

[Lance Steckler]

still reviewing here and girls deciding, but i'm looking at potentially 9 of the 14 on my '04 18u roster, that would be able to return to play summer of '24 with new age limits.

 

[lostcreek1]

We would possibly have 3 girls with December birthdays that according to USSSA would be 14u, not 12U in USA guidelines.

Then those three girls couldn't play if you played a USSSA tourney.

 

[Orange Socks]

What I find interesting is that several college coaches prefer the Aug 31 date when it comes to recruiting cause it aligns better with grades/graduation class.

I prefer the Bloomington tournaments at Champion Fields over Springfield, Pekin, Jacksonville. Those tournaments usually are associated with USA. I would be fine just playing local DH, round robins, and maybe 1 tournament anyway. It's less wasted time, cheaper, and we're fortunate to have a nice home facility.

College coaches do not care about age cut offs. They care about Graduation year. No one is recruiting at 12U and very little at 14U unless you are on one of the top teams in the country. Once your kids get to HS is about grad year.

 

[The Man In Blue]

What I find interesting is that several college coaches prefer the Aug 31 date when it comes to recruiting cause it aligns better with grades/graduation class.

I prefer the Bloomington tournaments at Champion Fields over Springfield, Pekin, Jacksonville. Those tournaments usually are associated with USA. I would be fine just playing local DH, round robins, and maybe 1 tournament anyway. It's less wasted time, cheaper, and we're fortunate to have a nice home facility.

Bloomington was always my favorite place to work. Teams and fans enjoyed going there, they treated umpires and staff very well, and they really take care of the place with a great paid/volunteer staff. Unfortunately, the "drop in team numbers" for USA has really hurt them. I know they have a few scheduled (but nothing like the past) and I hope to get up there.

Springfield is now basically defunct since the organization that rented fields from UIS went defunct. Spartan Park is still there, but it still feels unfinished and they just have never put together a quality product, IMO. Construction is scheduled to start in the next couple of months on a large complex out by Scheels (Legacy Pointe), and that will be a game changer.

I never worked Jacksonville because, quite frankly, the guy who developed and owned it was one of the biggest arses the world has seen. I dealt with him a few times in the course of my job and when I was an administrator for a local program. I refused to work there. My girls played there a few times and it was ... OK. They have new ownership in the last few years and they are much better and nicer people to work with. I haven't worked there since I came back, but I have been in contact with them.

Pekin ... I've never worked up there. Another victim of the USA old boy's club. I heard the Avanti's Dome deflated and closed ... I always hated when my kids played in there. Too dark and too cramped.

I've never been to Peoria's SluggerDome (or whatever it is). I worked a tournament there when they were first building (fields were done, but not much else) and just haven't been back. They are mostly running USSSA and a couple of PGF tournaments this year.

USA said they have some tournaments in Mapleton this year. I know Mapleton, but I'm not sure what facility is around there ...