NSA-ISA-USSSA-ASA whose state tourneys are best?

[Coach JV]

We are trying to decide which of the above runs the best organized tourney
at the state level for 8U-16U/HS Gold travel. We will be traveling together
as a large group (6-7 teams)

Our travel org. has somewhat limited
resources so we are planning one long 'road trip' and we would like to
get the most bang for the buck. The girls really have a good time regardless,
but the coaches prefer to go with the most logistically sound organization.
Thanks in advance for your feedback. Our home state is Florida (north) if
it makes a difference.

I have heard both good and bad about NSA and USSSA, have not had a lot
of info for ASA-ISA

 

[mudbug]

I dont know specifics about Florida. Since USFA holds thier World Series there, I would have thought they would have a strong presence/state tourney , but you didnt mention them.

Organization-wise, just depends. Organizing 10 teams in an age group is different from organizing 50. Most tourneys sponsored by national orgs are run pretty well. What makes the difference is good weather , good food, nice facilities, good groundskeeping, good umps, and teams from a wide area, not too localized and familiar with each other.

It will depend on what the most popular ones are in Florida. State tournaments are just weekend affairs and some are quite small and not much to get excited about, while others will have every team in the state in most age groups present.

To some teams, best means simply a large tournament with a lot of teams, most that are fairly weak. To others, it means a tournament with good competition where they have a chance to win some games, and to others it means the one where the best teams in the state are playing so they have a chance to face them.

If its the only road trip you will make, Id say go for the largest tourney with the most # of teams. It will be more exciting for the girls to be part of. Might have to talk to the organizations and find out how it usually shapes up in previous years, its usually consistent.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

USFA is probably the largest and holds the most in our area. ( southeast ) Good state tourney in TN. ( we won it last year, so you know it was good haha. We have done the USFA WS in Florida twice. It's a good experience, run good, fields are good.

The only thing is the pitching. Their fields are a very sandy mixture, every pitcher I spoke to said it took them some adjusting on their strides.

There is between 70-90 teams in each age group.

We are lucky this year, have the USGF WS about an hour from home. And doing the Triple Crown thing during the College WS in OK City.

There is post to be a new ASA Commissioner in TN this year and promises more ASA action. We are thinking of playing in the ASA Regional in MS. But may conflict with other plans.

 

[SnocatzDad]

It's definitely going to vary widely state by state. I've found word of mouth from other coaches at your level is the most valuable info. We all talk softball all the time anyway so it shouldn't be to hard to get a few opinions from people in your area. Bad news is that best experience for 18U and 8U might be completely different tourneys. Not every organization caters to every age level with the same enthusiasm.

 

[George R.]

USFA is probably the largest and holds the most in our area. ( southeast ) Good state tourney in TN. ( we won it last year, so you know it was good haha. We have done the USFA WS in Florida twice. It's a good experience, run good, fields are good.

There is post to be a new ASA Commissioner in TN this year and promises more ASA action. We are thinking of playing in the ASA Regional in MS. But may conflict with other plans.

A couple of things about USFA and ASA... Last year the USFA tournament director (Virginia) bilked us out of $375. Took our money, canceled the tournament, kept our money. The national president did nothing to help us get our money back. Therefore, they are no longer on our good side.

ASA. Claims to be the" National Governing Body of Softball." Top shelf on the west coast, has been all but absent in Virginia until recently. Both NSA and SoftballNation (Not much presence outside VA) do a better job of promoting their tournaments.