PGF vs. ASA

[IRONMAN]

This is just our experience and it mirrors others I’ve talked to who have been to ASA & PGF Nationals.

Agree with your assessment, and my last comment was not directed toward you, or the OP.

 

[WaNole]

They let local teams to the national in for check.

 

[Twinsfan007]

That is not my experience in Florida. Anyone else experience this?

I've experienced this where I'm at. Nobody plays the qualifiers so if you're 1 of the teams that actually signs up you can just be given the berth without having to play for it.

 

[FP26]

Softball facilities were not up to par with some other locations we have played. Roanoke is not a city I would choose to visit if I was not there for softball. Chattanooga has the aquarium, Rock city and Ruby Falls. I will say that I enjoyed Salem better than Normal, IL if that helps.

We just played in Salem and Troutville last week. I was impressed with the facilities. Fields were very well maintained and treated between every game. Roanoke itself was fine, but not a place I would typically visit if not for the softball tournament. By comparison, we played in Ocean City, MD earlier in the summer. The first complex we played in was very nice (right in Ocean City). The other complex we were at was ok, but not great. I don't think the fields were lined after the first game each day. But as a vacation spot, Ocean City was clearly above Roanoke, at least for my family. I would have to rank Salem and Troutville among the best facilities we have played at throughout DD's entire travel ball career.

 

[Rocketech1]

One thing to keep in mind is many of the nationals listed have the real potential for bad weather this time of year. Nobody wants to travel far to a tournament to have games or the tournament cancelled because of rain and thunder storms. Plus you have to deal with high humidity and heat in most parts of the country. Not the case at PGF in Huntington Beach (CA).

 

[Softball scholar]

Real vacations for softball parents don't exist until our DD's quit playing or graduate college!

Orange Socks, its sad but I got to admit its true. We haven't been on a real summer vacation in years. My DD is a junior and is going to play college ball, but I was really planning on taking vacations when she gets to college. Im really going to do it. Im going on a real vacation.

With that said, I would rather go to a more touristy location for a national tournament. Schedule permitting, we always try to do something fun on our softball excursions. Last year, we played a tournament in Chatanooga and we found some time to go white water rafting. That was fun. I live close to Normal, IL. You're going to go White Water rafting there, if you catch my drift.

Just my opinion on PGF, they have some of the best competition in the Midwest, but it also becomes like a club where only the connected teams get in their tournaments. I know of Directors that don't like a particular coach or a program because of personal reasons, and wont let teams in because of their personal grudge. And it doesn't come down to being good enough to compete in this case.

 

[doublenickel]

Softball facilities were not up to par with some other locations we have played. Roanoke is not a city I would choose to visit if I was not there for softball. Chattanooga has the aquarium, Rock city and Ruby Falls. I will say that I enjoyed Salem better than Normal, IL if that helps.

We were in Virginia two years ago what I was impressed with was the fields, we played at a brand new complex which was really nice and the older facility where they hold the championship game was extremely nice. The players having restrooms in the dugout was really nice. Heck, even the concession stands were reasonable. ASA also was on top of the ball in Virginia with regard to getting fields ready for each and every game, they watered the infield completely and made sure and drag and line the infield before every game.. With all the positives I saw in Virginia the only negative thing I took away from the Roanoke and Salem was there wasn't really much for the girls to do when not playing. With that said we didn't go to Virginia for vacation.

We were in Normal last week for nationals and it was also run very smoothly, they didn't drag and line the field between games nor did they water the whole field but only used a flower watering pot to water around the pitching plate and home plate. Again there wasn't anything for the girls to do but again we were there to play ball. Both locations seemed to be flash backs to the 80's.

When comparing PGF and ASA I do like the idea of having 1 champion with each age group and not splitting the age groups in to Platinum and Premier, my dd's team played against teams that went far in PGF this year and won more than they lost and once you got down to the top 30 or so in Normal I would venture to say the competition was certainly high level. Team that put us out had three pitchers and all three were D1 commits, FSU, UF and Mercer. I do know one of the teams in California this year had some players that qualified on two different teams for PGF nationals. Girls play for the 00 team in a particular organization and dropped down to play in a qualifier on the 01 team within the same organization which makes me wonder how closely PGF keeps up with player registrations.

 

[corlay]

In the Northeast, ASA has a stronger presence, but PGF does do a qualifier in NJ, and a few other sanctioned tournaments.

PGF seems to draw less teams for any event, but the calibre of team is very high.

What I didn't like about the PFG Qualifier is that is was double elimination with no pool play.
This creates a problem with lodging, mostly.
If your team exits early, and loses 2 on the first day,
good luck getting a refund when cancelling your next 2 night's stay.

Seems like there has to be a better way.

I think some families say, well that sucks that we are out, so let's go sight-seeing for the next few days.
I'm not at all interested in that, personally.
Not keen on PGF dictating my "vacation" location(s).

 

[Momo'sDad]

They let local teams to the national in for check.

It's a good idea.

1) It gives local teams a chance to test their mettle. Some players will be inspired, while other coaches and parents will get a swift reality check.

2) It gives teams that have traveled long distances a better chance of not returning home 0-fer. If they "feel" better about the experience, they'll be more likely to spend the money to attend future events.

 

[JAD]

We just played in Salem and Troutville last week. I was impressed with the facilities. Fields were very well maintained and treated between every game. Roanoke itself was fine, but not a place I would typically visit if not for the softball tournament. By comparison, we played in Ocean City, MD earlier in the summer. The first complex we played in was very nice (right in Ocean City). The other complex we were at was ok, but not great. I don't think the fields were lined after the first game each day. But as a vacation spot, Ocean City was clearly above Roanoke, at least for my family. I would have to rank Salem and Troutville among the best facilities we have played at throughout DD's entire travel ball career.

It has been 3 years since I have been to Salem for ASA, maybe they made some improvements to the facilities, but there and Normal, IL are still crappy vacation destinations...