The low A/high B conundrum

[JAD]

I think it's largely a myth. I was a head coach in Georgia for 4 years, the last 2 in 12U, and I'd describe us as a B+/A- team, but I didn't experience it as a conundrum. There were plenty of B+/A- tournaments. They weren't necessarily called called B+/A-. Some were A-level tournaments with mediocre A-level teams in them. The Vipers and Impact didn't enter those. Others were B-level tournaments with at least a couple of really good B teams that were going to be hard to beat. We did enter tournaments where we knew we'd probably get run-ruled at least once, and we played some where we thought we'd win and did, but we didn't have trouble finding something in between.

A good B+ team will beat most B teams and lose to solid A teams, so the coach has to decide if they play B and win, or play A and lose. A tournament with only B+ and A- teams would be very competitive and can happen, especially at 12U when the number of TB teams peak and there are multiple tournaments every weekend to choose from. GA is blessed with several organizations that put together weekly tournaments so it is not unusually for a coach to decide on Wed or Thur where they are playing that weekend. When we started playing ASA qualifiers, the tournament registration closed 2-3 weeks before the tournament, so you have to decide much earlier.

When my DD's team was a B+/A- we loved playing tournaments like the Carrollton Classic where you get a 5+ game guarantee, so even if we played up and lost we still got 5-7 games in a weekend. Compare that to an ASA qualifier where there are no pool games and it is very possible to go "two and out".....

 

[CoogansBluff]

You're asking the wrong question (respectfully). Question should be: can we/do we want to keep this team together and getting better? If the answer is yes, then it doesn't matter what you win at 10U (it REALLY doesn't, trust me). It's about what can we do to be dominant at 12U/14U/16U etc....the real questions are around what is this team all about, do they want to stay together, do they want to get better, etc....

Not sure I agree. It doesn't matter what you win at 10U, but it does matter what you play. Strength of schedule is a key consideration, IMO.

But also, is it realistic to plan 3-4-5 years ahead with a group of 9-year-olds? How many dominant 14U teams have the majority of their players from 4-5 years earlier? Yes, I would think years ahead in terms of providing them the proper fundamentals that will serve them into the future, but as far as long-term team goals, I don't know about that.

But, you might have a different experience, and perhaps with the right group of girls/families, that's the way to go.

 

[JAD]

You're asking the wrong question (respectfully). Question should be: can we/do we want to keep this team together and getting better? If the answer is yes, then it doesn't matter what you win at 10U (it REALLY doesn't, trust me). It's about what can we do to be dominant at 12U/14U/16U etc....the real questions are around what is this team all about, do they want to stay together, do they want to get better, etc....I always see every season as three seasons -- fall, winter, summer (start again). Great teams start again each 'sub-season' and can make surprising strides even WITHIN a season if they are working hard.

As my DD got older and we increased the level of play we became proponents of seeking out the best competition we could find, and trying to qualify for ASA Nationals. The goals of the season became 1) did we qualify for nationals and 2) how did we finish as nationals. We could go 20-50 during the regular season and a top 20 finish at Nationals was considered a good season, top 10 a great season. The increase in the number of national tournaments has also made qualifying for ASA nationals much easier. Now there is PGF, ASA Gold, USA Elite, JO Cup and Triple Crown who are all hosting national events.

 

[grcsftbll]

So far we haven't played in any tournaments like described above. The A ones we've played have had Vipers, Bullets, Impact 05 teams, among other very solid teams. The Bs, besides the half 04 team, we've been undefeated. So we seem to be smack in the middle. I hope this team stays together. It looks like we didn't lose any girls between fall and spring.

I don't care myself about wins and losses. Obviously winning is fun but I'm not particularly wrapped up in that. We learned last year how to win gracefully, a lot! It's more about being in that place where B teams might cry foul if you play them, but you're not quite experienced enough to hang with the second year A teams. And how that might impact the girls' motivation if they never get to win. I really don't think it's an issue with our particular team. I really started this to be more theoretical/philosophical than personal

 

[JAD]

So far we haven't played in any tournaments like described above. The A ones we've played have had Vipers, Bullets, Impact 05 teams, among other very solid teams. The Bs, besides the half 04 team, we've been undefeated. So we seem to be smack in the middle. I hope this team stays together. It looks like we didn't lose any girls between fall and spring.

I don't care myself about wins and losses. Obviously winning is fun but I'm not particularly wrapped up in that. We learned last year how to win gracefully, a lot! It's more about being in that place where B teams might cry foul if you play them, but you're not quite experienced enough to hang with the second year A teams. And how that might impact the girls' motivation if they never get to win. I really don't think it's an issue with our particular team. I really started this to be more theoretical/philosophical than personal

The younger age groups also ads another dynamic to the equation because a B-team of 10 year olds could hang with an A-team of 9 year olds....

 

[CoogansBluff]

When my DD's team was a B+/A- we loved playing tournaments like the Carrollton Classic where you get a 5+ game guarantee, so even if we played up and lost we still got 5-7 games in a weekend. Compare that to an ASA qualifier where there are no pool games and it is very possible to go "two and out".....

I used to say that a true A team could play the A-level in Carrollton Classic, CHildren's Healthcare, and King of the Mountain, and finish .500 over those three. I think we went about 4-10, got run-rule a couple of times. Based on that, I felt we were A-/B+. I didn't feel like our choice of tournaments was feast or famine, but you make potentially a good point about TB teams peaking around 12.

I digress here, but we played the CHC one year and made the QF of the winner's draw and lost to the eventual champion Sharpsburg Heat 8-7. People were talking about us, like who's that in final 8? We thought we'd arrived. Had to come back at 8 a.m. the next morning and lost to the Worth Cobras -- lost 18-2! Our wheels turned to pumpkins pretty quick.

 

[grcsftbll]

I'll be honest, I'm dying to play one of the big 3 and see how we do. Hopefully we'll get a chance this spring. We thought about trying out for the Impact and Vipers (05 teams) but in the end we only did the one tryout. We loved what we saw and felt it was exactly right for us (GA Force 06 out of Kennesaw). It has not been without is challenges and I'm sure there will be more of those but I do love the team. If you GA types ever see us at a tournament, mine is #7.

 

[CMMom1740]

I was super excited when we arrived late to a game last fall against the Vipers and we were winning (we had a school event and couldn't get there until after the first game of the day). We won big! And then I realized it was the Vipers '04 team (we're an '03 team). Whomp-whomp.

 

[grcsftbll]

I don't think any of the big 3 has an 06 team, do they? That was part of our decision also, having a pitcher/infielder. I doubt she'd get much circle time on an 05 A team with 50 mph pitchers. So if we get to play them they'll be a year older.

 

[redbirdone]

I don't think any of the big 3 has an 06 team, do they? That was part of our decision also, having a pitcher/infielder. I doubt she'd get much circle time on an 05 A team with 50 mph pitchers. So if we get to play them they'll be a year older.

At least two out of the three do. And none of the big three have a 50mph pitcher. As in 50mph consistent and for strikes.