Too Many Teams

[bmakj]

no

USSSA can reclassify during the season but rarely does. The initial classification is done by the HC.

t looking for them to reclassify during the season, other than what they already do (ie if you win a certain number of C tournaments, you can no longer play in C tournaments, I assume same for B tournaments holds true). talking about relegation after the season. move teams up or down based on performance, or even out (which would simply mean down to rec ball).

 

[_MIA_]

no

t looking for them to reclassify during the season, other than what they already do (ie if you win a certain number of C tournaments, you can no longer play in C tournaments, I assume same for B tournaments holds true). talking about relegation after the season. move teams up or down based on performance, or even out (which would simply mean down to rec ball).

Well that would be hard as teams change players, move up in age groups, etc. Also I don't know that it is automatic that they reclassify by the number of teams won at a certain classification level, at least not in OK. That may be a state-by-state sort of thing.

 

[bmakj]

not saying it is done, but something like this is needed. too easy to take 3 or 4 decent girls, and say you have a travel team, and hold tryouts to bring in lots of clueless parents who have only seen rec (it happened to us first year).

and player movement could be accounted for by saying if 6 or so players played on same team last season, then that new team has to take the old teams designation, which would also prevent coach just registering the same team under an assistant the next season.

 

[Cougars]

With USSSA, you can't register as a 'C' team. You register as a 'B' and then need to email the state director and request a 'C' designation. That said, I have no idea what the % of teams that request that are actually told no and kept a 'B' team. There a a few registered 'C' teams that season after season are in the finals of every tournament they play.

 

[_MIA_]

With USSSA, you can't register as a 'C' team. You register as a 'B' and then need to email the state director and request a 'C' designation. That said, I have no idea what the % of teams that request that are actually told no and kept a 'B' team. There a a few registered 'C' teams that season after season are in the finals of every tournament they play.

Hmm didn't know that. In Oklahoma, last season there were 24 registered C teams in 10U so it happened at least 24 times . There were 3 A teams, 22 Rec/All Star teams and the rest, and the majority, were B teams (75 teams). From what I saw there were probably about 10 teams or so who should have been in A, but the issue (like I mentioned above) was that of those 10 teams two were much better than everybody else (e.g. National level A teams) and would win every tournament they entered (unless the other team was entered in which case they would play each other in the championship game) so all those B coaches who wanted trophies didn't register for A since they wouldn't be able to enter B tournaments and have a chance at winning it.

 

[bmakj]

I know in our state, it is pretty automatic unless you have already won a bunch of C tournaments. I know DDs first four teams all registered as C, in each case they were teams that were brand new for USSSA (most were based on a rec AS or such).

 

[_MIA_]

USSSA should require there be enough in each classification that they can actually have tournaments with enough teams in it for each of the classifications. In our State tournament, DD's HC signed them up for the A division. There were 4 teams in it...2 of the A classified teams and 2 which played "up" in classification from B.

If coaches just worried about their girls getting better, which for all but the most elite teams, means perhaps scheduling such that you win about 50 to 60% of your games, vs. winning plastic trophies, things would be better imo.

Edit: That said, I am not sure how USSSA (or any of Associations for that matter) would do this...

 

[FP26]

With USSSA, you can't register as a 'C' team. You register as a 'B' and then need to email the state director and request a 'C' designation. That said, I have no idea what the % of teams that request that are actually told no and kept a 'B' team. There a a few registered 'C' teams that season after season are in the finals of every tournament they play.

The very first tournament we played in (USSSA) we were registered as "B". We were scheduled to play against a "C" team whose name was ... Elite. I found it comical at the time that this team was calling themselves Elite and registered as "C".

 

[FP26]

I agree.

It's just frustrating (to me) that there are 25-30 10U travel teams playing in my area. Perhaps more. And they all seem to be missing 1-3 pieces. Need a pitcher! Need a catcher! Need MI!

And that means teams where you get through the top 6 batters and then have 3 easy outs. Hit a ball to 2B of LF and you'll be safe. Hit it anywhere else you're probably out. It makes for weird games.

Also, as you say, you have teams playing down that absolutely crush other teams. Also no fun.

Seems that if we could shake up all the teams we could construct some really great competition across all of the levels (A, B, C) and have girls improve and love the game. It would probably settle down the parents a lot as well.

Hard to argue any of that. But in many ways, younger travel ball is just the newer cooler rec ball...

 

[Greatdaytobeawildcat]

I agree.

It's just frustrating (to me) that there are 25-30 10U travel teams playing in my area. Perhaps more. And they all seem to be missing 1-3 pieces. Need a pitcher! Need a catcher! Need MI!

I could see need P or C...but “need MI”? Really? If you have a 10u team where you legit can’t see one of your 10-12 girls playing SS, you’ve got to question what you’re doing. Just pick one, hit her 3000 grounders and MAKE YOUR OWN middle infielder.