tournament peeves

[CoogansBluff]

2. Gate fees. Hate 'em.

That would be mine. It's not the money. Charge more for teams to enter the tournament. That's more equitable.

Why gate fees suck -

-It penalizes kids who might have lots of family members who want to come. Shouldn't cost more for those kids to play softball.
-It discourages people from coming to watch. If there's soccer being played at my local park, I might go watch for the fun of it. But not if I have to pay $7. Encourage more people to come and watch so it will grow the game.
-It causes tournament directors to force teams to come back Sunday for an 8 a.m. game (to get their gate fees TWICE) when you could eliminate a couple of teams early and keep them from having to drive back or stay in hotel.
-For those who collect the gate fees as you're entering the parking lot, it slows traffic.

Gate fees are the devil.

 

[Andy S]

-For those who collect the gate fees as you're entering the parking lot, it slows traffic.

Oh man. That's one I hate. In Chattanooga at the Summit of Softball (literally on top of a hill/mountain with one way in), sometimes it takes over 30 minutes to get in for the morning games, causing stress about not getting the kid to pre game warmups on time with a coach who's a stickler for time.

The reason I assume they do it is that there are multiple parking lots and multiple field "hubs" with lots of entry points to staff if you collect the gate at the..umm..gate, but it is still running everybody through a bottleneck at same time causing a traffic jam if you do it in the lot entry.

 

[TexAg1998]

1. 12u chants in 16u games. Encourage your teammates - sure, but if I hear "foul ball USA hit the ball the other way" just one more time.....
2. Parks that don't allow coolers and then charge $5/bottle for water.
3. Players that don't tuck their jerseys in.
4. That one dad who always brags about how his daughter goes to camp after camp, clinic after clinic, yet no college coaches ever seem to come see her play in a game.
5. The incessant beating of the ball bucket with drumsticks. You're not a drummer. You have no rhythm, and everyone within a half mile knows it.
6. Did we bring Limburger cheese with us on this trip and leave it in the truck during the game? Nope, just her socks.
7. Players who think they're coaches and let their teammates know it.
8. Tan lines that the rays of 1000 suns could never erase.
9. Sleeping in a hotel bed more than in your own bed on weekends.
10. 8am games on Sunday after 10pm games on Saturday.
11. Team makes a uniform change at the last minute because of that one player who STILL hasn't bought a white belt.
12. It's noon. The line at the concession stand is a mile long. All they have is pickles and candy because they ran out of hot dogs and burgers. Someone forgot to go to Sam's on Thursday.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[YOCOACH]

Have to ask... what were the tournament rules? We had a game where the rules were "team on top of the bracket will occupy 3B dugout", well the 3B dugout was in the sun, while 1B dugout was in the shade, 111 degrees during game time. Opposing team was listed on the top of the bracket. The coach even had the nerve to "move" our parents to the 3B side of the field, then tell us as we are walking up I moved your parents so you can have the 3B dugout. What? Um no, read the rules. We moved our parents back... lol, he wasn't very happy.

There were no rules concerning which dugout to take. Honestly, the dugout rule is used almost exclusively in rec league or rec All-Star tourneys around our area not in TB.

 

[YOCOACH]

-For those who collect the gate fees as you're entering the parking lot, it slows traffic.

Agree with the slowing of traffic and the rest of what you said. However I ran into a pleasant surprise at several tourneys this Summer that really helped speed it along. They just charged $5 per car so no counting heads and the rest of the junk. Hand them the money and go.

 

[OlatheDad]

Parents who incessantly complain about lack of shade, gate fees, playing 8 am games on Saturday, lack of TP in the bathrooms, other parents, other coaches, umpires, tents and other teams.

 

[YOCOACH]

^^^^^^^Oops...look everyone! We upset the tournament director

 

[CoachKevin]

There were no rules concerning which dugout to take. Honestly, the dugout rule is used almost exclusively in rec league or rec All-Star tourneys around our area not in TB.

Really? This was 18A ASA Western Nationals... Every big tournament we have ever been in has it, same for the 18A Hall of Fame.

 

[Me_and_my_big_mouth]

Great list. Two words for you: Pressure Washer. Mine comes out after every tournament nowadays. The white pants that took an hour of scrubbing, 12 hours of soaking, and another hour of scrubbing? Now clean in 5 minutes.

We did this during PGF and it worked!! Took all them britches straight to the car wash! Thanks!

https://youtu.be/hBVKOVIFueA

https://youtu.be/JD4VsID_L7o

 

[TopCatDad]

1. Coaches who put up their Bownets in the AM and lay claim to that outfield the rest of the tournament. No matter what field they play on. But hey...you leave it setup we are going to use it.

2. Coaches who have no idea of tournament rules. Yes it says you can only bat 11 not 13. No you haven't been doing it all day.

3. Your game is over. Get out of the dugout. Change out of your cleats after you leave. Thank You.

4. Know what field you play on. Know the numbers of the fields in the complex.

5. Yes the games can start 30 minutes early. (Back to the tournament rules) Be ready to play. Not my fault you let your team take a extra half hour. The games have been ahead all day.

6. It's 16u please stop using nicknames on the lineup card. But thanks for the lineup card.

7. Want to smoke? Great...go out to your car. Not by the fields or the entrance to the faculties.

8. We know it's hot, but please stop setting your chairs up under the awning near the bathroom.

I'm sure I will think of more.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk