Tournament Weekend Observations:

[SnocatzDad]

2) most umpires are fine, but some do not know the rules. For example, we had a catcher's glove interfere twice with the batters bat and the umpire awarded a ball instead of first base to the batter;

I must have been in a parrallel universe because I had an ump that tried to award first base instead of a ball on an illegal pitch. UIC got it right, I've never been more firm as a coach that I was not going to let a bad call go.

I would say I saw more Great hitting beating Good hitting, with lots of pretty comparable pitching at ASA Regional Qualifier. Granted midwest is not the hotbed of all softball, but 43' is defintely a pitching equalizer this year IMO.

 

[MJs Dad]

Be careful about letting your DD borrow a teamates brand new bat. Because she will have the best hitting tournament of her life and just die unless she has a bat just like it. I had to order her one on the way home.

 

[mad hornet]

Bishop, great response! I thought that the people at the facilities next to the river really cared about the kids and their safety. I'd recommend playing there. I went through a can of Off in one day at this tournament. It just didn't phase them. However, if you took a swing at one, you could not miss it. They were that big! Naturally, with all the rain, the grass was higher and there were water puddles everywhere.

You might laugh but I read once in the Farmer's Almanac that if you keep garlic in your diet mosquitoes will leave you alone. Something about the garlic emitting an odor from your pores that keeps them away. It has worked for me ever since and no other people don't smell the garlic on you.

Garlic, it's not just for vampires and werewolves anymore....

 

[Sweet Pitch 96]

Be careful about letting your DD borrow a teamates brand new bat. Because she will have the best hitting tournament of her life and just die unless she has a bat just like it. I had to order her one on the way home.

Mine did this at our last tournament. I just bought a new bat 3 months ago. I flat out told her, "No!" Good thing her teammate doesn't mind if she continues to borrow it.