USSSA testing fieling masks....

[BadMonkeys]

Interesting post. I can see USSSA seeing it as an untapped resource. I can also see benefit to some testing standard.

 

[YOCOACH]

I am not certain what state you are in, Yocoach but if I had to guess it would be California where 1) USSSA right now is rec and low level focused and 2) USSSA doesn't care much about California right now because the rest of the country is wide open for them to conquer and they feel California will be last - so they are happy to just have a foothold there. As you said,cross a state line and suddenly USSSA competition gets harder.

Frankly I would rather USSSA be in charge of softball in the USA over ASA/USA Softball or the niche PGF or any of the other smaller orgs. Locally ASA is terribly organized and there is not that many tournaments under their sanction - but we play qualifiers because of nationals and because so is every other top team locally - but they all would happily abandon it for a better option. Nationally ASA has done little to keep up with changes in the game and now they have their favorite old toy back with the Olympics, they have once again gone back to their old habits believing they can force people to follow (and some will).

USSSA has better website (USA Softball's website is a total joke), better organization, and better... well apart for top level competition weekly, better everything else. They also have huge financial power which they are willing to flex. It may be turf fields, but USSSA has spent most of $100m on their new 16 field stadium just outside Orlando opening in a few weeks. It is a massive investment in softball for them. Hell, I was skeptical of the whole USA Elite thing and that has just exploded fast - it isn't ASA Nationals yet, but considering it came from nothing just a few years ago it is really impressive. Add in building from the younger age groups and up they are setting themselves up well.

ASA/USA Softball is going to wake up one day and realize they have been run over and they are simply not equipped to compete. It is gong to be interesting.

Actually marriard, it's Ohio and I couldn't agree more with you. Maybe I didn't make myself clear. The rant wasn't specifically against the USSSA per se, it was against all of the ABC orgs for nickel and diming us to death. Around Ohio, for the most part, the best competition week in and week out will be found playing either PGF or ASA/USA. So, many of my players will, or already have, purchased the Ghost since it will be sanctioned for both and that's where we played a majority of our tournaments last year. Last year we played some USSSA as well. This year we won't play USSSA because I'm not going to force my parents to spend money on another Ghost simply because the ABC orgs can't get their stuff together and come up with a common testing method or common set of standards. Until they do, things are only going to get worse for everyone involved whether it's players and their families or the ABC orgs.

It's already getting out of hand with the bats. Start adding in other "Approved" equipment, insurances and who knows what next money making scheme they come up with and it'll quickly spiral out of control cost-wise for the average player because they'll be forced to purchase two or three of every piece of equipment in order to play several different sanctions.

 

[MNDad]

I don't know if USSSA's motivation is financial or safety, but it's nice to see a discussion about if the things actually work before mandating them.

 

[marriard]

for the most part, the best competition week in and week out will be found playing either PGF or ASA/USA. So, many of my players will, or already have, purchased the Ghost since it will be sanctioned for both and that's where we played a majority of our tournaments last year. {/quote]

Glad to hear we are in the same page. Sounds like you play ASA/PGF for the same reasons we do (i.e. competition) - that is literally the only reason we play them. In our area they are in general terribly organized and just a total pain logistically to be part of. If we had a choice we would be gone in a second.

Last year we played some USSSA as well. This year we won't play USSSA because I'm not going to force my parents to spend money on another Ghost simply because the ABC orgs can't get their stuff together and come up with a common testing method or common set of standards. Until they do, things are only going to get worse for everyone involved whether it's players and their families or the ABC orgs.

Have to agree with you there. Unfortunately ASA (still can't call them USA Softball) don't really play well with others so that is not going to happen. Nothing really in it for USSSA either - in our state they have cornered the market on pretty much everything 8U-14U and the non-A 16U/18U teams so they can live with the small number of elite teams who don't regularly play their tournaments. They have the bulk of the teams turning up week after week. They are playing the long game because they can afford to and they figure eventually as they build their USA Elite brand even the elite teams will eventually end up staying. They believe that is already starting to happen.

It's already getting out of hand with the bats. Start adding in other "Approved" equipment, insurances and who knows what next money making scheme they come up with and it'll quickly spiral out of control cost-wise for the average player because they'll be forced to purchase two or three of every piece of equipment in order to play several different sanctions.

Bats are the only thing right now and I can't see anything else becoming a major issue. Apart from the Ghost I don't really expect to see much in 2018 - maybe 2019 but who knows. I don't expect fielding masks even if there is an approved list to be a big deal. NOCSAE covers helmets already so that is good.

 

[YOCOACH]

for the most part, the best competition week in and week out will be found playing either PGF or ASA/USA. So, many of my players will, or already have, purchased the Ghost since it will be sanctioned for both and that's where we played a majority of our tournaments last year. {/quote]

Glad to hear we are in the same page. Sounds like you play ASA/PGF for the same reasons we do (i.e. competition) - that is literally the only reason we play them. In our area they are in general terribly organized and just a total pain logistically to be part of. If we had a choice we would be gone in a second.



Have to agree with you there. Unfortunately ASA (still can't call them USA Softball) don't really play well with others so that is not going to happen. Nothing really in it for USSSA either - in our state they have cornered the market on pretty much everything 8U-14U and the non-A 16U/18U teams so they can live with the small number of elite teams who don't regularly play their tournaments. They have the bulk of the teams turning up week after week. They are playing the long game because they can afford to and they figure eventually as they build their USA Elite brand even the elite teams will eventually end up staying. They believe that is already starting to happen.



Bats are the only thing right now and I can't see anything else becoming a major issue. Apart from the Ghost I don't really expect to see much in 2018 - maybe 2019 but who knows. I don't expect fielding masks even if there is an approved list to be a big deal. NOCSAE covets already so that is good.

I think you'll see most of the top bat manufacturers putting out 2 of the same models to become the "hottest" out there for each sanction ( depending upon whether they follow ASA or USSSA testing standards) in the very near future simply because the market is there. In turn, this will cause a big divisive force between the sanctions since I can't see many families spending $700- $800 a year on bats to play multiple sanctions. As you alluded to, depending upon which geographical area of the country you live in, or even which state you live in, will determine which sanction is the strongest competition-wise and will then determine, overall, who is the "King" as far as Travel SB goes and who will reign. Unfortunately, with ASA/USA having the "big stick," as you put it, and also having the NCAA follow most of their bat choices for approval as well as testing methods and having NSA and PGF pretty much follow those same rules, even though NSA makes thier own money on their samps, I don't see where USSSA survives. Yes they're building from the ground up. Yes they're doing things right. However, I feel they're far behind the curve and adding other "approved equipment, although not mandated, will put them further behind and any other sanctioning body that's not ASA/USA and has different requirements will follow the same foregone conclusion. To add more money to their coffers, how long do you think it'll be before adding the mandate by most sanctions and asking for money for the manufacturers approval stamps for masks in the interests of "Safety?', JMHO. which will be proven out over time...or not.

ETA: I'm glad someone is taking point on this. That said, I'm not sure it's the smartest thing to do since it will become even more divisive in the the long run since it has the possibility to nickel and dime us even further.