What would you expect coaches/tournament directors to do differently when we return back to play

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marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
How difficult would it be to have honest talent assessment of teams and schedule teams of similar ability play each other?

Here in MA, I know of around a dozen 14u clubs of similiar talent that could play each other.
Tourney format, even with "A" and "B" classifications, has a fair amount of mismatches.

Just don't get it.

Have you met other people? Honest assessment isn't one of their strong points - especially of others. And accepting an honest assessment - that isn't a strong point either. And people agreeing with each other.... yeah...

It always devolves rapidly into a have and have-nots and some version of the 'old boys club'
 

NEF

May 16, 2012
123
18
New England
How difficult would it be to have honest talent assessment of teams and schedule teams of similar ability play each other?

Here in MA, I know of around a dozen 14u clubs of similiar talent that could play each other.
Tourney format, even with "A" and "B" classifications, has a fair amount of mismatches.

Just don't get it.
We play a bunch in MA, It is difficult, Tournaments seem to draw around the same amount of talent every year, and there are numerous tournaments every weekend May-August. I had a 1st year 14s team a few years back and we really struggled more with the "B" tournaments held in the Dartmouth area, than the "Open" tournaments with "A" teams up in the northern part of the state. I really shoot for a winning % of 40-70%. If your winning or losing every game its not helping your players develop.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
Have you met other people? Honest assessment isn't one of their strong points - especially of others. And accepting an honest assessment - that isn't a strong point either. And people agreeing with each other.... yeah...
After I made my initial post about playing doubleheaders I quickly realized this would be the biggest issue 😂
 
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
Have you met other people? Honest assessment isn't one of their strong points - especially of others. And accepting an honest assessment - that isn't a strong point either. And people agreeing with each other.... yeah...

It always devolves rapidly into a have and have-nots and some version of the 'old boys club'

Lol! I love reading your posts. Great stuff!
 
Aug 25, 2019
1,066
113
Where I am, there just aren't enough quality "A" teams to have there own tournament bracket. Some coaches will play up, while some coaches have no problem staying in their division and beat everyone week after week.
 
Oct 4, 2018
4,611
113
I'd love to back off tournaments and go to double headers every Saturday. Make them real games, not these 75 minute things.
 
Feb 25, 2018
350
43
Have you met other people? Honest assessment isn't one of their strong points - especially of others. And accepting an honest assessment - that isn't a strong point either. And people agreeing with each other.... yeah...

It always devolves rapidly into a have and have-nots and some version of the 'old boys club'

Fair point. What about some sort of ranking system/accumulation of points like cycling does for Cat 3, Cat 2 and Cat 1 riders?
Could take some of the politics out of it.
 
Jul 14, 2018
982
93
Recruiting would be more difficult, Video may become more important.

This is the one big catch to not having tournaments. At 16U and above, players want to get in front of coaches, and coaches only have so much time to watch games. The tournament format definitely works for them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
This is the one big catch to not having tournaments. At 16U and above, players want to get in front of coaches, and coaches only have so much time to watch games. The tournament format definitely works for them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The question is what is better for the players? Not playing at all until spring perhaps if tournaments are the only option or playing in a slightly different format for a while until tournaments are able to proceed as normal (and safely).

Of course this is just hypothetical as I am sure there will be tournaments out there which are played regardless of whether it is safe to put 1000 to 2000 strangers together in a park. I hope it is safe sooner rather than later; I like going to tournaments as it gives me a chance to see other teams/age groups/etc.
 
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