18 Gold Question

[Sftbll4ever]

Actually there is no location yet, but he was nice enough to let us all know where he works. HAHAHAHAHA. Either way, if this goes through, we still get to go to one of the qualifiers. SIGH!!

[Whizzer86]

What if ASA actually took all the teams that made it to the gold nationals last year and called them GOLD, then took every state and set multiple "Area 18u Gold" qualifiers early in the spring in which the top 5 or so teams were eligible to move to gold status for that state?

Then throughout the spring ASA actually had a series of qualifying tournaments that qualified you for a true state "Gold" tournament at the end of spring (before nationals). The "state" champion and the runner up are qualified for gold nationals. ASA then provides a "last chance" national tournament in which all that placed 3 - 10 in their state tournament could meet and play a qualifier in which the top 10 go to gold nationals as well.

Seems like you would actually have a "gold national tournament" or for that matter a true "whatever age" tournament.

[Sftbll4ever]

Remember, the teams that don't make Gold status need to try and get into the 18u qualifiers as well. How will that work?

Once you don't make Gold, you are now 18u eligible.

[Whizzer86]

18U is sill open, if you don't qualify for gold you can enter the 18U qualifier (the term 18U, meaning 18U, if a 16U team can qualify for gold so be it. The best teams get in, in each state, others will be weeded out or rewarded at the national qualifier). This may deter the 12U teams entering college looks down the road. If you can't qualify for gold you can still play 18U same as always but gold tournaments would be comprised of the best teams.

[Sam]

Here is the SoCal ASA proposal...............

So Cal ASA Gold Classification

Limit number of Gold teams to 51 for 2009

1. Criteria for becoming a Gold Team
• Teams that qualified for Gold Nationals in 2008 from PCR 14 Regional Tournament or the two Western Territory Tournaments get automatic classification as Gold for 2009. (11Teams)
• Remaining teams must qualify in one of two classification tournaments to be held each year. For 2009 first tournament will be limited to 84 teams with 24 teams qualifying, second tournament will be limited to 66 teams with 16 qualifying.
• Entries into the classification tournaments will be as follows.
1. Gold teams that participated in the 2008 PCR 14 Regional Tournament. (56)
2. Gold teams that qualified for Nationals outside of Region 14 or Western Territories. (2)
3. 18A teams that finished in the top 10 at So Cal State Championship.(Max 13)
4. 18A teams with a return Berth to Nationals from 2007. (Max 2)
5. 18A teams that qualified for 2008 Hall of Fame Qualifier in PCR 14.(Max 2)
6. 16A teams that finished in the top 10 at So Cal State Championship.(Max 13)
7. 16A teams with a return Berth to Nationals from 2007. (Max 2)
8. 16A teams that qualified for 2008 Hall of Fame Qualifier in PCR 14.(Max 2)
9. Open to all So Cal ASA teams that registered in 2008 as 18 Gold, 18U, 16U.

• Classification stays with qualifying Manager.
• Teams may enter both tournaments but once they qualify cannot play in second tournament.
• All players participating must be 2009 eligible.
• All Managers and Coaches must be 2009 Registered and Background checked to participate. ASA ID cards must be displayed at all times
• All Players must be 2009 Registered to participate.

I didn't get the email...did they happen to put forth the actual problem that they are supposedly attempting to fix????

[Whizzer86]

Here is the SoCal ASA proposal...............

So Cal ASA Gold Classification

Limit number of Gold teams to 51 for 2009

1. Criteria for becoming a Gold Team
• Teams that qualified for Gold Nationals in 2008 from PCR 14 Regional Tournament or the two Western Territory Tournaments get automatic classification as Gold for 2009. (11Teams)
• Remaining teams must qualify in one of two classification tournaments to be held each year. For 2009 first tournament will be limited to 84 teams with 24 teams qualifying, second tournament will be limited to 66 teams with 16 qualifying.
• Entries into the classification tournaments will be as follows.
1. Gold teams that participated in the 2008 PCR 14 Regional Tournament. (56)
2. Gold teams that qualified for Nationals outside of Region 14 or Western Territories. (2)
3. 18A teams that finished in the top 10 at So Cal State Championship.(Max 13)
4. 18A teams with a return Berth to Nationals from 2007. (Max 2)
5. 18A teams that qualified for 2008 Hall of Fame Qualifier in PCR 14.(Max 2)
6. 16A teams that finished in the top 10 at So Cal State Championship.(Max 13)
7. 16A teams with a return Berth to Nationals from 2007. (Max 2)
8. 16A teams that qualified for 2008 Hall of Fame Qualifier in PCR 14.(Max 2)
9. Open to all So Cal ASA teams that registered in 2008 as 18 Gold, 18U, 16U.

• Classification stays with qualifying Manager.
• Teams may enter both tournaments but once they qualify cannot play in second tournament.
• All players participating must be 2009 eligible.
• All Managers and Coaches must be 2009 Registered and Background checked to participate. ASA ID cards must be displayed at all times
• All Players must be 2009 Registered to participate.

I didn't get the email...did they happen to put forth the actual problem that they are supposedly attempting to fix????

Denial is a hard thing to fix. Hopefully SoCal can start a trend to better the competition nation wide.

[Sam]

Here is the SoCal ASA proposal...............

So Cal ASA Gold Classification

Limit number of Gold teams to 51 for 2009

1. Criteria for becoming a Gold Team
• Teams that qualified for Gold Nationals in 2008 from PCR 14 Regional Tournament or the two Western Territory Tournaments get automatic classification as Gold for 2009. (11Teams)
• Remaining teams must qualify in one of two classification tournaments to be held each year. For 2009 first tournament will be limited to 84 teams with 24 teams qualifying, second tournament will be limited to 66 teams with 16 qualifying.
• Entries into the classification tournaments will be as follows.
1. Gold teams that participated in the 2008 PCR 14 Regional Tournament. (56)
2. Gold teams that qualified for Nationals outside of Region 14 or Western Territories. (2)
3. 18A teams that finished in the top 10 at So Cal State Championship.(Max 13)
4. 18A teams with a return Berth to Nationals from 2007. (Max 2)
5. 18A teams that qualified for 2008 Hall of Fame Qualifier in PCR 14.(Max 2)
6. 16A teams that finished in the top 10 at So Cal State Championship.(Max 13)
7. 16A teams with a return Berth to Nationals from 2007. (Max 2)
8. 16A teams that qualified for 2008 Hall of Fame Qualifier in PCR 14.(Max 2)
9. Open to all So Cal ASA teams that registered in 2008 as 18 Gold, 18U, 16U.

• Classification stays with qualifying Manager.
• Teams may enter both tournaments but once they qualify cannot play in second tournament.
• All players participating must be 2009 eligible.
• All Managers and Coaches must be 2009 Registered and Background checked to participate. ASA ID cards must be displayed at all times
• All Players must be 2009 Registered to participate.

I didn't get the email...did they happen to put forth the actual problem that they are supposedly attempting to fix????

Denial is a hard thing to fix. Hopefully SoCal can start a trend to better the competition nation wide.

Thats funny....the rest of the country is catching up to SoCal so the number of Gold teams is blamed....are you saying that there are some Gold teams that didn't deserve their berth to Gold Nationals? If not, where is the problem?

Cleopatra was the Queen of Denial.

[Whizzer86]

The problem is that all 18U teams are suddenly gold. The rest of the country is not catching up to California because of the number of gold teams, they are catching up simply because they have developed programs, like California did years ago, to teach the game. We are behind on time, not necessarily athletic ability or knowlege.

The less gold teams, the better the competition in gold tournaments.

Cleopatra was the Queen of Denial but it took Pam Tillis to sing about it.

[Sam]

The problem is that all 18U teams are suddenly gold. The rest of the country is not catching up to California because of the number of gold teams, they are catching up simply because they have developed programs, like California did years ago, to teach the game. We are behind on time, not necessarily athletic ability or knowlege.

The less gold teams, the better the competition in gold tournaments.

Cleopatra was the Queen of Denial but it took Pam Tillis to sing about it.

Again...the teams earning berths to Gold Nationals deserve those berths and are the best Gold teams in the nation.....what is the problem. The less Gold teams, the more Gold players on benches....not playing. How exactly does that help ANYBODY? Are you saying that there were teams playing in Lancaster on Sunday that didn't deserve to be there? Again....what is the problem?

You guys are just making crap up.

[Whizzer86]

The problem is that all 18U teams are suddenly gold. The rest of the country is not catching up to California because of the number of gold teams, they are catching up simply because they have developed programs, like California did years ago, to teach the game. We are behind on time, not necessarily athletic ability or knowlege.

The less gold teams, the better the competition in gold tournaments.

Cleopatra was the Queen of Denial but it took Pam Tillis to sing about it.

Again...the teams earning berths to Gold Nationals deserve those berths and are the best Gold teams in the nation.....what is the problem. The less Gold teams, the more Gold players on benches....not playing. How exactly does that help ANYBODY? Are you saying that there were teams playing in Lancaster on Sunday that didn't deserve to be there? Again....what is the problem?

You guys are just making crap up.

First: All the teams in the gold nationals were not the best teams in the nation, like all state and local qualifying formats there were better teams in other states that didn't qualify simply because they faced better talent in their state or qualifying tournaments than other states have to offer (California is probably a perfect example of that).

Second: Gold is not the only way to college scholarship money (as you may think), many girls are noticed before they land with a "Gold" team and will be recruited anyway. Maybe that's not the way it works on the West Coast but maybe the reason the rest of the country is percieved to be "catching SoCal" is because while the rest of the college nation is recruiting the US, most of the Pac10 doesn't recruit anywhere but California and Arizona. Is UCLA your benchmark? because Nationas from 10U to 18U are still dominated by California over the last 5 - 10 years. Maybe you didn't win but several teams were predominantally in the top 10 - 15 in each class.

Third: You could just be a genius or an idiot? I don't know.