CENTRAL TEXAS SOFTBALL...IS IT WATERED DOWN

[Fasterpitch]

Why can Central Texas softball teams play a a high level.

The top teams beat up on the lower B teams, but can not seem to beat anyone good on a consistant basis. Have we watered down the area with big headed father coached teams.

Do we join forces and make a more competative team. Something has to be done, or are we just spinning our wheels.

[slapper]

CENTRAL TEXAS SOFTBALL...IS IT WATERED DOWN

YESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There are many talented players in Central TX but there are also many ego maniacs. Mostly sitting in the stands. Take a look at 12U and 14U in the top organizations in Central TX *****Blaze, Stix, Bombers, Storm****** throw in a few more top teams FireBalls, Flamethrowers, Corps, Shockerz and you pretty much know who will be in the top 3 of most tournaments. You will see the Tornadoes, Flames, Freeze and Shock occasionally in the top 3 but not consistantly. The problem is the EGO'S. Parents can't stand the fact that DD is not #1. Some parents do anything to keep DD starting in their prefered position and spot in the line up. Until it becomes about building a top TEAM and not a team where DD is on top this will never change. The top organization teams in both age groups have 5-6 quality players on each team and the other teams listed have 2-4 on each team. The Blaze 12U team has the most top players on one team (maybe 7-8) than any other 12U team but they still fall short on the National level. Don't get me wrong they did well this year at ASA but really needed 3-4 more elite players to win the games they lost. The Fireballs did well also and is a true testament to the fact that speed kills. They had enough speed to win the games they did at Nationals but in the long run lacked power and piching depth to keep winnng. The Bombers, Stix and Storm are each half way to being dominate outside of Central TX. They each need 4-5 more quality players to be a National contender.

At 14U you see the same thing. The Corps Thompson team has 6-7 really good players, Blaze has 5-6, 93 Bombers and 94 Bombers could be real good if they made one team out of the 2. The Stix has 4-5 good players. The Shock has 3 that are pretty good and could help any of the other teams. Again at this age group EGO is the root of where DD plays. You go to a tournament and you hear parents of a good player say my daughter will never play for that team or that coach and why should they. They play for a team that can't win and has only placed 2 out of 10 times but my DD is the star and plays SS and bats 4th and her cousin pitches all bracket games and bats lead off. Why go to a team where DD would be the #7 or 8 player when she can be a star. Whats even more funny is to hear them say how good she is going to be in highschool and college. What or who are you going to do to get her the top spot that YOU think she deserves. I am amazed at how many MOMS AND DADS forget this is a team sport and DD wins when the team wins and loses when the team loses. You may not be able to tell everyone at work on Monday how much better your daughter is than everyone else on your team but she may actually become a better player. Players get better by playing with better players and playing against better teams. Until Central Texas figures it out DFW and Houston will always have the top teams in TX.

[93players]

Slapper, you failed to mention the key factor in Central Texas. How many players on the 18U teams could play 16U. How many 16U players could play 14U? How many 16U tourneys have ever made in Central Texas? A look at the Austin Storm Red roster had half of their players in middle school. The guest pitcher who played for the South Texas 8s (Bombers) could play 14U but does not. A recent trip to Owensboro Kentucky would show you the top 16U California and Arizona teams are full of seniors and juniors. Some have accepted D1 offers. Playing in Central Texas is not a challenge for those teams that want to success on the national level. You do not see the pitching, hitting or fielding that you encounter around the country. Go to the Colorado tourneys and you will see some great play. So first I would tell parents and kids that you have to play your age. Second, I would consistently play Dallas and Houston.

[TXfastpitchsoftball]

I disagree that many of the top 16u teams in Kentucky had rosters "full" of juniors and seniors. Please identify the teams that you are referring to.

The idea that you "play your age" is outdated. Every college coach I've spoken to advises that your kids should play at the highest level that they can still excell. The Lady Magic won 16u ASA Nationals with a roster made up of eight 2011s, who were still mostly 14u eligible. If your DD can play 16u or 18u as a freshman in high school, then she needs to play in that division to advance her opportunities to get recruited.

The problem I've seen in Central Texas is that most girls don't "play to their ability." You have 2011s, 2010s playing 18u that would be below average 14u's even in Central Texas at best.

[Fasterpitch]

Some of the coachs that I spoke with all said atleast half of their kids are going into the 11th grade and 12th grade. You could just about tell the younger kids from the older kids.

I spoke to a Lady Magic parent on Friday and she told me that there best players were older girls that will be GOLD next year. She never told me 8 could play 14U. From our conversation I thought most were older......she could have miss spoke......WOW they were good.

[pixsguy]

what yall need are coaches that have no daughters on the team...look at the top cali teams...most dont have daughters playing anymore...they just coach...my dd will be done soon, ill get there as soon as i can and we can sort it all out...haha

[coachcard]

Biggest problem in Central Texas is the lack of facilities. Nothing like playing at Gary job corps or Seguin or practicing at Krieg to steer girls toward volleyball. Especially after they've been to Colorado where there seem to be decent complexes in every suburb of Denver.

Fortunately that is changing with what I understand are new fields being built at Old settlers(Round Rock) and the new fields in Seguin and the Bomber fields in New Braunfels.

EDIT: For those not familiar with the area there are currently no strictly girls softball complexes-more than 2 fields with 200 foot range fences-in the Austin area. Makes it real tough to build an organization with teams in every age group.

[Fasterpitch]

There are fields around Texas and the nation that do have 200ft fences, but not alot that I have seen. Seguin has them, Round Rock will have them. I also think the cities of San Marcos and NB are building them.

In Colorado (Fireworks), I think all of the fields that my DD has played at over the last 3 years have all been on big fields. The Elite showcase is played on 280ft fence with temps. Half of the fields at the RMD are big and they have temp. fences.

2008 ASA 16U Nationals had temp fences
2007 ASA 14U Nationals had temp fences
2006 ASA 12U Nationals had temp fences

......I hate the big fields, but the cities have a hard time building them for only one use. Big fields mean fast and slow pitch softball can be played on the fields

[coachcard]

Nothing wrong with well maintained big fields and temp fences. Sadly in Centex we have had neither good maintainence nor temp fences. Haven't had many big fields available for fastpitch either for that matter.

[Fasterpitch]

Do you live in Centex? Does your DD play softball?

There is a tournament every weekeend in Centex. The fields are not the greatest, but there are plenty of them.

fields in:

Austin:

Butler
Williams
Havens
Noack
Craig

DelValle:

Correction fields
Southeast Metro

Roundrock:

Settlers Parks

Triple Play
Hubner

Killeen:

Atleast 2 good complexes with multiple fields

Temple:

one ok complex and one more that is pretty good

Waco:

Several complexs and one of them is very nice.

These parks are all within approx. 1 hour of Austin at some point inside the city limits. For the north players Waco and Temple are close. For the south San Marcos and NB are close.

Im not including the fields in Brenham fields.

In some cases people can Drive to Bryan, Spring,Tomball faster then driving to Seguin.

My DD's have all played on all of the above fields. They are all not great but, Centex does have fields. You can play just about every weekend of the year if you want to.