nationals

[onlooker]

.....

[#1fann]

A Norcal team is definitely not making a run @ nationals unless they have several tournaments scheduled for Southern Cal and a Colorado tourney to boot. They also aren`t making a serious run @ performing well in nationals unless they are the Sorcerers or All American. There`s a huge difference between going to nationals & actually doing some damage while you`re there. And i`m not referring to Don Mashburn damage!!

[Tenshun]

Most parents aren't stupid. They're not going to believe a low-performing team is even going to qualify for Nationals. Teams don't get to go just because they have the travel funds.

[NumeroUno]

Making a run and qualifying are two different things. What do you want the team to post.

We suck and play daddy ball, this team couldn't qualify for a free berth to USSSA. Please bring your stud SS down for a private workout, oh ya don't forget the check book

[watchtonsofsoftball]

Uno that would be a start
Getting talent and keeping talent is competative even in Nor Cal with all the teams. You cant expect someone to not have a goal of nationals... just listen closely if they mumbled WESTERN in front of the Nationals .

[SoftballSoccerDad]

I've noticed this a lot in 12U.....Roseville heat says they are gonna make a run at Nationals, yet cant win in Sacramento, same with Yard sharks and mizuno stone, same with a handful of others. I guess I am learning something here in this world....Sales is Sales....and by tempting an uneducated parent with a "nationals" trip is appearing as a calculated feature/benefit to their kids, helping make the sale. Is this old hat? is this a new method to get players? really, if you cant win a game or 2 on sunday in your backyard is it in any families best interest to invest in a trip across the country?

please educate me.

You'd be surprised at how many NorCal softball parents don't care and have no interest in 'nationals', largely because of the expense involved. There are plenty of great tournament options within driving distance that can provide all the competition needed to push a player or team to improve.

Some parents like being able to say "my kid made so-n-so team", but some of those teams aren't household names just because of how well they do in local tournaments. Some organizations are considered to be good quality regardless of how they did in Sacramento.

[SoftballSoccerDad]

Uno that would be a start
Getting talent and keeping talent is competative even in Nor Cal with all the teams. You cant expect someone to not have a goal of nationals... just listen closely if they mumbled WESTERN in front of the Nationals .

There definitely seems to be a reluctance to allow the true development of more than a couple of 'elite' teams from 12u into the 14s and beyond. Parents get so bitter with coaches and one another during 12u (even 10u!) that they aren't willing to set aside the pettiness to allow those really talented kids to play together for more than a season or two.

We end up with a bunch of decent teams, and not enough that would be described as good and almost none that are elite.

[sportykids]

I don't think there is anything wrong with having goals for a team. However, the coach should evaluate his team toward the end of the season and if they aren't ready for Nationals then do local tournaments or ones with out a long distance. I can only think of a few great 12u teams right now for Fall but come Spring that could change.

[lookingIN]

A Norcal team is definitely not making a run @ nationals unless they have several tournaments scheduled for Southern Cal and a Colorado tourney to boot. They also aren`t making a serious run @ performing well in nationals unless they are the Sorcerers or All American. There`s a huge difference between going to nationals & actually doing some damage while you`re there. And i`m not referring to Don Mashburn damage!!

So you are saying if you are not part of the Sorcers or All American you do not have a chance.

[bruisedshin]

Maybe they're trying to distinguish themselves from organizations that are not interested in being competitive. Some organizations are trying to market kids to colleges, and have no interest in being genuinely competitive. They'd rather play 14U kids at 18 Gold than be legitimately competitive at 14U.

That said, if an organization sets it's goal as nationals and tries to get there and doesn't make it, so what? If you set goals higher than you can achieve and don't get there, that's still better than winning every weekend at DF, right?