NEW ASA POLICY ON SELECTING USA SOFTBALL JUNIOR TEAM

[PDad]

Aah, it's a terrible thing. The first casualty in war is always the innocent.

This stinks to high heaven and reminds me of the boycott of the 1980 Olympics in Moscow.

Actually, once they're in college they can still be eligible right? If not for Junior team then for the women's team? So maybe they can just skip their senior year of travel ball, since kids of this caliber already have full-ride deals in place, then play some college ball and be eligible for the national teams.

Very few college players would meet the ISF 18u age requirement, which is equivalent to 17u in ASA because they can't turn 18 before the year of the team (i.e. '93s are ineligible for the 2012 team). Besides, college players can't play Gold.

And let's face it, this affects hardly any players, if you're looking at the big picture. Of the hundreds of 18u teams, how many players have a realistic shot at this team? I guess a lot more different ones, now that all the PGF players aren't eligible, but still. Maybe a hundred, out of several thousand? And out of those hundred maybe 40 get invited to try out, and of those maybe 15-20 make the team.

So, the big wheels form 3 ASA Ballbuster teams - Red, White and Blue - with the girls that want to try out for the Junior Team. All they have to do is play in one qualifier and Gold Nats.

[PDad]

Once ASA figures out a way to take this war to the college recruiting, and I can guarantee you that they are thinking about it, it might get ugly. I really hope that never happens.

Looks like ASA is headed that way with their partnership with Softball Factory.

I pukled (i.e. puke + chuckle) big time when I read this quote on the ASA/USA National Identification Program webpage (http://www.softballfactory.com/national ... n-program/):

“Our sport needs Softball Factory. This organization is revolutionizing the sport of softball and providing much needed opportunities in player development and college recruiting for players across the U.S. They have a proven system that simply gets results for players. Our sport was really lacking in player development before Softball Factory came along.”
– Karen Johns, USA Softball Junior Women’s National Team Head Coach

[NumeroUno]

ASA's new policy almost seems illegal. For now it may be a big blow to some but someone needs to step up and challenge them. Once again the old people fight and the kids get the raw end of the deal.

and no I am not an ASA hater I have enjoyed every ASA nationals and event I have ever been involved with.

I sent Mike Schutt sp??? from ASA an email a while back to get ASA on this site and he turned it over to someone else and I never heard back from them.

[ontheblack]

Once ASA figures out a way to take this war to the college recruiting, and I can guarantee you that they are thinking about it, it might get ugly. I really hope that never happens.

Looks like ASA is headed that way with their partnership with Softball Factory.

I pukled (i.e. puke + chuckle) big time when I read this quote on the ASA/USA National Identification Program webpage (http://www.softballfactory.com/national ... n-program/):

“Our sport needs Softball Factory. This organization is revolutionizing the sport of softball and providing much needed opportunities in player development and college recruiting for players across the U.S. They have a proven system that simply gets results for players. Our sport was really lacking in player development before Softball Factory came along.”
– Karen Johns, USA Softball Junior Women’s National Team Head Coach

I had the same reaction.

@Battle - its called the USA Softball Junior Women’s National Team, not the ASA Softball Junior Women’s National Team. Not even you can defend ASA here. PGF provided an alternative tournament for girls to play. That is all. PGF did nothing in anyway that is punitive or hinders our kids in any way. That cannot be said about ASA now. If you think ASA will take it further,into the recruiting process, then your beloved ASA will have stepped into a legal morass.

[CULater]

USA softball is under the ASA umbrella.

[ontheblack]

USA softball is under the ASA umbrella.

I understand that. Any girl registered ASA should be eligible. If they take the money, then the player is under the same umbrella and should be afforded the same opportunity as any other ASA registered player.

Its an easy workaround for those wanting to be considered, but it shouldnt come to this.

[Intel]

Two questions:

1. Who pays the Junior National Team expenses?

2. Where do they get the funds to pay the Junior National Team expenses?

If ASA gets funds from the US Olympic Program, than they have no right to make the change. If ASA funds the team, then they have the right to make the change as PGF, ISA, Little League, USSSA ... does not contribute to the team funding.

[Battle]

So, the big wheels form 3 ASA Ballbuster teams - Red, White and Blue - with the girls that want to try out for the Junior Team. All they have to do is play in one qualifier and Gold Nats.

Players whose teams compete in other Softball Associations will only be eligible if they have competed at the ASA Gold Nationals or in ASA Championship Play.

[PDad]

So, the big wheels form 3 ASA Ballbuster teams - Red, White and Blue - with the girls that want to try out for the Junior Team. All they have to do is play in one qualifier and Gold Nats.

Players whose teams compete in other Softball Associations will only be eligible if they have competed at the ASA Gold Nationals or in ASA Championship Play.

That is second-hand info, aka hearsay - I'd like to see something official from USA Softball. Even if it is accurate, it would be too easy for them to say they can't monitor all the qualifiers. Realistically, the best approach is to play in Gold Nats where they can't be missed.

[PDad]

ASA's new policy almost seems illegal. For now it may be a big blow to some but someone needs to step up and challenge them.

Press-Enterprise HS sports blog (http://blog.pe.com/hs-gametime/2012/07/ ... elections/) quotes Haning and he expects it will be challenged.

Haning has placed a call to the United States Olympic Committee to see whether or not ASA has National Governing Body status over the USA Junior National Team. He also expects the new guidelines likely will be challenged in court.

“I’m not a legal expert, but I know coaches who are lawyers and even judges,” Haning said. “I don't think this will stand out in a court of law. This restricts a players opportunity to play and I think you can argue that it also restricts trade.

“Somewhere, someone is going to fight this. It could get extremely contentious."