PGF 18U Divisions - Premier and Platinum

[MavFan]

Makes sense if you are going to award a berth the following year's PGF national in HB to the winner I guess.

[jonriv]

Perhaps it is viewed as a way to get some teams to "test" teh PGF waters without the expense of a flight across the country- also allows them to get some more teams in the mix and to find some more quality teams

[MavFan]

JMO - did Barcelona jump the gun in posting this. Why no news from the powers that be?

Is it real?

[rdelawder12]

From what I saw at PGF 18U last year, the College Coaches were baby sitting, most of the recruiting was taking place at the 16's, not that they weren't at the 18's, but most I saw at 1 game was 6 schools and even heard one College Coach tell a travel ball coach that they dont need a profile sheet or need to talk before the game began. Thought that was funny! I like the division split, maybe one will become comitted kids only at 18 while the other is uncomitted 18 to assist some girls that have fallen through the cracks or played on over promised under delivered travel ball teams and never made it on a radar!!! JMO

[lovesoftball22]

Question

Why would colleges assume no recruit-able players at the 18G or 18A or 18U level? Is it because they are looking for 8th graders? If a kid is on the Radar-the current year they are recruiting list...and playing 18's ...is that babysitting? ...I get most are saying babysitting = verballed players but seems a lot of 2014/2015 unsigned kids at 18 level ... I get some schools have moved on, but a lot haven't...why would you be looking for the kids just at 16U? And how teams change every season ...it just doesnt make sense that its by a "softball" division vs...whos writing them and the established programs youve gotten good talent from before.

guess it is what it is...but then are we saying ...if your unsigned dont play for 18G team if good enough ...writing letters is a waste if your not in the right division?

[PDad]

Interesting what I found on the Team NJ website today.......

PGF / Premier Girls Fastpitch Qualifier & Tournaments
http://www.premiergirlsfastpitch.com/
18U & 16U National Qualifier
June 21-23
Edison NJ

14U & 12U
TBD

PGF Northeast Nationals
Dates & Location TBD

Word out of the Midwest is PGF has set up 7 regions and each one will be holding a regional tourney the same time as the National in SoCal. The Midwest one will be held in Chicago.

Stuff is leaking out like classified info from the Obama White House. When will PGF formally announce their plans for this year?

[MavFan]

Interesting what I found on the Team NJ website today.......

PGF / Premier Girls Fastpitch Qualifier & Tournaments
http://www.premiergirlsfastpitch.com/
18U & 16U National Qualifier
June 21-23
Edison NJ

14U & 12U
TBD

PGF Northeast Nationals
Dates & Location TBD

Word out of the Midwest is PGF has set up 7 regions and each one will be holding a regional tourney the same time as the National in SoCal. The Midwest one will be held in Chicago.

Stuff is leaking out like classified info from the Obama White House. When will PGF formally announce their plans for this year?

PDad, what is your opinion as to why you would hold these events? I would totally understand if the qualifiers were filling up and you were turning teams away, but that isn't the case, in most areas of the country.

Add to that the additional 64 teams that will be going to the Platinum event, and the 72 spots at ASA Gold, what will the level of competition be?

What is the incentive for my team, in NW Houston, to go to a PGF regional tournament in Dallas for a week, to play the same teams, minus the ones that qualified (PGF, Platinum, ASA Gold), that I would have played at the PGF qualifiers and the ASA qualifiers? Hopefully they will look at the expenses and reduce it from a week to maybe 4 days from Thursday to Sunday.

I guess if I have a Maserati product (PGF nationals), and I was trying to sell more Maseratis (get the best teams from all areas to qualify for my PGF nationals), why would I bring a Honda to my demo (Teams that couldn't qualify for PGF, Platinum, or ASA Gold)?

[ontheblack]

Perhaps it is to get some of the teams that do not want to travel to CA of FL or wherever to play under the PGF umbrella thereby growing their market share.

You are using logic. Be careful with that strategy. It doesnt work with 50% of the public.

[MavFan]

I guess I just don't see where the business model is calling for more events. Why not work on getting more teams to ALL of the regional qualifiers, rather than creating a week long regional tournament that will not accurately portray the PGF National in HB?

I think the beauty of the PGF national was the exclusivity of the event. The best of the best, 64 of the best teams doing battle for the national championship. Now you have 140 18U teams in California and another 200 (maybe) battling it out in 7 regional events.

The apparent desire for market share is giving the appearance of the very thing the founders said they were trying to get away from when they created PGF. PGF has always been about working on the little things that make the event special, playing a regional in Dallas in late July, against the same teams you have played all year isn't special. It is ASA.

[PDad]

@MavFan - It appears PGF is creating events to compete against all ASA's Class A events. They obviously want to expand their customer base so they can sell more registrations and insurance.

However, 7 regionals with all age groups at each one seems overly ambitious. I'm curious what the other 5 regions are besides Northeast and Midwest.

Edit: Found map showing Northeast, Southeast, Midwest-Central, Midwest-South, Midwest-North, Southwest and West (see http://indianafastpitch.com/PGF_Region_3).