Is 16u a dying class?

[amazing]

Seems like the 16u tournaments here in NTX are getting smaller and smaller. Also seems like more and more teams are moving straight from 14U straight to 18U if they are good enough. Over half of the teams in most 16U tournaments are actually 14U. Is 16U dying out?

[Trixsie]

perhaps the change in pitching distance will revive it

[Joe]

No, there's plenty of average pitching to fill out 16U teams.

[amazing]

perhaps the change in pitching distance will revive it

Thats a great point Trixsie! It will definitely cause the younger pitchers to use 16U as a place to adjust to the 43 distance and you will probably see more teams follow along.

[93players]

I expect now that ASA has put 16U back to College Station there will be a healthy group of Texas and Oklahoma teams vying for the top 16U crown.

[ru4u]

16u is becoming lean and mean.
College coaches are flocking to 16u events.
ASA 16u Nationals in College Station will have college coaches thicker than swamp misquitos in June.
http://www.softball.org/tournaments/getNcDetail.asp?tid=3116

[TulsaEliteGold]

All just my Opinion: The Top 16U Teams will be playing Gold in 2010. With the recent ASA announcements eliminating College players from Gold and moving 16"A" to 43' pitching distance IMO the 16A division is going to suffer greatly. I think this change in pitching distance seems like a great change at first glance for the development of pitchers, but when coupled with the other changes will drastically effect 16A. Because so many Gold teams were depending on returning college players and ASA Changing the rules effective Jan 1, those Gold teams are going to be forced to replace a lot of talent on short notice and will take it from the 16A Teams. Then with removing College players from Gold, alot of better 16A Teams will decide to try to play Gold a year early instead for the Exposure and competition. This will leave 16A slim on talent and I anticipate that knowing many of the better 2011, 2012 and even 2013 talent will now be on Gold teams, not nearly as many college coaches will flock to 16A as in the past few years. They will all be watching Gold and 14A instead. There were several coaches at 14A Nationals this year including Pac 10, Big 12 and SEC coaches. And yes many many coaches attended 16A Nationals the past few years, but almost zero coaches attend 16A Qualifiers, HoF Qualifiers etc and when you add up all the coaches who attend Gold Qualifiers every week, there is no comparison to the number of coaches, definitely alot more exposure at the Gold Qualifiers.

[LoneStarGreed]

16U ASA title will not mean the same as it has in the past. Houston has very few teams that play 16U,and D/FW has a few top teams. Central Texas has about 400, 16U teams so you can not take them seriously at all. This tournament will be Gold B.

College Station??? How many teams have actually played in College Station on a regular basis. Do they ever host tournaments in College Station?

[Bleacher Creature]

All just my Opinion: The Top 16U Teams will be playing Gold in 2010. With the recent ASA announcements eliminating College players from Gold and moving 16"A" to 43' pitching distance IMO the 16A division is going to suffer greatly. I think this change in pitching distance seems like a great change at first glance for the development of pitchers, but when coupled with the other changes will drastically effect 16A. Because so many Gold teams were depending on returning college players and ASA Changing the rules effective Jan 1, those Gold teams are going to be forced to replace a lot of talent on short notice and will take it from the 16A Teams. Then with removing College players from Gold, alot of better 16A Teams will decide to try to play Gold a year early instead for the Exposure and competition. This will leave 16A slim on talent and I anticipate that knowing many of the better 2011, 2012 and even 2013 talent will now be on Gold teams, not nearly as many college coaches will flock to 16A as in the past few years. They will all be watching Gold and 14A instead. There were several coaches at 14A Nationals this year including Pac 10, Big 12 and SEC coaches. And yes many many coaches attended 16A Nationals the past few years, but almost zero coaches attend 16A Qualifiers, HoF Qualifiers etc and when you add up all the coaches who attend Gold Qualifiers every week, there is no comparison to the number of coaches, definitely alot more exposure at the Gold Qualifiers.

I asked this question of a college coach just last week at a camp and she told me , that they will be spending the whole week at ASA 16-U vs a couple (1-2) at the ASA-Gold. but I have to agree the change in rules may pull a few up. I was visiting w/ a gold coach last night who(like many others) is looking for a hurler. I can also tell you that I saw over 20 coach's(big D1) watching one 16-U game in AZ last mo. Ask Artomatic he was there. I think it depends on which showcases you go to . Just cause someone calls it a showcase dont make it one.
You folks may want to do a little more homework on this. I know a few 16-U that will give most 18-Gold teams a run . So, I personally dont subcribe to the 16-U is dead theory.

JMO and what I was told , feel free to formulate your own opinion.

[SnocatzDad]

Few factors to consider

16UA is in driving distance of CA and TX hotbeds for ASA talent
18 Gold is same week as 16UA so coaches can split staff, but can't attend both 100%
Chances are that by nationals time you won't find a great unsigned pitcher at 18U Gold Nationals
Chances are that by nationals time there will be tons of unsigned talent at 16UA ASA Nationals
Coaches can count on seeing the teams they wanted to see at 18 Gold the next week at PGF

I agree that Gold will get recruited harder and earlier than 16UA, I just wouldn't count out 16UA ASA as the top place to be that particular week.