ASA Nationals Qualified 18G

[andy]

I do not think forfeit is the correct term as it is against ASA code to forfeit in Championship play. Penalty is disqualification. That is why the Gold brackets for the Western Territories and Region 14 qualifier, show that the semis and finals will not be played in advance. Otherwise the third place team could make a case to get the berth. I would imagine, this was worked out in advance and the game just was not played with the two teams gaining the berth and no Champion or co-champions. Several years back this was a huge issue at another Gold qualifier. Then again the rules may have changes since then

[Sam]

It was wonderful to go to the Gold Qualifier in Lancaster...all of the best college freshmen players were showcased and absolutely destroyed the non-professional amateur players. It sure helps to have 5 or 6 players come in for this part of the season after they have played softball with professional coaching every day of the year since September. Its what ASA Junior Olympic Gold softball is all about. Congrats to ASA for continuing to the absolute most moronic organization on the planet.

When will the Gold coaches try their own organization again? Andy, it almost worked last time....

[Gone in 2.6]

Congrats to the qualifiers out of Lancaster. Is there a tougher tournament anywhere outside of Gold nationals? What's the hold up in posting the final brackets? I'd like to see who these teams beat to get there.

Where did these Diamonds come from? That has to be one of the more impressive runs beating the Firecrackers and then pounding Sorcerer to get their berth. Both those teams bounced back impressively to grab the loser bracket berths. Cruisers got by the Angels (best team to not get in?) and the Breakers beat the Sting along their way. Not sure if the Busters were challenged.

The So Cal Athletics are dangerous and always a challenge. The Athletics were eventually eliminated by the Firecrackers who had to come back from 3-0 to nip the A's 4-3 at the end.

[DHBHitting]

It was wonderful to go to the Gold Qualifier in Lancaster...all of the best college freshmen players were showcased and absolutely destroyed the non-professional amateur players. It sure helps to have 5 or 6 players come in for this part of the season after they have played softball with professional coaching every day of the year since September. Its what ASA Junior Olympic Gold softball is all about. Congrats to ASA for continuing to the absolute most moronic organization on the planet.

Response: Exactly, it is what ASA GOLD Softball is all about so complaining about it seems a bit mute doesn’t it. Everyone knows that in the summer GOLD ball is all about fielding the best age legal team you can and winning as much as possible with the ultimate goal being a national championship.

If the amount of college players is an issue for you at the GOLD level you can always go play 18A, there is not as many if any college players playing at that level.

[Sam]

It was wonderful to go to the Gold Qualifier in Lancaster...all of the best college freshmen players were showcased and absolutely destroyed the non-professional amateur players. It sure helps to have 5 or 6 players come in for this part of the season after they have played softball with professional coaching every day of the year since September. Its what ASA Junior Olympic Gold softball is all about. Congrats to ASA for continuing to the absolute most moronic organization on the planet.

Response: Exactly, it is what ASA GOLD Softball is all about so complaining about it seems a bit mute doesn’t it. Everyone knows that in the summer GOLD ball is all about fielding the best age legal team you can and winning as much as possible with the ultimate goal being a national championship.

If the amount of college players is an issue for you at the GOLD level you can always go play 18A, there is not as many if any college players playing at that level.

Bull$hit. The first A in ASA is for amateur.....the college players are, in essence, professionals. The NCAA may not call them professionals, but if they are on scholarship, they are playing for money and a lot of it. If they don't perform, they get fired. If they don't follow their employers' rules, they get fired. Its a joke. ASA should just change their name to American Softball Association.

Why not just assign Gold designation to college scholarship players? Thats what you are essentially advocating. They are the only real Gold players....they play for money.

[DHBHitting]

Bull$hit. The first A in ASA is for amateur.....the college players are, in essence, professionals.

Response: Technically, they are not professionals though right? You have too do all sorts of things with the clearinghouse to declare your amateurism before even stepping foot on to a college campus. However I see your point, they do get money to go to school so if that alone makes em professionals in your eyes then so be it.

The NCAA may not call them professionals, but if they are on scholarship, they are playing for money and a lot of it. If they don't perform, they get fired.

Response: Although a player may have her scholarship reduced or in extreme cases taken I have heard of very few coaches ever doing it for performance reasons. Now the breaking of team rules, academic issues, or disciplinary problems are all reasons I have seen money taken or scholarships reduced/taken.

If they don't follow their employers' rules, they get fired. It’s a joke. ASA should just change their name to American Softball Association.

Why not just assign Gold designation to college scholarship players? That’s what you are essentially advocating. They are the only real Gold players....they play for money.

Response: First off although there are allot of teams that play GOLD and not all have a ton of college players, I can think of some that are not just loaded with em. My thing is, why not play 18A if the college players bother you so much? The rule states if a kid is 18 by Jan 1st they are age legal to play ASA, period. If playing against college players is a problem then play at a level where you do not have to play against them, it is that simple. Now college players playing in showcases is something I can agree with you on, and I would agree that they have no business playing in Vegas, Boulder, etc. But when it comes time to crank it up for real, when the qualifiers and nationals get here, then all bets are off and you put the best team you can on the field to win, because that is what GOLD ball in the SUMMER is all about. If you have an issue with it, play 18A, it’s that simple.

[GoldTBfan]

If you have an issue with it, play 18A, it’s that simple.

I had friends that attended 18A Nationals and they said that there were more college age players at 18A Nationals then at Gold; some parts of the country you have to use older players to field a team.

In CA there are plenty of quality young players to fill most rosters but, the rules allow you to use any age eligible player. I think Sorcerer may have had one of the youngest rosters in Lancaster - only one college players and only a couple of 08 players. Others had lots of college players, it's your choice on how you want to compete.

What really separates the top teams is not just their college players but their great young players. They are still hungry and really compete, they push the older players.

What's the real issue? Let's not confuse qualifying with Showcase tournaments. If it's about being seen, play on a lower profile team that has no chance of winning and let them play everyone equally. I know that the top teams make sure that their unsigned players get plenty of time in the showcase tournaments - they also get those players signed.

[TulsaEliteGold]

This is an issue that has been debated time and time again by many people. At the NFCA Meetings last winter this was a huge topic.

Here is my OPINION:
As long as they are young enough to play, I do not have a problem with it. In fact, I prefer our kids get to face current college kids. How much more recruitable do your kids become when they are successful against current college players and how much more prepared does it make them for college. Half the Gold teams have college coaches on staff anyway, so there is not much advantage in the coaching they have received. In addition, I pesonally would rather our girls compete with the best players in the country & lose, but continue to challenge themselves and improve their game, then I would to see them just win. As for Non-Qualifiers, I agree teams should get their non-signed players exposure and MOST of them do this, but if all their kids are mainly signed, I do not have a problem with them playing and again want our kids playing against the best players in the country, current college players, signed seniors or verballed underclassmen doesn't matter.

[DHBHitting]

I had friends that attended 18A Nationals and they said that there were more college age players at 18A Nationals then at Gold; some parts of the country you have to use older players to field a team.

Response: Thanks for the information, being that I'm in California I do not have allot of exposure to the inner workings as to how other states put together 18A clubs. I know here in CA our college girls generally do not play 18A if they are going to play, but I do not have a problem with them playing any level period, if they are age legal then it is ok with me .

Great point Tulsa, I agree with your post 100%.

[Sam]

Some wonderful responses about competition...play 18A....blah blah blah. Here are my issues:

a) Its not a level playing field. The college players play every day all year. They lift weights, they condition, they play. Its basically similar to the USC football team entering the NFL playoffs.

b) Its a case of the rich get richer. The teams that are there every year will always be there because their kids will always come back to win Gold Nationals.

c) The knife cuts both ways for the unrecruited athlete....they could do very well against college freshmen and be seen by a college or they could bomb.

d) I wonder how all these kids that do the fundraising to go to Nationals in the fall are going to feel about sitting on the pine during quailifying and Gold Nationals, sitting behind a college freshman who didn't raise a dime for the trip?

Its a situation caused by the idiots back east. Haning got tired of getting beaten by college freshman....so now they will be playing on an even playing field. It just sucks for everybody else.