Gold Classification

[Sam]

I have been in touch with our local (Santa Clara county) rep. many times these past few weeks. An email was sent out to each Gold coach (he said) asking for input regarding the possible change of Gold team status. When I communicated with him last week he was diappointed with the number of responses he had recieved. Up front I told him I opposed this idea without even knowing if it impacts my team. I believe that the 'law of supply and demand" will begin to limit Gold teams. As players and parents become more knowledgable about the teams, the coaches and thier records they will be able to make better decisions.

We played this past weekend in Stockton and almost all the issues that are being raised I observed. There were very poor teams playing, one organization had multiple teams from multiple age groups all playing Gold, a numner of teams that played in last year's Gold nationals lost when they did not have their "hired guns", I mean their returning college players. Bob does a great job of putting teams where he feels they belong and he is usually very good at it.

So, what is the purpose of the Gold division? Is it soley to get players to Oklahoma? Is it to get players signed to colleges? Is to provide a quality opportunity for as many young ladies as possible to reach as high as they can? Each of us has to determine what we want from these questions. Example, last year we did not qualify for Nationals. But we had a very winning season, signed all 8 of our seniors to colleges for the third year in a row, were watched at all the college exposure tournaments by lots and lots of coaches and kept every player in softball. My other option, taken by many, would have been to cut half my kids, bring back a bunch of college players and qualify. Would have destryoed the team but hey, I'd be a Gold team. Not what I think we want from this division.

I suggested a number of "qualifications" if change is mandatory although I see no resaon for it. Including ACE 3 year certification, players must have played at least one year in 16s, a new GOLD ACE test, etc.

My biggest complaint - this process. Not enogh information, problem is ill defined and the idea of an arbitrary (based upon prior results) qualification process is just wrong. Don't you think that if every coach knew these "new rules" last year they would have handeled their choices differently?

Sorry this is so long. This process reminds me of the lateset LPGA rule change to mandate all players speak English. Never seemd a problem, seemed like a good idea to many but in practicality it was impossible. If changes are needed, which I agree, lets take our time and do this right and let everyone (hey, even the parents and players) participate.

Why do you think changes are needed? I don't see a problem.

I see huge problems if these guys set arbitrary numbers of Gold teams...which is what they are doing.

[rpiper]

You know, you may have me on that one. The problem, if you want to call it one seems to be level of play. Is it a real problem? To be honest, not to me. I would rather have 100 Gold teams tah 99 and turn 15young ladies out. I know they could also play 18A but most do not want to.

The base problem, I don't know anymore. Seems like "someone" was not happy and now has made everyone unhappy. I would hope that ASA and Rgion 14 would take a long, long look at this and give every coach a chance to prepare AHEAD of time before a change is made. In the year's I've coached Gold I have seen a drop in overall comtition on a team level. To many teams means each team has only 8-9 Gold players instead of 15.

[wadeintothem]

What does it mean?
Nothing. Most teams are not competitive gold level anyway. It caps to about 35 the number of socal non gold teams calling themselves gold... and the Top 15 real gold teams are still good to go. The others will still go to the show cases, get seen by D1 coaches, who knows maybe make So Cal competitive at the 18U national or maybe go play 16U where many belong, and overall, they will still do just fine.

Most are gold in name only and are not viable as gold organizations at any tournament they go to.
I see no problem with So Cal finally regulating their out of control Gold mess. Good on them.

You don't know a thing.

Now now, no need to be rude.

How many of the 18U teams will play Gold teams at the Surf City Showcases? I'll tell you....none...because the Gold teams will want to play Gold teams. Last year our little Gold team got to play a team that qualified for Gold Nationals at a Surf City tournament. We lost 4-2 with only 8 players...but our opponents had to bring in their UCLA recruit to shut us down. That won't happen after these guys do this. This hurts the very players we do this for and only helps feed the egos of guys who happened to be around when this division started. They want to clean out the riff raff and could give a crap what it does to the upper mid-level player. There is no mess....the teams that earn berths to Gold Nationals will still do it.....this is a solution looking for a problem....and not finding one.

Hey, this hurts umpires too.. there is nothing we like to see more than some fake gold team walk on the field and get run ruled quickly. If they start separating out the pretenders, we may not get those lovely games. This will also feed the top organizations, and create stronger national level teams.

Thats what its probably all about sam..

I watched the Top So Cal 18G teams this year, worked many of them on the way to national. So cal was not dominate before nationals and so cal did not win. Perhaps so call sees the writing on the wall?

I don't see how limiting So cal to 50 gold teams is a big deal. Thats 40 more competitive teams than most other states have. The wheat will separate from the chaff.

[FP_Coach4]

Here is the proposal from SoCal ASA...............

So Cal ASA Gold Classification

Limit number of Gold teams to 51 for 2009

1. Criteria for becoming a Gold Team
• Teams that qualified for Gold Nationals in 2008 from PCR 14 Regional Tournament or the two Western Territory Tournaments get automatic classification as Gold for 2009. (11Teams)
• Remaining teams must qualify in one of two classification tournaments to be held each year. For 2009 first tournament will be limited to 84 teams with 24 teams qualifying, second tournament will be limited to 66 teams with 16 qualifying.
• Entries into the classification tournaments will be as follows.
1. Gold teams that participated in the 2008 PCR 14 Regional Tournament. (56)
2. Gold teams that qualified for Nationals outside of Region 14 or Western Territories. (2)
3. 18A teams that finished in the top 10 at So Cal State Championship.(Max 13)
4. 18A teams with a return Berth to Nationals from 2007. (Max 2)
5. 18A teams that qualified for 2008 Hall of Fame Qualifier in PCR 14.(Max 2)
6. 16A teams that finished in the top 10 at So Cal State Championship.(Max 13)
7. 16A teams with a return Berth to Nationals from 2007. (Max 2)
8. 16A teams that qualified for 2008 Hall of Fame Qualifier in PCR 14.(Max 2)
9. Open to all So Cal ASA teams that registered in 2008 as 18 Gold, 18U, 16U.

• Classification stays with qualifying Manager.
• Teams may enter both tournaments but once they qualify cannot play in second tournament.
• All players participating must be 2009 eligible.
• All Managers and Coaches must be 2009 Registered and Background checked to participate. ASA ID cards must be displayed at all times
• All Players must be 2009 Registered to participate.

[LVTHEGAME]

Correction:

So Cal ASA Gold Classification

Limit number of Gold teams to 52 for 2009

1. Criteria for becoming a Gold Team
• Teams that qualified for Gold Nationals in 2008 from PCR 14 Regional Tournament or the two Western Territory Tournaments get automatic classification as Gold for 2009. (12Teams)
• Remaining teams must qualify in one of two classification tournaments to be held each year. For 2009 first tournament will be limited to 84 teams with 24 teams qualifying, second tournament will be limited to 66 teams with 16 qualifying.
• Entries into the classification tournaments will be as follows.
1. Gold teams that participated in the 2008 PCR 14 Regional Tournament. (56)
2. Gold teams that qualified for Nationals outside of Region 14 or Western Territories. (2)
3. 18A teams that finished in the top 10 at So Cal State Championship.(Max 13)
4. 18A teams with a return Berth to Nationals from 2007. (Max 2)
5. 18A teams that qualified for 2008 Hall of Fame Qualifier in PCR 14.(Max 2)
6. 16A teams that finished in the top 10 at So Cal State Championship.(Max 13)
7. 16A teams with a return Berth to Nationals from 2007. (Max 2)
8. 16A teams that qualified for 2008 Hall of Fame Qualifier in PCR 14.(Max 2)
9. Open to all So Cal ASA teams that registered in 2008 as 18 Gold, 18U, 16U.

• Classification stays with qualifying Manager.
• Teams may enter both tournaments but once they qualify cannot play in second tournament.
• All players participating must be 2009 eligible.
• All Managers and Coaches must be 2009 Registered and Background checked to participate. ASA ID cards must be displayed at all times
• All Players must be 2009 Registered to participate.


Meeting October 15, 2008 at 7:00PM at:
A Q M D
21865 Copley Drive
Diamond Bar

[Sam]

This is the current classification code for SoCal ASA from the Yellow Book:

CLASSIFICATION OF TEAMS: Southern California ASA has established a classification code to
regulate teams and players with dominating ability from playing in a lower classification. Players and/or teams can request to be reclassified before they are eligible to compete in a lower classification.

As you can see, the classification code is meant solely to ensure that high level teams don't enter into Championship Play against lower level teams.

Here is the current SoCal ASA 18 Gold classification:

JR. OLYMPIC CLASSIFICATIONS: December 31st age cutoff.

‘Gold’ (18U): This classification will include the most advanced Junior Olympic girls fast pitch players and teams in the United States. Many of these players have the potential to become a member of the USA Olympic Softball Team. Qualifying teams at this level will advance to ‘Gold’ National championship.

The "proposed" code posted here is nowhere to be found on the SoCal ASA website. These people are attempting to perpetrate a fraud on their 18 Gold customers.

[Sam]

Classification exists so that teams don't "play down." It has never existed to discourage teams from playing up.

[LVTHEGAME]

The 2009 Yellow Book has not been posted yet, it usually is on the web site after their council meeting in November.

Before you , or anyone can comment lets here what they say at the meeting...could be a good thing, right?

[Sam]

The 2009 Yellow Book has not been posted yet, it usually is on the web site after their council meeting in November.

Before you , or anyone can comment lets here what they say at the meeting...could be a good thing, right?

What who says? They haven't even stated what the problem is, where the problem came from, who really has the problem, and why they are perpetrating a fraud on the entire Region 14 Gold Division.

The teams that deserve to go to Gold Nationals are there every year....again....what is the problem?

[Sam]

Sam,
If 18Gold is supposed to be the top tier of teams and yet anybody can say they are a gold team and sign up for a tournament how do those two things jibe?

Do you really see no problem with 100 teams signing up to play a qualifier? Do you really believe they all have a right to be there because they could afford the entry fee? You could argue that if you are a top team you should beat them, but why should you have top even play them.
Not every college is D1, not every kid makes all-stars, there should be requirements and standards met if you want to call yourself one of the best.

Actually, I do think they have the perfect right to waste their money if they so wish....teams do it in other divisions all the time. Our team went 2 & Q last year...losing by a run to Cal Thunder and by 3 runs to Valley Breeze. The TD could limit the number of teams they would accept....they don't. That is all they would have to do....but they don't want to do it....$$$$$$