Midwest Fastpitch - keeptheboardcorrect@gmail.com

Midwest Fastpitch - keeptheboardcorrect@gmail.com
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Changing tournament format

Posted by Fluffington McGiggles on January 5, 2025, 9:04 am

Enjoying my morning coffee on this cold Sunday and wondering…

Would things be better if our club schedule was all non-bracketed showcases (perhaps except for the year end Alliance/PGF championships)?

Posting the Twitter photo with the laminated plywood is nice, but is it really worth the pain and suffering of Sunday schedules? Wouldn’t it be nice to just head into a weekend knowing you had 5-8 games at defined time against defined teams, as opposed to running around like decapitated poultry during bracket days trying to get to late posted fields, with rushed meals and potential hotel and travel changes?

If the girls really wanted the plywood, we could always use the runs for/against math and crown a victor.

It would be so much easier for teams, coaches (club and colleges), umpires, parents and tourney organizers.

Why not?

I‘ll now brace for the incoming fire…

Re: Changing tournament format

Posted by The fluffer on January 5, 2025, 1:33 pm, in reply to "Changing tournament format"

Competition is the name of the game. Coaches want to see you compete to win a tournament rather than just watch you play meaningless games. They want to see the girls compete under pressure.

Re: Changing tournament format

Posted by EagleEye on January 5, 2025, 11:03 am, in reply to "Changing tournament format"

There used to be a fall college tournament in Orland Park many years ago that used that format. The winner was determine by number of wins combined with runs for/against factoring in for a tie breaker. The tournament was for nothing but getting teams innings. It worked nice. You knew the exact time and field to be at.

Re: Changing tournament format

Posted by @Fluffington McGiggles on January 5, 2025, 10:59 am, in reply to "Changing tournament format"

I had a couple of kids spread apart age-wise. The older ones are way better athletes because everything wasn't a "do I look like I'm a player" crapass recruiting event; success was based on team performance on what you contributed to the result. I remember the days of playing 19, and it seemed like it, games in the losers bracket at Metros on the shittiest fields available in 90+ heat, and then hopping the car the next day to go to Nationals. Ahhh .. good times.

Re: Changing tournament format

Posted by @Da Fluff on January 5, 2025, 10:46 am, in reply to "Changing tournament format"

The highest level of softball is NCAA DI. Anything that doesn't prepare a travel athlete for that format is a huge disservice. Unless you have no intent on moving past travel/high school ball, you need to learn to compete.

I guess you could seed the NCAA tournament based on team colors and best Instagram posts too.

Re: Changing tournament format

Posted by Fluffington McGiggles on January 5, 2025, 11:05 am, in reply to "Re: Changing tournament format"

Yet in college the vast majority of college games aren’t tournaments - save preseason and NCAA post-season.

You play a lot of weekend series, at set times, and don’t worry about being crowned.

I don’t know that moving to that type of format would lessen any player or team’s focus on winning a game. Nothing is perfect, the pros seem to outweigh the cons to me.

And if we really want to help our girls get ready for college, we’d play full 7 inning games… which would be easier in a showcase format than going to 45 minute drop dead’s to get through a rainy bracket…

Re: Changing tournament format

Posted by @Fluffy on January 8, 2025, 9:58 am, in reply to "Re: Changing tournament format"

Your points are valid! Some of the arguments about what college coaches want to see is bogus. First of all, exposure tournaments have never been about which team wins. Its about showcasing talent to the one's looking to recruit individuals.

Your point about 7 innings is spot on. Tourney directors are in this for $$$. If it was truly about preparation for college ball, we'd all play those 7 innings. Timed games and full length games are two different animals. You have to approach them differently as a coach. If you want that "grind" then play 7 innings (21 outs). Hell, most umpires start the clock at the coin toss so "we can get all of these games in today."

Re: Changing tournament format

Posted by Time on January 8, 2025, 6:07 pm, in reply to "Re: Changing tournament format"

7 inning games would undoubtedly make things much better

Re: Changing tournament format

Posted by EagleEye on January 8, 2025, 5:51 pm, in reply to "Re: Changing tournament format"

In a perfect world, yes, playing full games would be ideal. Unfortunately it can wreak havoc on a tournament schedule. When the AFA was around years ago the format was 7 innings. The tournaments were ALWAYS running late. It would not be unusual for the championship game to be played very late in the evening on a Sunday.

Re: Changing tournament format

Posted by @@Fluffy on January 8, 2025, 1:50 pm, in reply to "Re: Changing tournament format"

I think we're assuming college coaches like the exposure format. May have different preferences and this is just what's offered.

Re: Changing tournament format

Posted by @fluffhead on January 5, 2025, 11:14 am, in reply to "Re: Changing tournament format"

I like the conversation Fluff. For me, I'm not sure we can assume the drive to sacrifice and win is innate in, say, a 14/15 year old young lady. With this in mind, I feel the rigor are essential. And I'm not completely assuming that college coaches feel that demonstrating the commitment to The Grind is essential. You need to live and breathe it, especially if you're going to succeed at the D1 level, including at mid majors. I do think a 50/50 mix of showcase and Sunday-death-march events make sense. But I wouldn't want less tourneys that half. Gotta push, Showcases don't have the same fire in my experience.

Re: Changing tournament format

Posted by @McGiggles on January 5, 2025, 11:09 am, in reply to "Re: Changing tournament format"

Yes, but the point of each game is to win. Winning conference series affects your seeding in the conference tournament, RPI, etc., which, in reality, makes the season a tournament.

However, I do entirely agree with your 7 innings point.

Re: Changing tournament format

Posted by Well on January 5, 2025, 2:16 pm, in reply to "Re: Changing tournament format"

Let’s just give them all trophies and have them home by 7pm.

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