litehousefreak

Several from Blackman also....

Jenna Keane - Defender, Freshman, Blackman, Stones River SC

Brooke Zeis - Defender, Freshman, Blackman, MSC Strikers

Brooke and Jenna have stepped into filling some big shoes for Blackman on defense at the lose of Grace Peacock and Carrie Gresh. They both place and clear the ball well. Have big kicks, too...

Chelsea Hall - Forward, Freshman, Blackman, MSC Strikers

Chelsea has great speed. With a little bit more ball control, she will be someone to reckon with in years to come. Has scored several goals and has had several assists so far this year.

Katie Smith - Forward, Sophomore, Blackman, MSC Strikers

Katie is recovering from knee surgery, but should be back for the end of the season. Biggest scorer for Blackman at this point in the game.

I agree ASA needs serious help. But still ASA is BY FAR the best national tournament to attend because of the high level of play.

To clarify what you said, correct me if I am wrong, Your team qualified for 18UA , went and played in a 18U Gold qualifier, beat Indiana magic, were ejected from the tournamant ,and then they stripped you of your 18U A berth????????????? So you had to go the Florida? Or did you get to keep your berth to 18UA nationals but chose not to go there because your coach had a prior commitment, or both? Sorry , I am confused. By the way that team you beat , Indiana magic ,was the team putting on the tournament. Their coach " Clay" pulled a few other things at the end of the tournamant to put out the Southern Force team. ( or so several Tennessee kids on the southern force team say) I understand why ASA would leave a bitter taste in your mouth, but for now ASA is the only nationals that enables kids to be seen. For now at least.

 

 

No, no, no...we weren't stripped of our other berth...we just couldn't go because of our coaches prior commitment. We totally understood his decision and plus it was voted on by the parents (not just our coaches) to go to Florida. Of course, there were those that wanted to go to ASA and then there were those that didn't. Majority rules... but we all still enjoyed our win and time in Florida. Perhaps next year we will be able to try out an ASA tournament if time permits.

Nobody is bashing other associations. They serve a purpose esp at the younger age groups. It is just that ASA " A" and ASA Gold are the highest level of softball played. Period. Basically , you want to play at as high a level as you can compete. In this case at least 6 or 7 of the girls on this team had not committed but are LOOKING for a place to play in college , on scholarship perhaps. The place to find college coaches is 16U A ASA nationals, 18UA ASA Nationals, and 18U Gold ASA nationals. You wont find them at these other National tournaments as the best teams and players are usually not there.

I am also a parent of the TN Firebirds and was just excited as Linda of our victory. I don't "belittle" it or bash the team for having played in "a lower level tournament". We played hard teams in Panama. My sister, who works at CPA, said several of the girls on TN Xplosion go there and it is a very good team. Yes, we did beat the Indiana Magic, but in doing so, were ejected from the tournament supposedly of the other bid we received. Several of the parents feel differently. That ASA tournament left a bitter taste in our mouths. Another team was notified well ahead of time and were told because of their birth, they could not participate. Our team on the other hand, drove to Indiana, played our game, WON, went out to eat and checked into our hotels for the night, only to be informed we were kicked out of the tournament. Yes, we were reimbursed our fees, but not our gas, hotel, time and money....let alone the disappointment and frustration from our children as they would not be able to complete the tournament. (by the by...Indiana Magic got beat both of their first games in the ASA Nationals) I am not "bashing" ASA as I have heard very good things about the tournaments, but if all tournaments are handled like the one in Indiana...I am glad we went to Panama. And the victory for this team was VERY well deserved, exposure or not. (and there were some college coaches there) And as for us not accepting our invitation to the ASA Nationals, one of our coaches had a prior commitment this week that did not allow us to travel.