ASA Nat'l Qualifier - Hendersonville 5/22-25/09

[5-Sport Dad]

Coach Connell: ASA is pleased your Worth team is back and chasing an ASA berth this year. However, I want to correct one part of your very humble post. Tennessee ASA did not choose to "cram the first qualifier right on top of the Spring Fling." Nashville has been whining for years about having an ASA Qualifier. So some in East Tennessee worked hard to register more teams so Tennessee could have an extra berth. We were successful this year and the powers that be at Tennessee ASA chose to give this extra berth to Hendersonville. (BTW - I voted against it) Hendersonville then chose to award this berth at the Drake's Creek Classic. Tennessee ASA had nothing to do with this decision. I know some, including myself, called Hendersonville and expressed concern about the hardship it would place on teams with players participating in the Spring Fling. Our pleas were given lip service and then ignored. So please don't slap the puppy, Tennesee ASA gave Nashville what it wanted and Nashville Michelle Kwanned it. Nevertheless, welcome back and thanks for playing ASA! Look forward to seeing you and your team this summer.

Kim Swafford

Tennessee ASA

J.O. Vice President

 

The Nashville area deserves an ASA qualifier! I mean, come on, do the interests and opportunities of 'players' figure at all into your 'awarding' of tournaments? Or is it all about the money, really?

 

In hindsight, I kinda wish your vote made a difference, now. But, anyway...

 

The city of Hendersonville needs to take a hard long look at the upkeep during any tournaments. The fields were NEVER raked or line after the first game of the day in the USFA State tournament! The over facilities are ignored. I have been told this is the city issues and not USFA, USSSFA or ASA problem. I am hoping someone will bring this to the table before you sign the contract to have any tournament there.

 

Granted, the rain played havoc all day Sunday. However, fairness became a 'buzzword' around the park and this question kept coming up: WHY in tha world would a TD allow loser's bracket teams to play in front of and on better fields than winner's bracket teams? Is it me or was this just a blatant lack of common sense? Did favoritism enter into decisions when most of us just show up and play, and have no unseen 'connections?'

 

TBall: I agree. It is pathethic but it is also a reality that Nashville teams have become wed to every other alphabet soup organization other than ASA. These reasons for this are numerous and include, ASA commissioners in Nashville not doing their job and holding tournaments, ASA losing touch with Nashville rec leagues and a lack of understanding on the part of coaches about the ASA qualification and berth process. I understand the confusion, when I first joined ASA as a commissioner, I felt like I had followed the rabbit, fell down the hole and woke up in Wonderland.

 

In ASA, the number of berths each state receives is based on the number of ASA registrations from that state. Right or wrong, this is how the ASA berth system works. In Tennessee, we registered just over 2000 youth teams this year and this number includes recreational leagues and individual teams. If you look at a map of Tennessee and draw a line from Bristol down thru Knoxville and on down to Chattanooga, this area accounts for about 72% of the ASA youth registrations in Tennessee. Nashville, M'boro, Columbia and Clarksville only account for 7% of the ASA youth registrations despite having more rec and travel teams participating in softball. Commissioners in east Tennessee have been increasing ASA registrations and as a result, Tennessee received an extra berth this year. Why should East Tennessee shoulder the burden of getting the registrations and then gratuitously give the berths to middle Tennessee?

 

The truth of the matter is travel ball coaches in middle Tennessee choose to play in everything but ASA. When the kids reach about age 14-15, a lightbulb goes off and these coaches figure out they have players that need to be seen and recruited. College coaches don't come to the FL Pan Handle "world series" to recruit. Kids get recruited at exposure tourneys and at the ASA Nats. (BTW - there were college coaches in Midland, TX at the 14U ASA Nats last year including, Oklahoma, OK State and Washington) This is usually about the time the coach calls me and says "how do I qualify for ASA?" and I have to explain it is more than just a matter of playing weekend after weekend in every pervasive tournament and building points. It requires more than just paying your money and showing up at the Redneck Riviera for a softball/beach vacation. Qualifying for an ASA National means winning or placing in an ASA qualifier and college coaches know this and know competition is the whetstone that sharpens softball skills. Taking a team to an ASA Nat for the first time at age 16 is like leading the lambs to the lions.

 

So, the answer is, if middle Tennessee wants to host more ASA qualifiers, middle Tennessee coaches need to get vested in ASA and start thinking about going to the ASA Nats at an earlier age. My goal for 2009 is to register 498 additional teams and add a 5th berth for Tennessee. However, I will never be in favor of giving a berth to Nashville until such time as middle Tennessee coaches get on board with Tennessee ASA.

 

Sorry for the epistle - they say brevity is the soul of wit but up here on my soapbox, I have no use for brevity.

Kim Swafford /rolleyes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":rolleyes:" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" />

 

Ms. Swafford, in what part of our great state do you reside?

 

Maybe you need to work a little harder. /blush.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":blush:" border="0" alt="blush.gif" />

 

At Drakes Creek Qualifier: (one berth to winner)

 

In 10U, I know Frost Falcons 98 were in Finals but had to win twice but do not know how it ended and who received berth. (Only 4 teams)

 

In 12U, TN Illusions were playing Warriors in finals

 

In 14U, Chattanooga Force won berth. Would have to say favorites for remaining berths in TN are Fury 94, Nashville Cruisers, Fury 95 and Lady Aces of Knoxville plus Mustangs of N GA area. Also, White Lightning gave some teams a run for the money.

 

In 16U, Three teams left playing and not sure of results were Team Worth (In drivers seat) Thunderbolts were playing the Nighthawks for spot in Finals.

 

In 18U, Attack won tournament. Not sure of favorites in TN

 

 

Who is coming to Chattanooga for another berth this weekend

 

Worth 'fell asleep at the wheel.' But, they will recover, heal and be better prepared in their next showing. You can bet MC won't take this easily. He knows how to motivate.

 

NIGHTHAWKS won the 16U division with 2 wins over Team Worth in the finals.

 

2-0 and 4-0, primarily thanks to 2(!) Nighthawks players. And let's give credit where it's due: Amanda Brandenburg (Camden) and Shaylon Robb (Westview). Amanda absolutely killed the ball and Shaylon pitched masterfully...3 straight games...and seemed to get stronger as the night went on...and on...and on..and, well, you get my drift. If I was a D1 college recruiter, I'd be looking hard at those two ladies.

[MRTN]

Taking nothing away from Amanda and Shaylon, but the whole team from the bench to the coaches played ball like it was the last game of the season! There were no errors to speak of and the defense was so tight that no ball got past a defender all night. The teams that the Nighthawks played gave all they had and still came up on the losing end. The girls on the infield for the Nighthawks worked hard for the pitcher and it showed on the scoreboard. The outfield chased balls till it went in the glove and still had room to run!! I have seen many a game and this night of games goes down as the best fastpitch softball I have seen played as of yet. I am hoping that this is just the beginning for these girls because they deserve all the credit!! They played like true champions and strived to win at all costs.

 

 

GO NIGHTHAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!