Is there a need?

I have been thinking about summer programs for collegiate softball. Baseball has numerous wood bat and other leagues such as the CPL, and PCL on the left coast etc...
With all the talent in NC what do players do to keep sharp ? How much running, throwing and general workout can a player do without some form of direct competition? These ladies worked most of their young life to get to the collegiate level, then during the summer play no games. Ihave 3 questions, 1. Is ther a need for such a league? 2. Would college coaches approve of their players being involved? 3. Are there enough local players in NC that would be willing to be involved ?
I know there is a great deal of talent in NC, just judging from the number of players that play at the next level. Knowlegable TBR members what do think?

 

Just play travelball. With the exception of the higher rated d1 schools most travelball teams could compete with the college teams especially the d2 schools and most d3 schools couldn't compete with the good travelball teams

 

There Are Leagues !!!

There are leagues,just don't know who to tell you to get in touch with at this time...Guru

 

I have heard someone was attempting to start a 23U travel league. Perhaps Windmlr can expand a little.

 

???

How/ where do college age ladies get in touch with such a travel ball team???? I know you are touting your favorite TB team, but that wasn't the question.

 

Most college programs (all D1, good D2/3) prescribe what their athletes do during the off season (rest, training and club teams/travel ball). Its not just play during the season, then forget about it 'till next season.

I know for a fact there is a need for older fastpitch travel ball. College women are physically able to continue fastpitch and aren't ready to step down to slowpitch. Many who don't play in college would jump at the chance if it were available. Some colleges organize club teams for non-collegiate athletes, but it happens while school in in session.

The problem with college club programs is that students disperse during the summer vacation.

 

We need to do this.....

A summer fastpitch league, similar to the Coastal Plain or Cape Cod baseball league is something long over due for our sport. Our kids age out of 18U, and scamble to find a place to play during the summer, stay in shape, and be prepared for the next fall.

I tried to start a 23U team in NC this summer... when I put the word out, I had over 30 kids from NC and Va. let me know they were interested and wanting to play. Problem I am having is that we can't find any tournaments to play in. Closest event I am aware of is in Pennsylvania in late July, and the National championships in Stratford Ct in August.

How about a NC based summer league...I know the Coastal Plain league organization tried to get it going, but it seems to have stalled.
I believe there would be enough interest to domicile teams in Raleigh, Greensboro, Charlotte, Fayetteville, Greenville, Wilmington, Hickory, Asheville, and Asheboro. Simple league, play midweek ( Tues - Thurs ) for 6 weeks.. 12 game season, 2 games a week. It could work with a grass roots effort in each of these areas...

I am working on an opportunity this summer to play games in Raleigh on Wed nights, starting in late June. Most likely it will be just a pick up games, with who ever shows to get it started... As the word spreads, you will get additional kids coming by, and even fans coming just to watch. We have to start somewhere.

Dollars and parity within the teams are gonna be hurdles to make this work. NCAA rules allow college coaches to participate under certain criteria, so this possibly could provide leadership at the team levels. Dollars are gonna be the determining factor. The pro league struggles and is making it only because MLB is underwriting much of the cost.. This will not be easy, but it is worth doing...

Love to hear your comments

 

Great reply

Your idea of a 12 game season is perfect. My idea is that somebody contact local municipalities/ school boards and set up the fields for nominal costs since these fields are mostly vacant and unused anyway, high schools etc. Then get you coaches involved by informing your teams about this project and give them an opportunity to play. i am with you in that there is enough talent in the state of NC to have the numbers of players to play. What would be your recommondation for coaches? College assistant coaches? Thanks for the input all.

 

Based on the number of collegiate baseball coaches participating in the
Coastal Plain League, I think that the first option should be to utilize the
existing collegiate coach base we have here...We need to get a clarification of the NCAA rules regarding the involvement of collegiate coaching staffs and noncollegiate amateur competition, but it mostly revolves around the fact that a coach cannot be involved with any of their own kids..

Other issues involved.
1. field and maintenance costs
2. travel and insurance costs
3. Umps, league sports information, etc
4. Team overhead, ie uniforms, equiptment, games balls..
plus probably a hundred others things I didn't think of...

To make it work, it's gonna need some corporate seed money to get it off the ground.

But this needs to happen......

 

is there a need

This was talked about last year to some degree. There is American Legion baseball so why not talk to those people about American Legion softball. They could form a team in the same areas and use the high school fields. They have the insurance and eveything set up to start. They would need an athletic officer for the softball. Maybe the VFW would be interested. You would need to make it adult fastpitch league thus eliminating the college coaching problem. Maybe the YMCA in each area would be interested. We polled alot of ladies in our area of Gaston Co. and there was alot of interest shown.