State Games Registration/ HS Softball

I was there and was fortunate enough to coach a team. I thought it was great! My travel team is not playing that weekend so all our kids can have the opportunity to play in the State Games or have a weekend off. My only wish is that every high school would make sure their kids know about the try-out process and we get more kids involved this year. SPREAD THE WORD!

 

Tough Decision!

Right or Wrong everyone has an opinion and most will have to make a decision between the venues. I for one will let my DD make this decision, if she has to, she very insightful!

 

Games

Our team is playing Dynamites as if we do not, we may lose our spot for the future. Have asked all my players up front if they plan to play state games to tell me so I can try to pick up kids for our tournament. Am supportive of POP and all the HS and understand the young ladies wanting to play in state games. I attended some of the State games last year as we played in Burlington Showcase. Some very good games! It would be nice if the games could be played in the evening during the week but I do understand it is very tough to get facilities and please everyone. Good luck with the games, I know it will be another successful year.

 

Pick a better weekend.

If you have to play the State Games over a weekend, how bout selecting a weekend that doesn't conflict with probably the biggest showcase that will be put on in our immediate area? The Dynamites Showcase is an event that is extremely well attended by college coaches, and is considered as one of THE showcase events for a girl to get seen, and put on a schools radar early in the summer season. If you can't play the State Games during the weekdays, then at least pick a different weekend than the one that falls on the same dates as The Dynamites Classic. Are the facilties at UNC-Greensboro not available any other weekend??

 

Seniors

DD has informed me that this is also Sr. week at the beach !! I know I was there after my graduation, so I can't blame her for wanting to go. Hopefully she may come back for games, don't know how much driving she wants to do.

 

State Games

I didn't say that I completely disagreed with the concept. Your one player you refered to is one out of how many? And Louisville specifically came to see her. Would she have been there if it was not for the player. Didn't she get hurt in this event and didn't play all summer? Good thing she committed huh.
I think it is great for the kids that are seniors and are committed but it is my opinion that you put these girls in a tough position to choose playing in a HS all-star game or going to compete in an event that is going to have 10 times the college coaches. I think you are looking at a possible missed oportunity if you are not committed. A player only has so many events or opportunities to be seen. So what do you choose, Dynamite, Music City Hits, Team NJ, Cardinal Classic, or HS ALL State Games? Why not have it July 4th?Oh wait that is the week of all the recruiting in Colorado.

I have been in the game long enough to know coaches go where the talent is. We have several kids who have schools that are telling them they will be where they are playing this year. But I also know that college coaches do not waste recruiting days unless it is a sure thing.

You can throw darts at my team if you like. But my players had a great summer of recruiting and going to ASA Nationals that had over 200 coaches. Every showcase event we went to had 100 plus coaches. Did the State Games?
I agree that an all-star team from anywhere can compete with any travel team. The question is
"Why can't this event be scheduled so others can participate in both. Play the underclassman event on Sunday and Monday after the State tournament. It might boost people coming the the State Tournament to see great softball. Several players that are going to be selected will already be there.

How many coaches were at the undergrad event and how many are at other showcases. I have 10 players from NC. I didn't force them not to go they made the desicion and were rewarded for it as were others.

I recieved several phone calls during the event from players that I knew were participating and they all told me the college coach sitings were thin.

Again I think it is a great idea and I am not knocking POP be I think there should be a better way where more players can compete.

Tell me this though, why should a player that made all conference and participated in all the tryouts be told, "we are not going to select you if you are not planning on coming" Shouldn't a player have the choice to be play or not after she has been selected and decide whether to or not to participate? What about alternates, why can't a player be selected and if she chooses not to play can't she be replaced with an alternate. That player that chose not to come but paid her money should still get to keep the acolade of being selected.

 

Re think is probably in order

While I would prefer the State Games be played at a date to accommodate most of the eligible players, Pop,already stated that this just wasn't reasonably possibe this year. You as a coach should understand that sometimes tough decisions have to be made. Sometimes life just doesn't deal out the cards you always want... we all have to make choices that are best for us.
As for the 100+ coaches showing up at all of these high profile tournies, do you really think this happened at the 1st year of existance? I'm not really that old to know, but I would bet not. Give It a chance to work out.
As for a player that would not participate even if selected is not fair to the ones who would be slected and would gladly play. What if you have as many as 6 players that decided not to play in this HS State toury. How many alternates would you suggest.? Would Jennie Finch be on the roster or considered on Team USA if she chose not to participate? How is this different? I believe that is what "All Conference" and "All State" selections are for. These athletes are recognized as being the best without having to participate in another single game.
Lastly the player who you previously mentioned was injured prior to the State Games, not during the Games. Your statement in this matter was completly erronious. But because of this young lady's strong character, toughness, and dedication played her very best through immense pain to honor her commitment to her Coach and her team mates.
I would like to thank Coach Rivers and all involved for allowing these great athletes the chance to represent their areas on the field. Sometimes it's not just about recognition but about opportunity.

 

Outstanding Softball Junkie some of us really get it. Also the folks invovled understand about injured players. I have seen certain Coaches of certain teams become inflamed when there kids get hurt and they have to pickup. Also this year alternates will not be allowed. In one case last year the player tried out and was not given a choice to stay. I would like to think the Finch's, Fernandez's ( who returned from having a child) would not turn the opportunity down to play in something that a lot of folks are trying to get to grow. Or maybe they would rather play in New Jersey. Hope not. I truly admire your attitude sir. Thanks so much.But we all have our oppinions.

 

cheap shot

being in Jersey, last year help produce the commitments we had. Without that I don't see it happening to the degree it has. LLTC had 7 players commit in 07-08 to quality programs. And several underclassman are making quality visits this spring. More commitments will come this summer.

There should be more support for the TB in the area instead of all of you taking cheap shots at a team. Half these players would not be near as talented if it wasn't for TB preparing them. Look at the HS rosters and you will find the elite players have been playing TB prior to playing HS. You have many Blues, Cardinal, LLTC, Leggacy, Triangle, Fuquay, etc... players that are on these HS rosters and on the State Game rosters.

I wish the event good luck.

 

Wow softballjunkie and sportsbuff hit the nail on the head on every account. Thouroughly enjoyed the entire process of the state games. Morgan and I went to the tryouts with no expectations (mainly because of being a freshman) but with the idea of getting her name out there for the coming years. Coach Poindexter and his crew gave 2 weekends of great tryouts and my dd said she learned some new even at a tryout. With the amount of talent there we would have been completely understanding if she didn't make it but when that phone call came asking her to be an ALTERNATE she was absolutely elated. Was told later that there was some offers to other kids to be an alternate and they turned them down for whatever reason (thanks guys whoever you are). The week of the first practice she found out she had mono. We approached Coach P. with this and he said it was her decision as whether to participate or not. She decided to tough it out and practiced with the team every time and enjoyed every minute of it. Did she get to play much-nope (thanks Allison for the base hits so she could run lol), did she get seen by 100 coaches-nope, does she consider it as one of the highlights of her life-hell yea.
So my point is this. For the senior games this is a once in a lifetime experience and an honor. For the underclassmen, should be an honor and privelege to have the opportunity to play. And something that hasn't been brought up is the fact that these girls enjoy the recognition and accolades from their PEERS. Which means more to them than what i, any of my buds, or any of you guys could acknowledge them for. In my book they should be able to put 20 on each team and give them 4 or 5 coaches and let them have some fun against the best of the best (that choose to participate) in the state.
To LLTC, i say this, the idea of putting the games during the week was discussed starting last year at the games and has been beat to death on here several times since. This is not an original idea and Pop has done his best to accomodate everyone as best he could. It will be played early in the week in coming years. Hope your team can tryout and play but if they choose to play at a showcase do not deny another kid the right and honor TO play. And just because you're all-everything does not give you the right to automatically have a spot on the team. Come tryout and if they make it great, if not sorry try again next year. Will Ashley tryout for the senior games this year absolutely. Will Morgan, that's a CHOICE she will make. But please guys support this thing. Help it grow. I don't see a drawback to it at all. This is and always should be about the GIRLS.
Ahhh, i feel better now.