We Need To Give NSA Some Credit

In my opinion NSA Fastpitch Softball has been the back bone of Fastpitch in N.C. A lot of people talk about the showcase tournaments for the older girls, but the majority of girls have learned to play at a very competitive level by playing NSA most of there lives here in N.C. I have personaly watched alot of very good teams play NSA. My daughters has had a blast playing NSA and I have watched them leave tournaments after losing out with there heart broken and watched them leave celebrating victory, it has truly been and exciting ride for them and there parents. I am not knocking showcase tournaments but I just think the fire is not in the showcase tournaments that a college coach might not get to see in a lot of the NSA tournaments that are double elimination tournaments. The games just dont seem to mean much when there is nothing on the line or playing your heart out to keep from going home. I think ASA should put more compitition into there tournaments, let the 18-u teams battle it out. It would be fun to watch. Thanks to NSA for all the great times for the younger kids, you deserve the credit in N.C.

 

What do you mean there is nothing on the line in a showcase?? Why do you think those girls/teams are in a showcase?? To impress college coaches. Yeah those coaches are there to see certain players an not just wondering from field to field looking .........but someone else might catch their eye. Those kids are there playing their hearts out. A potential spot on a college team means a whole lot more than a trophy don't you think??

 

great post and i agree! NSA and Howard Edwards (NCNSA) have taken a sancationed organization to the next level and i for one, am very proud and honored to be associated with them.

ask him Howard the next time you see him........how was it when you had only 3 teams competing for a state title??

a :xyzthumbs TO "NSA SOFTBALL"

asa has their work cut out in NC

 

nsa

nothing quite like a sunday morning at a 14u or 16u nsa tourn.
yea showcases serve their purpose but it takes a lot of sunday mornings to get there
howard has done a great job over the years well done
and ask a 15 yr old about 12:30 sunday if a trophy is important

 

Howard has done a great job in promoting Fastpitch in this area. I remember the 3 teams in a tournament with my older daughter. NSA provided a lot of experience and opportunities to a lot of teams to play and compete at a higher level . I know NSA has atempted to establish a Showcase type tournament and has a litttle success at this. It is very hard to compete with the established ASA showcase ones because they bring in teams from many states.Having not played NSA for several years now ,but I can say I saw kids with the same desire to play their best whether it was ASA,NSA,AAU . The fact remains if you want to play at the next level (College) your team needs to be in the high profile ASA showcase tournaments ,these are the one college coaches attend. There is several reasons ,umpiring, most ASA umps umpire college games because I see the same ones in the summer I see at college games. College coaches attend because of past exp. of seeing quailty teams compete,teams from several states (gives coaches a more diverse group of players other than local). Lady Blues has done one of the best jobs of migrating a team to this (good job Rodney),CF has done a good job of getting teams to the right tournaments.There are many others, but will NSA ever reach the same Level of recogination by the people who's opioion matters
(COLLEGE COACHES) good question .

 

I agree that nsa and Howard have done a great job in NC. Now presonally I would like to see the nsa not try to do much in the way of showcase tournaments and just provide good tournaments for the girls who are there for the pure enjoyment of playing tournament softball. The majority of the teams are playing just for the fun and to get better and not to be seen by college coaches. I think to much emphasis is being put on "THE NEXT LEVEL" and some parents coaches and even players are forgetting that this is the best time in the lives of the girls playing fastpitch and not matter what else the most important thing is that the girls are having fun. That is what it is all about. And most will see when they get to college to play it is not all it is cracked up to be anyway. The young girls are playing their most enjoyable and competitive ball right now in travel ball so thanks to nsa and even usssa
for providing some good tournaments for the girls

 

nsa has filled that need and under pressure from outside sources, howard has moved abit towards putting on some showcasers to appease these few. we enjoy a tournament or three from time to time in nsa and are thankful for their leadership.

 

Exposure

I beleive that your DD needs all the exposure that she can get. I also beleive that if your DD is a talented softball player opportunities will come her way no matter if she plays ASA, NSA, AAU, USSSA or High School. I seen college scouts a HS games this year scouting girls that they had heard was an exceptional player with a high SAT and GPA. So, if your DD wants to play at the next level............ work really hard on her position, attend all of the exposure tournaments she can, and most importantly excel in the classroom.

 

SBMom

Good post, U are right it should be fun! Even at the highest level of softball it should remain fun or the girls should not continue to play. College ball is not for everyone and U are right it takes organization, desire, planning, and tremendous love for the game. The Blues have made a decision to play showcase and national events as most of our girls want to play college ball and U must attend these events to get the exposure. Howard has done a great job over the years and I know is going to get his showcase event rocking. All girls that love softball do not want to play college ball and U are right they need a place to play. There are five time the number of non-showcase events in the SE so there is very little chance that NSA, ASA, or USSSA are going to concentrate on College Showcase events only! Let's support all our girls who play this great game. NC is blessed with good softball at all levels.

 

Good job, Howard

Thanks cfastpitch44 for starting this thread. Great thoughts being exchanged. We like NSA showcase events because they give kids the best of both worlds - they can play against solid competition without all the pressure of a high-profile ASA event and they get seen by some smaller, regional colleges, too, as well as the occasional DI school. If kids want to "go big," they not only need to attend the tournaments run by the Wildcats, Cardinals and other ASA showcases, but they need a coach who, like Rodney with Lady Blues and Ray with the Cardinals, network for the kids on the spot and afterwards. Otherwise, good kids get left out. The kids who don't have those opportunities can take advantage of NSA showcases and at least have a shot at getting noticed.

Howard is a geniune guy who is a pleasure to work with. He deserves all the good things being said about him. When he and I are discussing the two tournaments we work together on, Howard's first concern is always what's best for the kids. He doesn't talk about ways to make more money and neither does he degrade any club or coach. Instead, he focuses on the things you want an event partner to be thinking about - how to enhance the kids' experience.

My hat's off to NSA and Howard.