There is a Flaw in the system!

I just found out that a girl from one of the high school teams missed out on All Conference Player of the Year because of politics at the high school level. The girl who lost out had an extremely high batting average and OB% and made 1 error all year. The girl who won had 350 points less in average and over 400 pts less in OB%. When I looked into it a little bit more, I found out from another coach, that coaches who have coached a while at the high school level have a lot of influence in who wins POY. Its, "you vote for my player this year, we will vote for your player next year". He also told me that, The other coaches were aware of the talents of this girl who lost out and never expected her to accomplish what she did. I am not taking anything away from the girl who had won, as she is a dominant player. Its just in this case, "the better player lost out"!!

 

Damn them politics, I am sorry your daughter did not win it.

 

Thanks, but it was not my daughter..

 

When it's decided by vote it can't help but be that way. Consider that the coaches will only see the player twice in a season. And they have much more on their minds during a game than potential POY.

When the stats are read off at the conference meeting they most likely go in one ear and out the other.

Don't lose too much sleep over it. Don't rain on the POY's parade, either. If they were nominated at all is an honor. Also keep in mind there are many others in the conference that could easily have been POY.

The best reward is when a player is satisfied she tried to do her best. That's the only thing within her control. And the most important thing!

 

All-Conference can be VERY political and honestly the truly deserving players sometimes do not get the nod. I have seen players with FA's under .850 get the nod, while players with 1 error all season and the biggest bat on the team not get the nod. I have seen pitchers with a 2-10 record get the nod, while pitchers with a 10-2 not get the nod. It is what it is.

As I tell kids that are effected by whatever it is that drives the votes...Just keep playing your game. The only thing that is truly important is that YOU believe you played your best.

 

As I tell kids that are effected by whatever it is that drives the votes...Just keep playing your game. The only thing that is truly important is that YOU believe you played your best.*******************************************************************************************************************

That is very true! I will relay this to the young lady. I could not have said it any better...

 

I'm not quite buying the numbers on this one - sorry.

IF the overlooked player had a batting average of .633, she would have had one of the top ten hitting seasons in NC Fastpitch history. IF!

IF above was true, the winner of the award (if .350 lower) would have had an average of .283 - hardly dominant.

There may have been a difference in average but not .350 points.

I was not aware that POY were announced yet.

 

I am not here to get into a pissing contest with anyone, but if you think .633 is one of the top 10 batting averages ever recorded in NC, then you are in for a big surprise. You are right, the POY has not been announced, but the are other ways to find out.

 

First, congrats to the players involved - what a great season. It sounds like both have great careers ahead of them.

I am not an expert, just trying to understand the politics involved. The information I received is published by the NCHSAA - check it out www.nchsaa.org. .633 would be a top 10 season in NC fastpitch history, according to the published record book. I guess there is a possibility that it is inaccurate, however.

I am still having a hard time with the numbers, but will admit I am wrong from time to time. Here is a scenario:

If Runner - up = .700 (5th best season in NC history, according to record book) then Winner = .403 (would not be top 15 in the county I live in - yet still very good). You did not indicate whether the winner had the second highest average in the league or not, but it is likely that a .347 average differential skipped over other players and they must be bummed also.

I don't doubt it was a top 10 season, as many of the batting average records have been established since the change of the pitching distance to 43 feet.

Let me take a different angle - I agree with you 100% based on the numbers above. If the overlooked player had a top 10 season in NC fastpitch history, you are correct and it likely was an injustice to the player involved - especially if the player that won the award was below .400.

Where does this player fall in the record book - let's celebrate that. It would be much greater than a conference award, in my opinion.