Define "GOLD TEAM" ????

OK

Good post!

 

Cheese Has Got It

Cheese has the gold thing figured out. But I would like to add a little more to his comments.

For a young lady to be seen by a college coach, she does not have to play gold. She does however need to play on a competitive team that plays in the well known ASA showcase tourney's in NC/SC.

These tournaments usually will have anywhere from 30-60 college coaches in attendance as well as a number of gold teams from the east and southeast. Many of these same coaches attend the ASA State tournaments as well as regional qualifiers. So it is important for a young lady to play on a team that plays in as many of these tournaments as possible. These teams will get plenty of opportunities to play in front of college coaches and play against very good teams.

One thing to think about....why are so many college coaches attending these " non gold" tournaments if there wasn't plenty of talent and plenty of good teams to see? Plus, there have been no problems getting girls recruited who have never played in a gold tournament.

The next point I want to make concerns the number of teams that play gold that aren't really "gold" caliber. I was told by several college coaches this summer that there are each year probably 20-25 teams that qualifiy for the ASA gold Nationals that really should be playing ASA-A. With that said, they also said there are probably about 40 teams that qualify for the "A" nationals that really shouldn't be at that tournament as well. I think there are so many teams now at the nationals because I think even ASA lets the $$ get in the way of common sense. But at least you do have to qualify to play in the ASA nationals as compared to other sanctions.

The Cardinals for example have been very successful in getting our players seen and recruited (see the "old birds" tab on our website www.carolinacardinals.com) We do play in the Independence Day Tournament in CO where over 350 coaches attend, but our girls are for the most part already on many coaches radar before Boulder. This is because as Abbey fan has stated many times, these girls are proactive in the recruiting process and have made their contacts to the college coaches. And the coaches of these teams work hard to promote their players to the college coaches. This is the difference in just being lucky to be seen by a college coach and being recruited.

I'll finish by saying there is a place for gold and think it is an important level. I feel players who have committed or signed and feel the need to play gold, should play. But until things change where our local NC players aren't getting recruited and not being seen at the "non gold" tournaments, there is no reason to play only gold tournaments. And based on the comments I heard over the summer, changes to who can play gold aren't too far away anyway.

 

Another Gold Bi-Product " Major Pub ! "

2008 VERBAL

*** Christina Melton, the talented senior P/1B for the Carolina Lady Blues, will be staying home to play for the Campbell University Fighting Camels... in this exclusive Q&A she talks about the recruiting process and more...

StudentSportsSoftball.com: When did you commit and why?
Christina Melton: I committed on August 12 of this year. The reason I did was because I know that Campbell is an excellent school and I have liked it since the first time I went and visited the campus. I really like the coach, he is an exceptional person and I cannot wait to play for him.

document.write(insertImage('http://vmedia.rivals.com/uploads/1156/537942.jpg', '537942.jpg', 0, 210, 150, 1, 'Christina Melton', '', 1189634271000, 'Melton,Christina (Carolina Lady Blues)hit 150x210', 1156, 'Align=Left'));Christina MeltonSSS.com: How did you tell the coaches you'd be coming?
CM: I simply called him (Head Coach Drew Peterson) on Sunday, the first day of my family vacation, and told him that I would like to accept his offer if it still stood. I was tired of waiting and I knew I wanted to go there, clearing my mind and relaxing at the beach helped me realize this. So I called him that day.

SSS.com: What were the main factors in your "becoming a Fighting Camel?"
CM: Definitely the coach, plus all the new attractions that will be there in 2008 (example: getting a football team, a new basketball stadium and more), hearing from everybody that has gone to school there that they loved it, and that it is a great school in general so I will be getting a good education.

SSS.com: Did you seriously consider anyone else?
CM: I was seriously considering College of Charleston as well but things didn't go my way nor did they work out.

SSS.com: How did your summer go...
CM: I don't know my personal stats but my team placed in the top 25 at Gold Nationals.

SSS.com: How about the high school season at Hopewell High?
For school ball I batted .421 with a .579 slugging percentage and an on-base percentage of .500.

SSS.com: What has been your best experience in softball to date?
Playing with the Lady Blues Gold this summer. I had the time of my life traveling all around the U.S. and I got to experience playing the best teams in the nation.

SSS.com: Who's your role model or hero?
Chipper Jones (Atlanta Braves) because he has overcome so many injuries in his career and when I got hurt earlier this year and I struggled getting back into the swing of things, he inspired me to keep trying and keep working hard and it would work out in the end. He also gives it 100 percent, 100 percent of the time and he has always acted with class and self-restraint.

SSS.com: Are you a vocal leader or do you lead by example?
I lead by example. When I lead vocally, I feel bossy or that people think that I am a know-it-all, so I just lead by example and do what I know is right.

SSS.com: What's one thing you'd want with you if you were stranded on a desert isle?
I would want a best friend with me. I love my friends and I would get so lonely if I were stranded by myself. But it would have to be someone you trusted greatly and knew that they would make decisions good for the both of you, not just themselves. Plus, you get so much more accomplished and it is a lot easier to do things when you work together and have teamwork.

 

You Just Don't get it !!!!!!!!!!

Just because you didn't play Gold you think it was wrong ?
Didn't the Cards once attempt to qualify for Gold ????
Are you REALLY telling me that 20-25 teams got lucky to qualify in a field of 64 ???????? Come on !
For the LAST Time. I will say that it is my suggestion that if you want your 09-011 child to the get the VERY BEST and MOST looks at a scholarship you should have your child play Gold. If you want to listen to all these nay sayers that have NEVER played Gold, That is your option & right.
Good Luck to all.

 

Speaking of College Softball.....where's Braves????

What do you do if you REALLY want to play softball at a particular college and they have no softball team? Do you:

A.) donate money and start your own team? (my kid will bat 3rd and play SS)
B.) print out softball t-shirts and backpacks for that particular college, wear
them around a lot, and tell people that you play softball there?
C.) play slowpitch in the sorority intramural league? (bat 3rd and play SS)
D.) take softball as an elective in PE class to get your fix?
E.) lie and tell people that you play at that college (bat 3rd and play SS)
and bet that they're too lazy to check up on your story!
F.) print out your own baseball cards with your picture, college of choice,
position (bat 3rd and play SS), and your own stats?
(bat .775 OB% .9985)

And, yes....I still think the best and cheapest "team bonding" exercise is egging the head coach's house! ($2 bucks for a dozen eggs...take two, they're small)

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!
"..to play GOLD, or NOT to play GOLD....THAT is the question!"
This thread is too serious......give it a rest.
DDD

PS: Where's Braves when I need him???? Hey, Braves...don't you have any fishing stories for this side of TBR?

 

I can only post for myself....

I can only post for myself but I didn't see anything in Bmac1's post that said that playing Gold was wrong! Maybe not necessary to play Gold which I believe several have said in their post. You can't say that playing Gold is the only reason your DD is at a college to play ball!
The experience of playing Gold was a great one, for your DD, but that does not mean that it is the right decision for every player, and you do not have to play Gold to be recruited or play in college. It is that simple!
I know your DD played a lot of ball before she played Gold, do you wipe all of those experiences to the side, after she played Gold? Does she think any less, of the friends she made while not playing Gold? Do those memories mean less to her now that she has played Gold? Have you or she lost all respect for the coaches ahe had prior to her Gold play?
I think that is all, some of us are trying to say!
We don't think that Gold is for everyone!
I'm not saying that it is Good or Bad, just a different field, a different choice!
I do not believe that players get recruited anymore or less because they play Gold!
It is almost coming across that you think somehow Gold makes these players better than other players, who don't play Gold! If this is in anyway what you are suggesting, then you are wrong!
There are a whole bunch of college teams in this state and others that do not have one player on the team that has played Gold! They are very competetive teams and somehow they win games.
Oh, and by the way, if you think that you aren't lucky, to have the money to pay for your DD to play Gold, then your priorities might need to be looked at! Because there might be a whole lot of players out there that would like to be able to have the experience to play Gold but they just plain aren't lucky enough to have the money to do it!
Yes, some of those teams, got lucky, to be playing at the Gold level!
Any given team can be beat on any given day!!!!
My DD is not any less an athlete, softball player or recruited athlete, because she did not play Gold!!

 

oops.

 

I think you might want to read his post again because he didn't say anything negative about playing Gold. Take a deep breath and relax!

 

If you can afford to play Gold that's great. If you can't you'll go just as far if you do the proper marketing. I read where the Gold division was formed because there were 2-3 teams dominating A nationals every yr. I saw some very competitive teams in A nationals, that could play Gold. Whatever you feel you need to do for your DD, is what you need to do.But I will tell you this from PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, that 09's that received emails, & letters from schools Sept 1st, had better be making some decisions shortly, or it will cost you money,as it did us. If you know where you want to go, & that program wants you, jump on in there, & get that unofficial visit. Cause the schools are giving out the money to the girls who want to play ball for their programs.If your plans are to play the big tours, & hold out for that big offer, it's your gamble. Just remember, there are alot of other good players out there wanting the same thing. Go Blues !!

 

SBnut is Right On!

Nut- you are so right in your comments about gold and accepting offers. I believe both our dd's had similar recruiting experiences and they both knew when it felt "right" and they committed at that point. I think both will be very happy with their college choices.

And, if everyone would listen to softball4ever1987 take on all this, we could have closed this thread a long time ago.

Hey Bubs- I really think Ms. Melton would have had just as much "pub" if she had not played gold....she is just that good of a player. Just to let you know girls who don't play gold also get a lot of pub..it's just not all posted here on tbr. (maybe it should be)

Now, let me respond to and correct a couple of your comments.

First, I have never felt playing gold was wrong. As a matter of fact, I support it and those who feel they need to play it 100%. It's just that I see plenty of players getting recruited who don't play gold OR play for the Cardinals, or blues for that matter.

Now as far as I know, the Cardinals have never tried to qualify for gold. However over the years, we have defeated plenty of teams that have "gold" beside their names. (You can't finish 4th in CO. without sending a few gold teams home.) As a matter of fact, several of the gold teams we beat and finished above in CO did really well in the gold nationals.

As long as the Cardinal's goals are being met with our players being seen, recruited and signed, we are happy to play the schedule we play. I will say the "non gold" schedule we play has suited our players very well. In fact, most of our players as college freshman make an immediate impact on their respective college teams. Many have made all-freshman teams and some have led their teams in various stats. But again, most are getting plenty of playing time as freshman, so I would hope our schedule contributes to that success (plus, these ladies are just good players).

I will also say that we have had several players in the recent past who had already signed with a school and had offers from several well known gold teams for the summer. However, their college coaches told them the schedule the Cardinals play was fine and would provide them the experience and competition they needed prior their freshman year. To me, that says a lot because other than the CO tournament, many other NC teams play the same schedule as the Cardinals

As for the 20-25 teams that shouldn't be playing in the gold nationals, I am just repeating what 3 ACC, 2 SEC and 1 SoCon coach told me over the summer. They are a much better judge of talent than you or me...that's how they earn a living.

Last, I don't think myself or others are "nay sayers" when it comes to gold. I just think each player and her family should consider if gold is the best thing that will help them reach their goals. If it is, great. If not then the 2009-2011 young ladies who don't play gold, will still be recruited as long as they play in showcases and make the contacts they need with the college coaches (those who play gold also need to contact the coaches) And again, there are plenty of young ladies who don't play for the Cardinals or blues who get recruited and do well.

Good luck to all!