East Short on Talent?

Best I can count, 10 of the twenty 4A schools in Wake made the playoffs. One made it to the final 4. As for enrollment, yes there are more students per school, but as for there being more players, no, I don't agree. I don't know the competition for softball is in the West, but here it is soccer. That has taken away alot of really good softball players, so it is a struggle for us to keep interest alive with the younger girls. As for playing teams from Meck. Co., I'm definetly for that. We are always looking for good out of conference games. If anybody is interested, PM me I'll be glad to try and set something up.

 

....easy there stanley. the 4 you just mentioned did not do squat in the playoffs. Wow!, and by the fishman pointing out that fact, I guess everyone on TBR is supposed to fall in line and say....well, the west talent was down this year. Hows that make you feel stanley?
Sounds to me like the 'ol "my dad can whip your dad" gig, which comes from a kid slinging snot, only now, its the parents.

This thread has run its course and has gone NOWHERE.

Last, I'm DAMN proud of ALL of the kids whether they are east, west, playoff winners, or on the team that lost.

I can't close a thread but I can close myself out of one and this one is out of here.
Peace, Fish

 

Don't know if it has been mentioned yet?, but.........

I think the real issue is that there is more schools being built in the EAST, esp. in the areas like Raleigh, Wake, Gboro, etc. This is spreading the talent thin in these places............I mean you take an area like North Davison and esp. Alexander Central there is only 1 High School and they are getting the cream of the crop every year.............makes a HUGE difference! I am not making exuses for anyone or putting anyone down I just think that this could be close to one of the more major problems in saying that the east is short on talent and more of a fair assessment to the girls repesenting the EAST.............I just think it is being spread out instead of being in a central location. At the same time I know there is school systems spreading in the WEST too. Just does not seem as much! So basically the point is when you start spreading a great talent pool thin there is more potential for lower teer players to fill the gaps.

 

Ditto in Charlotte Area.

Increase in number of HS is not isolated to the Eastern part of NC. THe Charlotte area (Greater Metro) has experienced explosive growth over the past 5 to 7 years. There have been a ton of new schools opening in Mecklenburg, Union, Cabarrus, and surrounding counties. This expansion has somewhat decreased the possibility of powerhouse programs. 2009 was the first time in 9 years that the 4A State Champs did not come from the Charlotte area. Maybe a little change in the scenery for a little while.

 

lack of development...

The problem with the Raleigh area is lack of development. Raleigh just does not have a good feeder system through the Parks and REC, and some middle school AD's do not hire good coaches. When that happenes, kids who wanted to play softball and had miserable experiences look for other sports once they get to high school. Plus, Soccer is the big sport in the area. But it is developed and encouraged at early ages. On the TB level, the biggest competition isn't other teams....it's daddy ball. If organizations like the Challengers, Lightning, Cardinals, Cape Fear Storm, organizations that have good histories of NON coaching Dad's, would have more than one 14U,16U etc., kids would flock to them. I know SO MANY girls who do not even play TB that did and got sick of the BS and just play HS ball. Maybe if Raleigh had a couple more GOOD organizations that give girls a fair chance the area might see an increase in the talent level. But it's starts with good coaching.

 

AAU

AAU in Concord moved out this year and has done some TB tourneys in Laurinburg and Kinston for folks down East. Were they attended well???? I don't know. Also some were done in High Point/Thomasville area and in Kings Mt/ Shelby area. All this along with the normal Concord tourney's. Check out the NC AAU Softball site to see if anything is in the East area for the Fall or contact the folks and get some. I sure they can work it in......

http://www.ncaausoftball.com/

 

looking at map

Looking at the map of Eastern NC. With Greenville used as a center point. There is Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, Fayetteville/Fort Bragg, Jacksonville/Camp Lejuene, Goldsboro/Semore Johnson AFB, Kinston, Rocky Mount, Wilson, Ronoake Rapiads, Wilmington and could maybe include Norfolk and VA Beach area. This could be a 2-3 hr drive for TB teams. With a population of maybe 5 million people. I think that there could be 15 or 20 TB teams formed in these areas. Hey folks 4 military bases within 3 hrs of Greenville. People drive from G-boro W/S Mt Airy H/P Hickory Boone N Wilksboro to Charlotte/Concord every weekend to play TB. That is 2-3 hr drive for TB in this area. I don't see down east where there can not be a chance for girls to play TB or rec ball here and really be developed.

 

East softball

Eastern NC TB is dominated by the USFA tournaments. The competiton isn't as stiff as what you see in ASA or NSA. To play in those tournaments you need to travel to Burlington, Greensboro or Winston-Salem where the "team" competiton is better. USFA has to great of a drop off with the teams playing in their tournaments. You have a few good teams playing but if you put them with better competition they wouldn't be as dominate as they are in USFA.

I don't think that the competition in western NC is better then what is in eastern NC. I believe that they have better programs with coachs that really understand the game and teach it to the girls. Having your team to buy into a "team concept" can be a diffcult thing for a coach to do and I believe that is what you have back west. Most parents want instant results from a coach. Sometimes, as a coach, you can hit that right from the start most of the time, you have to build the program and let it develop. If parents aren't willing to wait for that to develop then they will move on to the next team searching for that instant winner.

Just my opinion.......

 

Can't count the military bases...

because their kids move a lot. We live half way between Lejeune and Cherry Point and I have had kids from both bases on my travel team, but most of the time their parents get moved around a lot. There are not as many 12U and up as you think because a lot of the Marines / Sailors are single or have younger children.

Most of the travel teams in my area do play USFA because we can travel to Kinston, Greenville, Clayton, Rocky Mount or Raleigh (about 2 to 2.5 hours) and play every weekend without breaking the bank for travel expenses. In my case and with some others that I know, when I see a girl that is D1, D2 material I send them to Ben, Ray and the Cards because these guys were good to my DD and the girls will get exposure that they will never get around here. Some of the talent from the East is currently playing with talent from the West...they don't mind the drive, which is about 5 hours, to play for a quality organization. WE ARE AMONG YOU!!! LOL!!

 

BINGO!