This Month's News
December2014

Young Men's FP-ASA rule?

December 18, 2014

Winston, MO

December 18, 2014

YOUNG MEN'S FASTPITCH WORLD

SUBJECT- allowing males to play in multiple YOUTH divisions at ASA Nationals.

I hear the ASA Young Men's National is in Midland, Michigain.  Congrats....they will do a great job...my
only concern is...will the "outlanders" from Missouri, Minnesota, South Dakota, etc drive there
for a 3-5 team YOUNGER age division?  I hope so.

There still might be time for the National ASA committee to help Boy's and Young Men's fastpitch out.

I am a teacher/coach in a rural farm area. Sponsors aren't lining up to give money to boy's fastpitch (or men's, ha).
I will probably only be able to take ONE team on that 12 hour trip....probably a 16 or 18 year old team.  My older son Craig
pitches for us at that age...and we have another local boy or two that pitches as well.
In the past, I have raised a couple grand and taken 10 or 12 year old teams on 6 hour trips to play in 3 team and 4 team ASA tournaments...and that
was our only fastpitch of the summer.  But I am limited on how many teams I can field and fund for a 12 hour trip....to go play a 3 team
tournament? 

I have a 14 year old son (Jacob) who can pitch.....but he isn't ready to SAFELY pitch against 18 or 19 year olds (birthday after Jan. 1). 
I will take him as a position player on this older team.....no problem, he has always "played up" to be on that team. It's his team too.
He helps raise the money for HIS team...he practices with them during the summer....preparing to go together to play
in this one Boy's tournament.  It's a family things shared by mom, dad, and 3 brothers.

He is pretty good at the 14 year old age...but I can't put another team together, spend all that money, ask all those parents to travel 12 hours
to play their only weekend of the summer and we only have ONE pitcher...and this is his first tournament of the summer?
MAYBE IF YOU ARE A LOCAL TEAM...BUT NOT 12 HOURS AWAY.

I would like to loan him out to play on some younger local team that needs a pitcher.
He wouldn't mind if he still got the chance to be on his own Winston team.
He could help a local baseball team be a part of the 14 year age division....but in order to do that he
has to separate himself from his brothers and friends that he has played with in 5 National tournaments?

Many are saying now, sounds like a personal choice then.  It is...you are right.  BUT.....
Why make a player make that choice when there is a remedy that also helps field more teams?

Current ASA rules don't allow for boys to play in different/multiple age divisions.....that needs to change.
LOOK AT OUR RECENT TOURNAMENTS.....WE HAD ONE AGE DIVISION LAST SUMMER IN ST JOE. (16 years).
Look at the stats for the last 10 years....the number of age divisions has declined DRAMATICALLY.
Is anyone noticing this?  Is anyone discussing what we can do to help?
Let's try and help the sport with a slight tweek...allow players from the 10, 12, 14, 16 age groups to be on
an additional roster if it is in a higher age division.  (they can't play on two teams in the same age).
If their coach or parent thinks they are capable, it's safe and it helps us field more teams, then why not?
(I won't mention that NAFA successfully allows players to play in different divisions and they have huge National events)

This ASA rule could be adjusted just for boys and NOT the girls.  HERESY?  No, the rule book isn't a Sacred Cow.
There is a precedent of at least one other difference between the men's and the women's game....
(43 feet...46 feet)
Good grief....girls fastpitch is stronger than ever.....they don't need this....WE DO.

There are others in my same situation....this could help field more teams. 

Please consider it...
You travel a long ways....while you are there, maybe you can help out other age divisions by sharing a younger but talented player...
BUT PLACED ON THE ROSTER IN ADVANCE.
Occasionally, players have to make a choice between which team to play on when schedules conflict.

Thoughts?

Eric Lewis
Winston MO

elewis@winston.k12.mo.us

 

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