[Bandit]

Additional players. Pool play. Extra batters. EP's. Ect.........

In Indiana there is no debate. There is no movement. It is happening. Coaches. Players. Travel organizations. Are not playing ASA ball because of the restricted substitution rules. Parks are changing from being ASA parks to parks representing other organizations
I can provide phone #'s or email address's (send me a personal note if you wish to have them) of travel organization coaches and directors who will enter a NSA tournament 100 miles away from their home field instead of playing in an ASA tournament 15 miles away all based on the ability of the coach to play additional players if he or she wishes.

I am a traditionilist. I like the 'book" rules. I believe the DP/Flex rule is one of the most powerful rules in the book. I believe the DP/Flex rule is the largest mis-understood rule in the book. I believe the DP/Fles rule scares some coaches due to intelect.

But softball has changed. Local organizations are dying. The local hometown vs hometown tournaments are drying up. Travel ball is up. Cost to compete is up (please checkout cost of equipment today vs 10 years ago). please don't compare national tournament participation numbers vs the number of teams competing at the local or even state level.

Simple scenario. 50 States. Each state only state has only 6 teams competing in the state 14 & under age group. Only 2 teams advance to the national championship. 50 x 2. 100 teams at National championship. Thought process......oh......look.......we have 100 team at the NC. We have no problems. WRONG. You only had 6 teams in the STATE tournament. We have a problem here

I believe I have a unique oppurtunity within this conversation. I have been lucky to officiate this great game. At a very high level. I have been involoved in the originazational level of this game within the city parks department, at the travel ball level & at the state level of ASA. My daughter is a A level travel ball player. She currently plays on a A level travel team. So in simple language I have seen and am living both sides of this fence. If we dont figure out how to tear this fence down or at least put a swinging gate in it....as far as ASA is concerned....we will continue to lose teams to the USFA, NSA, USSSA organizations.

Allowing for multiple substitions or allowing multiple players to participate within the tournaments within the pool play area is a simple fix. I can live with or without "participation" medals. And all that junk. There is room for both. But at the ASA state level we have to get our #'s up. This adjustment to the participation rules within the pool portion of a tournament will help.

I have been told that this rule has been presented mulitple times in the past at the national meetings. Only to be shot down by umpires. Why?

I ask a question.....how many times have many of us been at a NC and seen teams play in the early rounds of pool play and then to see them again in the tournament bracket portion later in the week....only to say to ourselves or within the umpire group....wow...that was a different team than what I had on Monday?

Last thought.....just because the rules might allow coaches to use multiple players I don't believe it is being suggested or written that they would "have to" use multiple players. Why not allow the possibilty and put the weight back onto the coaches. Let them take the heat form the parents paying the big bucks for thier daughter to play travel ball as to why the girl did not play. why should the organization (ASA) play or be the "bad" guy?