Olympic Softball

[LongLostSoCal]

Softball isn't a global sport it's a niche sport. It required building venues for the Olympics that aren't used much since. Was a good decision to get rid of it.

As far as "throwing" the final game is a dumb notion. Japan-USA went long innings their first game before USA pounced during special rules time.

Girls fastpitch won't be affected by this at all, the girls will still go for their Title IX scholarships and move along into their careers like 99.9 percent of them do. The only casualty stateside might be the women's pro league, which is a casualty 24/7 anyway.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by LongLostSoCal

Softball isn't a global sport it's a niche sport. It required building venues for the Olympics that aren't used much since. Was a good decision to get rid of it.

How do you classify a sport which is played on every inhabited continent other than global? And the thought of venues becoming useless is absurd.

As far as "throwing" the final game is a dumb notion.

Ya think!

Girls fastpitch won't be affected by this at all, the girls will still go for their Title IX scholarships and move along into their careers like 99.9 percent of them do. The only casualty stateside might be the women's pro league, which is a casualty 24/7 anyway.

Unless it is returned to Olympic status, it will affect youth softball. What goes up, must come down. Youth softball boomed after the game was added to the Olympic line up. It is only natural that the further we become removed from the Olympics, participation will decline. Unfortunately, this isn't like baseball of old where a majority of boys were expected to select some sort of sport in which to participate and the obvious summer sport was baseball.

I believe softball will retain some of the numbers in the youth game. They will go down, but not to the pre-Olympic level.

Actually, it may strengthen the NPF which needs all the help it can get.

[SRW]

And going with this, I think there's a good chance that the participation levels in the youth game may hold steady.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by SRW

And going with this, I think there's a good chance that the participation levels in the youth game may hold steady.

They already run a Jr. World Cup. It looks like they are going to take it down just a peg to a younger level. This will be a good thing, and hopefully it grows strong before 2012.

Don't know if ASA will attempt to negotiate non-conflicting dates with the JO program. The again, this really isn't for the USA, is it?

[SRW]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

They already run a Jr. World Cup. It looks like they are going to take it down just a peg to a younger level. This will be a good thing, and hopefully it grows strong before 2012.

Don't know if ASA will attempt to negotiate non-conflicting dates with the JO program. The again, this really isn't for the USA, is it?

No, probably not. I doubt that you're going to get the average 16-A travel team, fresh off coming back from Nationals to fork up enough dough to take an international softball adventure to somewhere in Europe.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by SRW

No, probably not. I doubt that you're going to get the average 16-A travel team, fresh off coming back from Nationals to fork up enough dough to take an international softball adventure to somewhere in Europe.

And if this is going to be a World Cup event, I would expect the NGB to provide some help with this, but not to a standard 16U team. I would like to think they would make an all-star selection from the previous year's 16U & 14U USA/ASA Nationals to those girls who will be age eligible the following season.

This would be a financial undertaking for ASA, but who knows. This WOULD be a lot easier if there was still money coming in from the IOC.

But, who knows. Of course, you would have every psycho parent who thinks their daughter should be included filing lawsuits out the *** to stop ASA from sending the team they want unless it included THEIR little girl .

[Steve M]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

They already run a Jr. World Cup. It looks like they are going to take it down just a peg to a younger level. This will be a good thing, and hopefully it grows strong before 2012.

Don't know if ASA will attempt to negotiate non-conflicting dates with the JO program. The again, this really isn't for the USA, is it?

Interesting, Mike.
Now, sine we have no ISF (through ASA) for 16&U, how do you think the choices will be made for umpires?

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Steve M

Interesting, Mike.
Now, sine we have no ISF (through ASA) for 16&U, how do you think the choices will be made for umpires?

They would use ISF umpires. Probably more local or each team bring one with them.