ASA Tournaments

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by clev1967

I umpire as well as coach a team and have zero ASA tournaments on my umpiring schedule and as of this morning am working on pulling out of two tournaments for my team(due to lack of teams signed up for them as well as the above problems) and switching over to another VTD tournament.

Well, since the subject came up, let's address this. AND IT APPLIES TO ALL, not just ASA and not just softball.

Rant on!

Did you ever think that the reason there are a lack of teams for some tournaments is because everyone is thinking the same as you are? Ever think that if the teams would stay put, the tournament wouldn't have a lack of teams?

When it comes down to it, many, if not most, softball teams/clubs/whatever have very little loyalty or dedication to anyone other than their own wallet.

Lots of promises, but when it comes down to the nitty-gritty, coaches are going to take a team to someplace which will support THEIR carrot, not necessarily the players or parents.

I cannot tell you how many times I've sat in meetings or discussions with teams/leagues/whatever and hear "you need to do this", "you need to do that", "you never have any tournaments", yada, yada, yada. Yet when asked to help with a tournament, you would think their first-born was in jeopardy. What it often comes down to is these "customers" want you to do all the work, secure the fields and umpires, pay all the fees and then, if it is convenient, they may play in the tournament THEY demanded you run. You end up cancelling the tournament, losing a few hundred dollars along the way only to hear the same complaint the following year.

I know this is not all over the place and in some cases not every one in my back yard and probably applies to a small minority.

And that is fine, but it is the teams who have forced the sanctioning bodies to handle the game as a business, yet many do little to support it.

JMO, but many a game has been ruined when people decided to turn it into a "what's in it for me?" business and that applies to the players, coaches and administrators/directors, some commissioners and officials.

Rant off!