ASA Tournaments

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by clev1967

Could not disagree with you more Irish.

Let me think about that one........

The problem here with lack of teams in ASA tournaments is ASA dropping the ball in regards to their tournament software. There are plenty of teams in VTD tournaments around here as their system is much better.
ASA has also rubbed a lot of people the wrong way with their lack of customer service and the number of hoops you have to jump through just to play in their tournaments.

And VTD, while I sympathized with their disposition and the manner it was done, are part of my point. VTD is in business. The don't give any more a concern about your or your DDs than the next guy. Allen is a nice guy, but my personal interaction with him and his software was about the same as it is with ASA and I'm not happy with them, either.

Lets put it this way, if the burger joint on the corner that has been in business forever- ups their prices, changes their menu, treats you like crap when you go in, never answers their phone you are going to look at what is going on with the new burger joint on the other corner and when your first meal is good and the service is good you are going back next time you need a burger.

And if the burger joint was being sued by everyone from the parents of a girl because she didn't make the national team to every back-alley lawyer who sees a financial opportunity with every injury, they wouldn't have much of a choice than to be extremely cautious in the manner in which business was conducted and increase revenue to cover increased costs. AFA customer service, I don't have a problem on my end. I pick up a phone and get an answer. May not be the specific one I'm seeking, but it isn't a problem. I suspect you are judging ASA based on the local association. I'm not.

As far as this carrot you are talking about not sure where that comes from. Having a team is expensive the only revenue coming in is from player fees. Not many sponsors running around these days.

You really don't know what the carrot is? Obviously, you are not one of the folks to which I am referring.

I can only speak to how I schedule tournaments. I send out a conflict sheet to team at the beginning of each season and then check out holidays. Now I have narrowed it down to which weekends we can play and then schedule from there. It has become much harder to do because of the ASA issues in our area. So if it is two weeks out from a tournament and there are only one or two teams signed up I have to look elsewhere or I am going to have to big of a gap in the schedule.

The only time money becomes involved is if there are two tournaments the same weekend and one is less expensive and offers more games.

Again, I went out of my way to state my post was relatively generic, yet you seem to respond in a personal fashion. It was not directed at you, but there are three sides to every story. Many people really have no idea what local associations have to endure. There are good and bad, but every time I invite any of the habitual complainers who always have a better idea to get involved or even just show up at a meeting to vent, there is no response, but the whine keeps on coming.

I know there are organizations which are just the opposite, but I can tell you as a matter of fact, most go out of their way to make reasonable accommodations for the many concerns. Unfortunately, too may people think that isn't true if they don't get what THEY want, yet will never stop long enough to stop and have a reasonable discussion.

[NDblue]

At the end of this month, I'll be working the world's largest 3 day SP tournament and there's more teams coming this year, than any other year in the past. Last I heard, 475 teams have entered compared to last years record of 437. It's an ASA sanctioned tournament.

All we have is ASA in North Dakota for SP and FP except high school (they do use the ASA ruleset but umpires wear blank shirts/hats).

[CecilOne]

I'm happy there is one more ASA tourney this year than last year, in this area.

[txtrooper]

We have a lot of ASA Tournaments in the Houston Area, no problems here.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by txtrooper

We have a lot of ASA Tournaments in the Houston Area, no problems here.

How does umpire registration work here? From what I understand, I live in the Texas ASA Association territory. Would I be able to work tournaments in Houston Metro ASA also?

[txtrooper]

Originally Posted by Welpe

How does umpire registration work here? From what I understand, I live in the Texas ASA Association territory. Would I be able to work tournaments in Houston Metro ASA also?

Yes, I have worked with guys from other areas. My Tournament UIC/Scheduler sends us all over the Houston area for tournaments. I have a great time working with different umpires and picking up useful "tips of the trade" from senior umpires. Do you all have many tournaments in your area?

[Welpe]

Cool, glad to hear that. It seems we have a fair amount out this way but I'm not sure how many exactly. Haven't gotten into it out here. I'm thinking I will be next spring.

[BretMan]

Plenty of ASA tournaments in Ohio. The Ohio ASA website lists 70 fastpitch and 50 slow pitch tournies this year.

My local ASA umpire association, in district #22, will be covering 10 fastpitch tournaments in our area. Not sure about slow pitch, as I don't get involved in that side of things. It is not unusual at all for our local group to "loan out" umpires to help with other tournaments in the region.

I will say that our state commissioner, from all of my dealings with him, seems to be a guy that really cares about the game and deals with folks in an open and honest manner.

If that's not enough, NSA and USSSA both have a fairly strong presence (though not as big as ASA) and seem destined to grow.

Personally, I have the opportunity to work an ASA tournament pretty much every weeked from the time the high school season ends through the end of July. On the only two weekends that our local unit was not covering games, I worked a good NSA tourney (they recruited me) and a non-sanctioned men's fastpitch tournament (I know the TD).

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by BretMan

I will say that our state commissioner, from all of my dealings with him, seems to be a guy that really cares about the game and deals with folks in an open and honest manner.

Warren's good man and does care about the game. He also let's his umpire staff do their job. Best of both worlds.

[umpirebob71]

I'm working an ASA tournament in Bazetta Township, near Cortland, Ohio this weekend, that has 52 teams entered. Also, very true about Warren.