ASA Tournaments

[derwil]

Are you all seeing problems with ASA tournaments making? This weekend will be the first one I know of in Alabama that has made. NSA has been playing every weekend for a month. Lots of teams don't want to pay for the new required certifications I am told. I'm afraid that between this and the pay decrease for umpires ($30 -> $25) ASA in Alabama may be on the way out.

How is it elsewhere?

[MD Longhorn]

Just worked a 55 team tourney. 66 team tourney next weekend. No worries in Sugarland Texas, I promise you.

[Dakota]

ASA for girls fastpitch is in rapid decline in the Twin Cities metro, but this is not due to anything that ASA national is doing. All local politics.

[JefferMC]

I can tell you for sure in a week or two about this year, but ASA has been the preiminant softball organization in Upstate SC for several years. WFC, NSA and ISA have been dieing out. USSSA made an attempt last year, but had very few tournaments make.

The story is different towards the coast, though.

[Skahtboi]

In this part of North Texas, it seems that VTD is making its move to take over.

[KJUmp]

Has PONY been making inroads over ASA anywhere? They have in MA/RI.

[Snocatzdad]

Originally Posted by Dakota

ASA for girls fastpitch is in rapid decline in the Twin Cities metro, but this is not due to anything that ASA national is doing. All local politics.

Depends on how you define decline. # of tournaments/teams sanctioned definite decline. # teams attending ASA nationals may actually be on the rise.

We've usually send our full contingent at 18UA and 16UA to USA/ASA National, this will be the first year in at least the last 4 where 14UA teams are actually competing in a 14UA ASA State trying to win bids to a 14UA Nationals.

Teams attending 14UA ASA State
2010 12 (all berths will be used)
2009 5 (sent 1 team to USA/ASA Nationals)
2008 0 (cancelled for lack of interest)
2007 2 (both went to USA/ASA Nationals)

I guess you could say that ASA National has some responsibility for the decline in local ASA in our area in that they allow too much lattitude to their local ASA affiliates. Personally I'm in favor of local control, even if I don't agree with some of the local decisions that have been made.

[MichaelVA2000]

In Northern VA, ASA and PONY seem to be on the way out. Most of the ASA tournaments are playing in Central and Southwestern VA.

There's been only one PONY tournament in NOVA so far this year.

USSSA has fifteen scheduled tournaments in NOVA this season and NSA has ten.

[clev1967]

Another problem with ASA and this has been building over the last few years is their customer service! Good luck getting a hold of anyone that can help you. This even goes for people in charge of championship play tournaments.

Yes their tournament sign up process is a major problem as well as their nickle and diming of teams, i.e. ACE certification, Insurance, ID Cards. They are fading fast in North Texas.

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.

[TwoBits]

USSSA is overtaking ASA in the Midwest.

[JefferMC]

As I read these comments, I'm wondering FP, SP or both. My comments above were aimed solely at FP.

[derwil]

OP was FP...I don't call SP.

[HugoTafurst]

Originally Posted by clev1967

I umpire as well as coach a team and have zero ASA tournaments on my umpiring schedule .

Maybe 'cause when it comes down to it....coaches should coach and umires should umpire???

[IRISHMAFIA]

I have about a half dozen ASA tournaments on my schedule

[clev1967]

Originally Posted by HugoTafurst

Maybe 'cause when it comes down to it....coaches should coach and umires should umpire???

A very uneducated or egotistical quote...... or more than likely- both.