Premier tournament

[sbparent]

This tournament seemed to be a big deal when it came out but not hearing much about it any more.  There was a qualifer in Houston couple of weeks ago but never saw any info on number of teams playing or who qualified.  There website has not been updated with news since March, 2010.
Anyone have any info?

[Mc]

There were 38 teams.  Houston Power Krysiak and Sudden Impact qualified from the winner's bracket.  N.O. Voo Doo and New Mexico Sundancers qualified from the loser's bracket. This is per the Premier web site.

Tried to attach the bracket, but upload folder was full.

[Big Daddy]

There were a lot of teams in Houston that were not involved in the " Qualifying" part of the tournament.    They were invited to participate in the National Premier last year sometime and did not have to qualify.....they played in the round robin division of the tournament.  There were a lot of teams and a decent number of college coaches in attendance.

[sbparent]

Is there a website that has the bracket on it.  Just was curious who played and such.

Only 5 teams from Texas that got the automatic bids to the tourament:
Texas Storm Demarini
Texas Glory
Texas Eclipse
Houston Power
Texas Impact Gold

[Mc]

Also TX Magic from Texas.  Was wrong about Voo Doo qualifying. They were not at this tournament. But they are on the Premier list, so must have received an invite. Unsure of the 4th team to qualify.

List of participating teams.

[b]Playing to Qualify[/b]
Am Freedom Gold - Soefje
Am Freedom Gold - Trout
American Freedom Mc
Arizona Lil Saints
Austin Storm Gold
Cy Fair Intruders Gold
Dallas Tigers 16u
GT Shockers Gold
Hit Away Gold
[i]Hous Power Gold - Krysiak (QUALIFIED)[/i]
Houston RBI
Humble Cobras - Dukes
Impact Gold - Piro
Katy Cruisers Gold
La Porte Storm Gold
MC Elite Gold
[i]New Mexico Sundancers (QUALIFIED)[/i]
New Orleans Déjà Vu 16u
New Orleans Déjà Vu Gold
Platinum 16u
[i]Sudden Impact Gold (QUALIFIED)[/i]
Team TX Gold
The Corps
TX Aces Express Gold
Tx Avengers Rev Gold
Tx Blaze Gold - Slimp
Tx Bombers Gold
Tx Challengers Gold
TX Cobras Gold
Tx Elite Floyd 16u
Tx Gulf Coast Challengers
TX Hawks Gold
TX Liberty 16u
TX Lite
TX Lite 16u
Tx Peppers Tanel Gold
Tx Prospects
Tx Shockwave Gold
TX Stix Gold
Tx Stix Myrick
Tx Storm Gold - New
TX Terminators
TX Trouble Gold

[b]Automatic Teams (played round robin)[/b]
Houston Power Gold
Impact Gold Burke
TX Eclipse Gold
TX Glory Gold
TX Magic Gold
TX Storm Gold Durham
Tx Glory Gold
Wichita Mustangs Gold

[sbparent]

From what I can tell this tournament is one week and Gold nationals is the next week (or vice versa).  Premier is in California; Gold is in Georgia.  Wonder how many of these teams will attempt to play both?

[Mc]

Premier will be played the week following ASA Gold.

Was a good tournament from the aspect of quality of teams present.  But timing of the event before Div 1 finished world series limited the number of college coaches attending to 3 or 4. Also several players missing due to graduation.

Honestly don't think it will last long, as a nationwide tournament anyways.  The planners probably accomplished their 6 objectives:

1. Eliminate college players from participating in ASA Gold
2. Make someone some money
3. Return to the rotation of east, west and central locations for Gold Nationals
4. Make someone else some money
5. Allow metal cleats in ASA Gold
6. Make a little more money

[sbparent]

I think I saw on this board that the qualifer was also heard during a "dead week" for colleges.  Not good timing but probably hard to work into a crowded summer schedule.

[Guest shake and bake]

And finally:

MAKE SOMEONE SOME MORE MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good job Mc!
Wow that was hard to say ;D

[JohnnyT60]

I tend to shy away from autocratic organaizations. Hitler and Mussolini, Hussein and few others have proven they are doomed to fail.

[Mc]

I'm sure Candrea makes some decent money annually from ASA's A.C.E. Cerfification program.

I don't have a problem with anyone making money, as long as you are getting what you paid for. The Premier tournament had planned on going head to head with ASA. Once ASA caved, the Premier compromised and probably tried working around ASA events which put the TX Premier qualifier on a less than desirable weekend.  However, if you want to go, there is another July qualifier in NJ with teams from NM and CA attending.

[Mc]

I've heard that sometimes umpires can even get into the more money action.........

[JohnnyT60]

I just believe Hanning and California ended up with way too much power and control over FP softball than is healthy.

[Core47]

There were more than 38 teams there. NO Voodoo was there because we played them and lost.

[Mc]

[quote name="Core47" post="813307" timestamp="1276780458"]
There were more than 38 teams there. NO Voodoo was there because we played them and lost.
[/quote]I was looking at the bracket sent out on 5/29. The later bracket sent out on 6/2 did have VooDoo on it. I thought I remember them being there, but thought I was getting it confused with seeing them at the Gold qualifier last weekend at same park. Think it's an age issue with me. But the total number of teams in the 18U bracket was still at 38 according to the 6/2 bracket.  There were 8 other automatic invite teams playing a round robin and a handful of 16U teams playing the 16U qualifier.

[trout]

It was a good tournament with some very strong teams. If you want the exposure go to Houston, if you want to get seen by colleges go to Houston, if you want to play against the best teams go to Houston that is where it is at. I don't think that the Premier is going to stay around very long but the tournament got our team some good looks and just reinforced who our players are to some colleges and that will go a long way to getting them recruited. Overall it was a good experience and helped our team. 

[sbparent]

I did not realize that ASA "gave in" to some of the demands that some powerful select coaches wanted.  No idea if the things they wanted were good or bad, actually needed or if they were issues that the mass of select coaches wanted. 
Good luck to all and I hope it helps in the exposure of more kids.

 

[JohnnyT60]

[quote name="trout" post="813315" timestamp="1276784016"]
It was a good tournament with some very strong teams. If you want the exposure go to Houston, if you want to get seen by colleges go to Houston, if you want to play against the best teams go to Houston that is where it is at. I don't think that the Premier is going to stay around very long but the tournament got our team some good looks and just reinforced who our players are to some colleges and that will go a long way to getting them recruited. Overall it was a good experience and helped our team.   
[/quote]

Trout, no doubt this is true. I would have rather seen another layer or two added to the Gold organization tournamenys where districts at least had a voice. With that being said he did get some changes that were needed. The one area of change I disagree with is prohibiting participation of college kids with eligibility remaining. With the exception of East Coast kids, they have nowhere else to play. A better choice would have been to limit the number of college kids. This hurts small organizations a lot more than the large ones.

[Mc]

[quote name="JohnnyT60" post="813377" timestamp="1276800012"]
[quote author=trout link=topic=70558.msg813315#msg813315 date=1276784016]
It was a good tournament with some very strong teams. If you want the exposure go to Houston, if you want to get seen by colleges go to Houston, if you want to play against the best teams go to Houston that is where it is at. I don't think that the Premier is going to stay around very long but the tournament got our team some good looks and just reinforced who our players are to some colleges and that will go a long way to getting them recruited. Overall it was a good experience and helped our team.   
[/quote]

Trout, no doubt this is true. I would have rather seen another layer or two added to the Gold organization tournamenys where districts at least had a voice. With that being said he did get some changes that were needed. The one area of change I disagree with is prohibiting participation of college kids with eligibility remaining. With the exception of East Coast kids, they have nowhere else to play. A better choice would have been to limit the number of college kids. This hurts small organizations a lot more than the large ones.
[/quote]Doesn't absolutely leave those with eligibility remaining nowhere else to play, but their choices are limited to ASA 18U, IFA, etc. Doubtful most will continue playing with only those options. What I have noticed is that it has somewhat leveled the playing field. No longer are the Impact Gold's of the softball world grabbing up the cream of the college freshman's with eligibility remaining. Neither Impact Gold team qualified last weekend at the ASA Territorial, nor did Impact Gold Piro qualify for the Premier the weekend before. Impact Gold Burke was an invitee to the Premier.

[Guest shake and bake]

I also think that the college girls were left out to dry. Those JC girls are still trying to make to bigger and better programs but sitting out a summer might hurt them. I do not think that IFA or ASA 18 U will get those college coaches coming to see those girls .

[sbparent]

Sounds like the IFA folks should use, as a marketing tool, the fact that Juco players are in their tournaments.  Could help in the attraction of coaches to the IFA nationals in Beaumont. 

[Mc]

Perhaps IFA could use it as a tool, but the best tool would be for the JUCO players to personally let coaches know they are playing in it.

[JohnnyT60]

[quote name="Mc" post="813385" timestamp="1276801055"]
[quote author=JohnnyT60 link=topic=70558.msg813377#msg813377 date=1276800012]
[quote author=trout link=topic=70558.msg813315#msg813315 date=1276784016]
It was a good tournament with some very strong teams. If you want the exposure go to Houston, if you want to get seen by colleges go to Houston, if you want to play against the best teams go to Houston that is where it is at. I don't think that the Premier is going to stay around very long but the tournament got our team some good looks and just reinforced who our players are to some colleges and that will go a long way to getting them recruited. Overall it was a good experience and helped our team.   
[/quote]

Trout, no doubt this is true. I would have rather seen another layer or two added to the Gold organization tournamenys where districts at least had a voice. With that being said he did get some changes that were needed. The one area of change I disagree with is prohibiting participation of college kids with eligibility remaining. With the exception of East Coast kids, they have nowhere else to play. A better choice would have been to limit the number of college kids. This hurts small organizations a lot more than the large ones.
[/quote]Doesn't absolutely leave those with eligibility remaining nowhere else to play, but their choices are limited to ASA 18U, IFA, etc. Doubtful most will continue playing with only those options. What I have noticed is that it has somewhat leveled the playing field. No longer are the Impact Gold's of the softball world grabbing up the cream of the college freshman's with eligibility remaining. Neither Impact Gold team qualified last weekend at the ASA Territorial, nor did Impact Gold Piro qualify for the Premier the weekend before. Impact Gold Burke was an invitee to the Premier.
[/quote]

Mc I agree some teams did stack their teams with mostly college players, but the answer should have been limit each team to two college players instead of completely eliminating their real chance to play.

[JohnnyT60]

One thing to add is that often freshman don't get much of a chance to play that first year.

[BAG FAN]

I totally agree JT , Houston is were the eyes are on you and I wish Gold  would  consider those college kids that play Juco and would like to get the exposer to the four year colleges . We have had some come watch during the college season but why just shut a age group out . They have shown they can handle softball and the grades to many four year colleges morgaging there jobs that kids will work out on the field and the classroom away from home .  many do not post on here, but that in itself as a freshman is a big deal.  Highschool and travel ball kids Kids have never put the road time, the large hours between the wieght room and the practice field and still make time to take  care of the tough regiment of college courses,it is a full time job. Guess trying to say there are kids who have just as much to prove even though they have a scholarship to a juco  ???