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4 seam	Posted - 03/30/2011 : 08:45:09 What s the rule of playing up in age and classes? Can a major team play up in age and pay AA or do they need to to play AAA?
25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)
4bagger	Posted - 04/09/2011 : 23:10:50 Hey bmoser, Yes the catcher caught the ball but the throw was just a little above his head so by the time he caught it and brought the tag down the runner was under it for the score.
bmoser	Posted - 04/09/2011 : 07:23:21 SSBckeye: Very well said about choosing a "local" travel team instead of the very best team your son can make. I'm on the same page as you, and like you have nothing against those who take the other path. It really gets fun when one of these "local" teams becomes competitive with the area wide teams.
Spartan4	Posted - 04/08/2011 : 23:59:15 Thanks Andy!! It was a big win.....we needed it!!
SSBuckeye	Posted - 04/08/2011 : 22:58:36 S4, I have 5-6 kids on my AA/AAA team who could play on most any ECB team in the 11u age group. They don't do it because, 1) they like playing with their friends, 2) the practice field is 5-10 mins from their house, 3) they get good coaching already, and 4) the families all like hanging out with each other. The bottom line is there is a multitude of reasons why families pick the teams on which they opt to play that have nothing to do with getting on the absolute best team possible. Some folks are willing to make that sacrifice (in terms of cost, time commitment, inconvenience) and that is great for them. What I think irks some of us is that those same folks seem to want to ignore all those valid reasons for playing on that "pretty good" local team in order to ensure that all the best players play on a major team, which then will increase the number of major teams against which they can play. The fact is no matter how hard we try to change it, there will always be local travel teams who have 1 major player, 3 AAA players, 6 AA players and an A player playing as a AA team. And, as far as I'm concerned, there's nothing wrong with that! P.S. Congrats on the big win last weekend!
seminole tony	Posted - 04/08/2011 : 22:08:05 quote: Originally posted by 4 seam What s the rule of playing up in age and classes? Can a major team play up in age and pay AA or do they need to to play AAA? Guys, Lets get back on topic. "Should there be more levels of travel ball other than Majors" is a new thread. I don't have a problem commenting on the new thread but this could change directions a dozen ways. Play ball!!
Spartan4	Posted - 04/08/2011 : 21:24:12 quote: Originally posted by RACGOFAR Last thing and I'm out of this chain. There are plenty of kids playing on AA teams who can play at higher levels, including Majors. Any coach who would dismiss a prospect simply because he has been on a lower classification team is missing out on a big layer of talent. And I certainly understand why guys like you and Spartan want your boys to be playing in a game 7 atmosphere every time they step onto the diamond. But I hope that you can leave open the possibility that some really, really good baseball is being played at AA and AAA levels and just as many kids on those teams will wind up playing HS ball as those on Major teams do. I do not dismiss there is VERY good baseball being played at the AA level. I have said over and over again I feel like most AAA teams can play major week in and week out. Not a big fan of the pro ball analogy but I understand it, I just don't personally feel there is anywhere near the talent disparity above 14U-Big Leagues like there are in the 9-10-11 levels....I do think parents of these "AA/AAA" kids who throw 65+ and hit .700 should take a step back and evaluate what is happening instead of pounding kids they should pound. It doesn't really help either kid...RACGOFAR has a tweener type team that I have seen lose a couple AAA games and then beat major teams, I know for a fact if we play him he is getting a top pitcher and his team will NOT be taken lightly!! A lot of that is because he is a very good coach, not just a by the book type game manager but he is good at keeping the boys level headed and calm. After reading all these pages I am taking a new perspective, I always say I don't know if my nephew will be good in 6 weeks much less 6 years, so I shouldn't slam a door in a league we might have to one day play in. On the other hand, how many kids are playing AA out there that belong on the best teams around, or deserve the kind of coaching not every team has??
bmoser	Posted - 04/08/2011 : 20:31:17 4bagger, Thanks for sharing that story...wow!...I wish I had seen that steal of home. Did the catcher catch the ball?
m72	Posted - 04/08/2011 : 19:00:16 quote: Originally posted by RACGOFAR M72: I only mentioned the MLB to illustrate simply that professional baseball has different levels of play. And the reason for that is b/c players develop their skills at different rates. Even an 18 yr old kid with a plus plus fastball is not going to do very well in AAA if he has never pitched at that level. He may need time to work on his secondary pitches, build up the endurance to go from throwing 50 innings a year in HS to 200+ innings, etc. I do believe AA travel ball is watered down in the sense that you see way more teams at that level who are not prepared to play or have not been coached the proper way to play. Simply playing more games is not going to help your kids get better. BTW, M72. I never played travel ball growing up and never played in HS. But in the last 12 years, I do have about 46+ seasons of coaching 5u-16u Rec, Allstar and Travel teams under my belt. I think the fact that I didn't play has helped me be a better coach because I have been able to be open minded about coaching philosophies and instruction techniques, rather than simply mirroring something I was exposed to that may have been right or wrong when I was younger. The comparison is my misunderstanding then. The reason I ask if you played back in the day is because few on here seem to understand what I mean when I talk about travel ball in that time period and only talk about what it is now, so I wasn't sure if you played or not back then just based on your post. I wasn't trying to say anything about you if you hadn't played. I'm just worn out from explaining myself on the topic now.
4bagger	Posted - 04/08/2011 : 17:20:53 You can find great baseball games between any two teams who are similarly matched in skills. Thats the whole point. There is no fun, or point, to a game between an elite 32 team and a fall rec league team. Gasbag is right, with all the classifications you have the choice of how much of a challenge you want to face and everyone gets to enjoy baseball. Rac, did you see the Hobgood Bash tourney last week? You want to talk about great AAA ball games. The Astros beat up everybody going to the championship and was sitting pretty for a win against Sig Park but then SP came back and tied the game by stealing home on the pitcher with 2 outs! Those SP kids had just come back from way behind against SBA to make the championship and it looked like were going to do it again but the Astros held together and played solid, fundamental baseball to get a runner in scoring position and then won the game 10-9 in the bottom of the last inning on a nice shot down the 1B line. Great ballgame to watch and both teams displayed great sportsmanship after the game.
gasbag	Posted - 04/08/2011 : 16:53:26 What difference does calling something "parks & Rec", all-stars, travel ball, a, aa, aaa, major etc ? The good news is there is an avenue for kids of any age and any ability to experience the game. Kind of elitist to think the only quality ball is "major" played by travel ball kids don't you think ? I've seen plenty of great games played at every level. I'm just happy for all of the levels and all of the kids who give me great joy to watch compete in the game of baseball.
RACGOFAR	Posted - 04/08/2011 : 16:48:17 Last thing and I'm out of this chain. There are plenty of kids playing on AA teams who can play at higher levels, including Majors. Any coach who would dismiss a prospect simply because he has been on a lower classification team is missing out on a big layer of talent. And I certainly understand why guys like you and Spartan want your boys to be playing in a game 7 atmosphere every time they step onto the diamond. But I hope that you can leave open the possibility that some really, really good baseball is being played at AA and AAA levels and just as many kids on those teams will wind up playing HS ball as those on Major teams do.
RACGOFAR	Posted - 04/08/2011 : 16:38:11 M72: I only mentioned the MLB to illustrate simply that professional baseball has different levels of play. And the reason for that is b/c players develop their skills at different rates. Even an 18 yr old kid with a plus plus fastball is not going to do very well in AAA if he has never pitched at that level. He may need time to work on his secondary pitches, build up the endurance to go from throwing 50 innings a year in HS to 200+ innings, etc. I do believe AA travel ball is watered down in the sense that you see way more teams at that level who are not prepared to play or have not been coached the proper way to play. Simply playing more games is not going to help your kids get better. BTW, M72. I never played travel ball growing up and never played in HS. But in the last 12 years, I do have about 46+ seasons of coaching 5u-16u Rec, Allstar and Travel teams under my belt. I think the fact that I didn't play has helped me be a better coach because I have been able to be open minded about coaching philosophies and instruction techniques, rather than simply mirroring something I was exposed to that may have been right or wrong when I was younger.
12uCoach	Posted - 04/08/2011 : 14:19:04 Sorry for the length... I am really enjoying this discussion about where travel baseball is today. Everything you like or dislike about the current structure was predicted by a few of us having lunch in the Fall of 2000. In 1996 my 11U team had to play 12U teams (Josh Burrus, Jeff Francouer, Kyle Davies, Nick Markakis were 12 in 1996 I have the score book to prove it) just to get to 40 games. There was only 2 state tournaments that year CABA and AAU. In 1997 there were at least 12 AAU teams, 6 NABF teams and 16 teams in the CABA state tournaments. What changed was the foresight of a coach from Sandy Plains and a coach from Shaw Park who realized that rec-ball was not competitive enough for their players (most went D-I or drafted) and created NWBA. Prior to that, and no offense to NWBA, playing travel ball meant putting together a team to be a National Competitor. The founders of NWBA, wanted a place where they could teach their kids baseball, and always attempt to play teams that had the drive to be better each time they played. Lots of thing went wrong. USSSA opened up and realized they needed to be Competitive and Select, Now Major and AAA, AA Originally based on how many games you played. Parents got more involved and coaches were paid, not at 15 and above, but 12 and below. Harry Peaden (I love Harry, I really do) created the Woolsey Yankees, and had a guy in the stands recruiting during games. Teams wanted to recruit against my 2001 12U team and had tryouts in October, compared to our November tryouts. We know how that has ended up. Oh, and let us not forget USSSA Major Championships in Omaha, NE and Kernersville, NC instead of Disney. AAU Championships in Minneapolis. CABA in Iowa and Missouri. They listened to the parents and moved to vacation spots. So, be happy with whatever decision a coach makes. If you play a lesser team, get your bench players some time and know the other team is getting better. Enjoy the games, as I learned many years ago, "Sometimes a kid needs to be a kid."
m72	Posted - 04/08/2011 : 13:14:23 quote: Originally posted by momshell m72- Thanks for your explanation. The book is a very short one. I did not choose momshell as a play on bombshell. That would unfortunately be very deceptive:) The travel that you describe sounds a lot like what my husband played as a youth and he is older than you. It must have been that way for a while. He remembers it fondly too. We have chosen to focus on what travel is and not what it was and are still trying to figure out the best path for our boys. You're exactly right I too have to stay focused on the way travel is today for the better good of my son but in light of the direction the topic went, that was just my thoughts. As for the name, I didn't mean to imply anything as I have no idea who you are or what you look like. I was just trying to find some humor amongst all this. No disrespect was intended either way to you or your husband.
Newbie BB Mom	Posted - 04/08/2011 : 12:46:22 quote: Originally posted by aadad Great topic and some great points of views in this thread. Here's mine: I feel very lucky that we have such a tremendous travel ball organization here in GA. And I wonder if some of you, who may have been involved only with "elite" teams since your kids were very young, are missing something. My son started playing rec ball as an 8yo. He wasn't very good. But he LOVED playing baseball. He was the smallest runt on the field and had no idea how to even run around the bases. He played rec ball for 4 years, improving quite a bit each year. He was never the best player on his team, but always contributed and hustled. He was proud and excited to be selected to play All-Stars at 10 and 11. When he was 12, someone recommended that I take him to a tryout for a 1st year travel team. He had a great tryout and made the team. It was a AA team and we were terrible. We may have won 5 games the whole year. Although it was torturous at times watching them play, we did have most Sundays off (lol). Playing so many games and playing against better competition helped my son to improve at a pretty rapid rate. By the end of the season, I knew he was ready for a greater challenge. The next season he played a major role on a very solid AAA team and is now playing JV ball in HS. The bottom line here is that travel ball in GA affords many kids, of many ages, an opportunity to play lots of baseball. There are many wonderful rec leagues out there, and the one my son played at was fantastic. It played a huge role in his development and love for the game. But at a certain point, he needed to play more. Some kids are ready at 8yo, some at 13yo. We are extremely lucky to have such a variety of levels of travel ball for our kids. It's up to each family to find the right path for their kids, but it sure is nice to have so many options. This is my first post on this forum (hello everyone). I love how you said this, aadad. It captures very much how I feel. My 8 year old son is in a recreational league that he (and we) have enjoyed very much for three years. He has been encouraged to look into travel ball. I don't know if we'll make the move or not, but I feel very fortunate to live in an area (East Cobb) that has so many baseball options, for whatever skill level and interest a child might have.
momshell	Posted - 04/08/2011 : 11:31:57 m72- Thanks for your explanation. The book is a very short one. I did not choose momshell as a play on bombshell. That would unfortunately be very deceptive:) The travel that you describe sounds a lot like what my husband played as a youth and he is older than you. It must have been that way for a while. He remembers it fondly too. We have chosen to focus on what travel is and not what it was and are still trying to figure out the best path for our boys.
Gwinnett	Posted - 04/08/2011 : 10:12:32 m72, point well taken! Honestly, what you described is exactly how it was when I played baseball. We must be close in age. And YES if your treating I'm eating...lol
vols	Posted - 04/08/2011 : 02:17:48 M72. We are from knoxville.
vols	Posted - 04/08/2011 : 02:12:23 From an outsiders perspective. We play in tennessee. Our team has been to the atlanta area twice this year and will be there once more. In most of Tennessee there is usually not major aaa or aa tournaments. They for the most part are open tournaments. We play some usssa tournaments but not every weekend to help control costs for our parents. We started out as a aa team and moved up. In Ga we may not be considered major as far as we are probably not going to be able to win many major tournaments there. However our kids enjoy the competition of playing top level teams. We have to play up here to get that kind of competition. But having started out as a aa team and moving up is something our kids have worked hard to do. But when we started out we played whoever we could. Do I think there should be a aa division, who am I to say. Its whatever you put into it. There is a difference between tournament teams and travel teams but really who cares. If a 10u team wants to play us that's their choice. I will always look to give our team a challenge. You can't stop a team from playing up in all of the tournaments. Whether it usssa, tc, nations or a local tournament they are all in it to make money. If your team is a major team everyone will figure it out. If they are not have fun and let the kids play baseball. In short teams should be allowed to play up. However as parents everyone should read bmoser post in 11u forum from last week about why our kids play baseball. I had all my parents read it. Good luck to all of you. Georgia has a lot of good baseball and should be proud.
m72	Posted - 04/07/2011 : 23:15:08 quote: Originally posted by RACGOFAR Professional baseball has at least 6+ levels of play: 1) Major 2) AAA 3) AA 4) High A 5) Low A 6) Rookie You could easily add fall instructional and the summer collegiate leagues as levels of pro ball as well. Travel baesall has certainly evolved, especially in the last 10 years, and it is not surprising to me that its evolution has begun to mirror the professional level in terms of the levels of play. M72 says "It used to mean something to be called a travel player." What did it mean then? It seems to me that what it means now is that a kid wants to play more than 12-17 games a year, wants to improve his game and he wants to play against good competition. Skill level is immaterial to that desire. Bottom line is kids of all skill levels still want to play the game because its fun. If its not fun, they won't play no matter how good or bad they are. Are there any Major or AAA coaches or their players who think its fun to go out and run rule an opponent that is obviously less skilled as a team than they are? You want to compete not conquer. Team classifications make for good competition and player development. Hope you don't take this the wrong way and no disrespect but if I may ask, "How old are you and more importantly did you ever play in a travel league or any level beyond rec ball during your youth". I'd also have to disagree with what you said travel ball means today and that I don't think you can compare youth travel ball to MLB where million dollar contracts are involved, although your opinion is well taken. See how easy that was people. While the MLB may have different levels, they set the rosters of those teams with mechanically and fundamentally sound players that have proven thereselves already at another level and can potentially be pulled up if needed for the purpose of winning. The majors in travel baseball aren't pulling any kid from AA any time soon to come play with them. I actually think it's the parents and the coach of a kid and not always the kids themselves that want to play more, improve their game and be more competetive, which may be where some of my opinions came from and why some of the "watered down" opinions from others.
m72	Posted - 04/07/2011 : 22:23:11 quote: Originally posted by momshell m72-I may be showing my age and it may be a bit cliche, but have you ever read the book "Who Moved My Cheese"? Seriously, everything changes with time. Travel Baseball is different. It will continue to change. It is not going back to the way it was. Ever. momshell- Age is just a number but even more cliche is that you really meant bombshell instead, right. Unfortunately, I haven't read the book. But seriously, I know that travel ball will never be the same and maybe in the long run that allows for more top talent to be created. However, It doesn't change the fact that I'm entitled to my opinion and I feel most if not all here are just not even trying to see where I'm coming from which BTW happens to be from an opinion based on things only 23+ years ago. Now I'm not that old but we're not talking about something that's 50+ years old either, therefore not uncommon if something about it had changed. I just didn't realize that travel baseball had begun taking kids and trying to make them basball players versus taking baseball players and making them better. That's why every kid and parent at East Cobb thinks they already have a signed contract to the majors just because they play there but little do they know if their son doesn't cut it the way I have refered to things by the time he's 17-18 years old, East Cobb won't have a thing to do with him. But again, I'm sure that's a comment I shouldn't have made and will be ask to explain and justify or be told I have no merit in saying it. Anyway, it sounds to me like you may kinda understand where I'm coming from but rightfully don't want the whole board here against you either, I'm not real sure. Either way, I'm good with ya and I'll try to locate that book. They didn't make a movie did they cause I'm really not a reader.
m72	Posted - 04/07/2011 : 19:27:19 quote: Originally posted by bmoser m72 said: "Understand travel baseball and you understand what it takes to play at it's true level: Again...please share with us your "true level"? Majors only? High AAA? Seems like a fair question to me. If I don't understand travel baseball like you do, and you wont tell me its true level, how can I ever know? If we are all left up to our own interpretation, I think we will all keep calling ourselves "travel teams" and your original post will have no impact or relevance to anyone but yourself. If you are uncomfortable with naming a level, how about this... If a team ranks 25th out of 174 teams who call themselves travel teams (top 14%), is that true level? Back when you played travel ball, roughly, what percent made it? I feel like I'm being patronized by some of you here because you can't tell me you have no idea what I mean by true travel ball. You simply seem to want to force my hand to give an explanation for my opinion and why I feel the way I do about a subject just because you don't agree with me. I believe someone commented regarding this in another topic about this forum being for us to give our opinions without being criticized or told how wrong we were for it but I guess that doesn't apply to me. I have no problem with anyone disagreeing with me or even telling me I'm wrong but I don't think I should have to explain why my opinion and feelings are what they are so as to justify them for anyone. Some of you have said and/or implied things about me that I never stated about myself. Whether it was sarcastically or not, it was untrue and uncalled for over you disagreeing with me. But if it will make everyone happy, I will do my best to justify my opinion for you however, I am much better at giving details when talking directly to someone. First of all, I based my opinion off of my own experience with travel ball and American Legion when I played. I also fully recongnize that all things change and forever will, including travel ball. Rec ball teams today just like when I played, have those 2 or 3 players, maybe more for some teams, that stand out throughout the entire league. Generally, it is those players that end up making the All Star team, provided no polotics played a role in them not making it. Then, out of those you will have the ones that dominate at All Stars. Those players were the ones chosen to play travel ball or A/L back in my day. But also back in my day we didn't have All Star tryouts. Back then, each coach voted on who they thought should be a part of All Stars based on talent and how they performed during the season. At least one player from each team was chosen but depending on the talent pool more than one kid from a team could possibly make it and most of the time that was the case. Today, rec ball in general is done differently with a draft whereas I was always on the same team every year with many of the same kids from the previous year. I'm sure there was some politics but just being a kid I probably had no clue. Funny how the kids that weren't that good weren't on the team the next year though. Even though most things change over time, IMO it's only certain aspects of those things that change or should change, not it's original intent. Travel baseball was intended for those that stood out from the rest, including All Stars. But now you don't necessarily have to stand out with all the different divisions you have to accomodate everyone, changing it's original intent. Once you change it's original intent, you then have a new product. I never said that kids shouldn't have another alternative for being competetive other than rec ball. I'm just not sure that you change the aspect of travel ball to the point that it doesn't have the meaning it use to have for kids by being able to make a travel team. There's a Lanier league and to my knowledge it is a less competetive league than that of travel but I'm really not up to date on it so I'm only going off what I've heard. Some have ask what it takes to be a travel ball player based on my comments. It can vary from coach to coach but IMO, above average fundamentals, above average mechanics, solid understanding of the game itself and an understanding of at least the job of the position you claim to play just to name a few. Of course you have work ethic, coachabilty, all the words we use to describe a good athlete and so on. Unfortunately, I see travel teams regularly with their outfield corners that never back up a play or a throw and the approach taken to catch a fly ball is by far less than it should be for someone playing travel ball. I don't know what the numbers would be but I can say that there are major players that should probably be playing AAA and AAA players that should be playing major. The same goes for AA players that should be playing AAA or maybe even major. That's why I said if we evaluated the kids for their true talent level then we could possibly place them in the write division and bring travel ball back to what I feel it's original intent was and then AA may not even be neccessary. Unfortunately, it is now a business unlike when it first came about. If I had to give you numbers though, as off as this may be but to keep it simple, I would say 25%-50% of AA players should be there, 50%-75% of AAA players should be there and 75%-90% of majors players should be there. Again, this is probably way off but you seem to be a numbers man and I haven't and don't expect to have the opportunity to assess and evaluate every kid any closer. True travel ball talent is obviously going to vary some but not to the degree where we need all these divisions. I guess I'm saying if you don't possess AAA/major player qualities then you probably wouldn't have made a travel team when I played. I'm sure there's still alot of my comments that I haven't justified here but my explanatory thoughts come and go quicker than I can type them. I don't claim to be the know all of travel baseball and I'm sorry if anything came across that way. I just don't think travel baseball is represented the way it use to be. However, I'm more than open for debating this over a meal with anyone if justifying my thoughts are that important. As smart ass as that sounded, I mean it sincerely.
Enine	Posted - 04/07/2011 : 15:54:33 quote: Originally posted by RACGOFAR Professional baseball has at least 6+ levels of play: 1) Major 2) AAA 3) AA 4) High A 5) Low A 6) Rookie You could easily add fall instructional and the summer collegiate leagues as levels of pro ball as well. Travel baesall has certainly evolved, especially in the last 10 years, and it is not surprising to me that its evolution has begun to mirror the professional level in terms of the levels of play. M72 says "It used to mean something to be called a travel player." What did it mean then? It seems to me that what it means now is that a kid wants to play more than 12-17 games a year, wants to improve his game and he wants to play against good competition. Skill level is immaterial to that desire. Bottom line is kids of all skill levels still want to play the game because its fun. If its not fun, they won't play no matter how good or bad they are. Are there any Major or AAA coaches or their players who think its fun to go out and run rule an opponent that is obviously less skilled as a team than they are? You want to compete not conquer. Team classifications make for good competition and player development. Perfect end to a long thread. Well stated RACGOFAR.
m72	Posted - 04/07/2011 : 14:47:50 quote: Originally posted by vols From an outsiders perspective. We play in tennessee. Our team has been to the atlanta area twice this year and will be there once more. In most of Tennessee there is usually not major aaa or aa tournaments. They for the most part are open tournaments. We play some usssa tournaments but not every weekend to help control costs for our parents. We started out as a aa team and moved up. In Ga we may not be considered major as far as we are probably not going to be able to win many major tournaments there. However our kids enjoy the competition of playing top level teams. We have to play up here to get that kind of competition. But having started out as a aa team and moving up is something our kids have worked hard to do. But when we started out we played whoever we could. Do I think there should be a aa division, who am I to say. Its whatever you put into it. There is a difference between tournament teams and travel teams but really who cares. If a 10u team wants to play us that's their choice. I will always look to give our team a challenge. You can't stop a team from playing up in all of the tournaments. Whether it usssa, tc, nations or a local tournament they are all in it to make money. If your team is a major team everyone will figure it out. If they are not have fun and let the kids play baseball. In short teams should be allowed to play up. However as parents everyone should read bmoser post in 11u forum from last week about why our kids play baseball. I had all my parents read it. Good luck to all of you. Georgia has a lot of good baseball and should be proud. vols- where in Tennessee do you play?
RACGOFAR	Posted - 04/07/2011 : 14:24:51 Professional baseball has at least 6+ levels of play: 1) Major 2) AAA 3) AA 4) High A 5) Low A 6) Rookie You could easily add fall instructional and the summer collegiate leagues as levels of pro ball as well. Travel baesall has certainly evolved, especially in the last 10 years, and it is not surprising to me that its evolution has begun to mirror the professional level in terms of the levels of play. M72 says "It used to mean something to be called a travel player." What did it mean then? It seems to me that what it means now is that a kid wants to play more than 12-17 games a year, wants to improve his game and he wants to play against good competition. Skill level is immaterial to that desire. Bottom line is kids of all skill levels still want to play the game because its fun. If its not fun, they won't play no matter how good or bad they are. Are there any Major or AAA coaches or their players who think its fun to go out and run rule an opponent that is obviously less skilled as a team than they are? You want to compete not conquer. Team classifications make for good competition and player development.

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