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stinger
120 Posts |
 Posted - 12/21/2009 : 08:31:06
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Two days with no posts?? bmoser & papa must have internet problems.
So to try to come up with a new topic, and something perhaps to help new coaches, what are the best area tournaments per week? Here's my shot and my basis is on where to find the best competition for 11u in the first half of the season:
Feb 19-21 - USTBA Feb Frost II - Marietta
Feb 26-28 - Triple Crown Spring Frost - Marietta
Mar 5 - 6 -- USSSA Forsyth Slugfest - Cumming
Mar 12-14 - ??
Mar 19-21 - TC March Madness or USSSA Atlanta Super NIT
Mar 26-28 - USSSA Global Sports WSQ - Hampton
Apr 3 - 5 -- ??
This is not a comment on which events are "best run" as I know there are a lot of well run tournaments throughout GA. This is just my view on where I see the best overall tournament field with the strongest teams.
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bmoser
1633 Posts |
Posted - 12/21/2009 : 10:41:29
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I think many of us learned our lessons last year about playing in February around here. Even the Slugfest in early March has had a poor weather history.
I see scrimmages as a better way to go early on because if Mother Nature gets angry, scrimmages are easily re-scheduled, or canceled.
I like the idea of heading South to Macon, Warner Robbins, Cordele, and Lake City FL instead. Good odds for temps in the 60's. Also gives the teams a chance to bond early in the season.
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11baseball11
90 Posts |
Posted - 12/21/2009 : 13:31:00
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Moser, You make a good point about bonding early. Our boys are quick to accept new players but you just can't replace the bond they form goofing off. Most of the time it includes a ball of some sort also. I think it helps them learn each others body language and transfers to the field in due time.
The holidays are just helping pass the time until the real season starts.
Merry Christmas and a Happy new Baseball season!!! |
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CoachMark
216 Posts |
Posted - 12/21/2009 : 14:56:09
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quote:
Originally posted by bmoser
I think many of us learned our lessons last year about playing in February around here. Even the Slugfest in early March has had a poor weather history.
I see scrimmages as a better way to go early on because if Mother Nature gets angry, scrimmages are easily re-scheduled, or canceled.
I like the idea of heading South to Macon, Warner Robbins, Cordele, and Lake City FL instead. Good odds for temps in the 60's. Also gives the teams a chance to bond early in the season.
We played in Stinger's first three tournaments last year and had a great experience. The Feb Frost was great until the last evening and the Slugfest weather was perfect. The TC Spring Frost though was rained out.
We're planning to do the same this year figuring to get to play 2 out of 3. |
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baseballpapa
1520 Posts |
Posted - 12/21/2009 : 15:31:21
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stinger: You always should listen to the voice of experience. I agree that you have picked some fine tournaments for each week listed but know from experience that 1/3 to 1/2 of these early tournaments will either get washed out or on 2 past occassions snowed out. Make sure you get entered in them all and then play the ones that make.
I think if the Bandits ever come up with a Sugar Daddy sponsor that we will try a early tournament in Florida. No one has mentioned it yet but a lot of how we pick our tournaments are relative to the amount of money it will take to play. |
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baseballpapa
1520 Posts |
Posted - 12/21/2009 : 15:35:16
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| I know Bubba is new but will someone tell him that there are plenty of great venues north of Atlanta. McDonough and Hampton are too far away for the Bandits except for the really great tournaments and it seems like USSSA must own stock in the South Atlanta fields. Why does someone not take advantage of Heritage Park in Dalton. This venue is better than any we have played on in Atlanta except East Cobb and I can't figure why someone is not taking advantage of this facility. |
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scorpion4
31 Posts |
Posted - 12/22/2009 : 08:22:56
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| I agree Papa, Heritage Point Park in Dalton is our favorite place to play. Great facility!!! |
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bmoser
1633 Posts |
Posted - 12/22/2009 : 09:48:07
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Can Scorpion and PaPa provide us with a web site that lists all their youth baseball events? Is it primarily a softball venue? What are the field dimensions? Thanks!
quote:
Originally posted by scorpion4
I agree Papa, Heritage Point Park in Dalton is our favorite place to play. Great facility!!!
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scorpion4
31 Posts |
Posted - 12/22/2009 : 10:13:19
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| Southern Baseball is the sanctioning body for most of the baseball tournaments held there. Their tournaments list 8U through 14U. It was originally, mainly a softball venue so all of the fields are plenty big enough for the older boys and they use temp. fences for the younger groups. Last time I was there, they had no permanent mounds, but they might now or might soon. |
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PS Iron Pigs
129 Posts |
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bmoser
1633 Posts |
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gausssa
209 Posts |
Posted - 12/22/2009 : 20:13:07
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| papa: we have Mark Lovacovich with USSSA that does events at Heritage Point. However, "I" would book a date tomm and do a tournament up there if i could get a date. I would love to come to the northside and do a event. I have 2 dates still OPEN and looking. May 1-2 and May 21-23. Help me find a complex that will give me a date and " i will come". |
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baseballpapa
1520 Posts |
Posted - 12/22/2009 : 23:01:10
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| moser: The fields are big but they can accomodate our basepaths and use temporary fences set at the proper distance. I think for 11U they use 225'. It is almost brand new and was done with a lot of class. Trouble is that we play there very little since the competition is generally not found there. We play many places that is far inferior to this facility and I would really love to see Bubba and USSSA find a way to get some of the stronger teams there. It would be a great place for the Super NIT and Jack Mattox that is approximately 20 minutes away could add at least 4 more quality fields. Papa is a lot better at playing than he is at scheduling but I do feel that is a quality venue and should be utilized. |
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bmoser
1633 Posts |
Posted - 12/23/2009 : 12:19:02
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Papa:
I agree with you on wanting to see more tourneys at Heritage, but in this economy, teams are filling up their schedule locally to save cash
Cobb teams can make the daily drive to Dalton, but why do so when there's a tourney every weekend in Cobb on nice fields w/ tough teams?
We played 76 games in '09, and didn't pay for lodging until the World Series, and probably wont again this year. We didn't play in Cobb at all. 6 of the 12 tourneys were in our home, or neighboring County's. Just goes to show how many options there are in Atlanta. Instead of travel ball, maybe we should call it metro ball!
If your team's at the very top of AAA, Major, or Elite, then you need to travel to find competition. Or, if you live way outside the ATL metro area, but for most of us, we can stay local.
I can see traveling south in February for warmth though, and the boys love the hotel scene w/ their teammates.
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bmoser
1633 Posts |
Posted - 12/23/2009 : 22:09:22
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Papa,
I sent the Heritage Park tourney schedule to our Head Coach with recommendation of how nice it is (yet another unsolicited opinion of mine for him to deal with). |
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baseballpapa
1520 Posts |
Posted - 12/24/2009 : 20:42:20
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| Yeah moser: Coach Troy has a special file for all the things I send him to consider. I think he keeps it under his desk in that little round file that looks sort of like a waste basket. A lot of what I tell Coach Troy seems to go over his head but of course it's not that hard to get over that head. |
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BatChipper
52 Posts |
Posted - 12/28/2009 : 20:39:34
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| Heritage Park is a great place. Played in 4 tournaments there last year as 9's. The SYSA Georgia has some tournaments listed for Heritage Park too. |
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ATPP
342 Posts |
Posted - 12/28/2009 : 23:26:22
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Check out the Jamboree opportunity in early Feb. at All-Tournament Players Park. First two weekends we will host 4 teams at a time for a 3 hour 3 game time slot to get the joints moving.
Check out our website at www.atppark.com |
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stinger
120 Posts |
Posted - 12/29/2009 : 07:28:32
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Okay, let's all agree that Heritage Park is the best place in GA to play a major tournament, that is not being used. Now which tournaments at Heritage will attract the Major teams?
Of the first three tournaments, are there in early favorites?
1) USTBA - Jags, Express, Stars, Jackets
2) TC - Cougars, Jags, Stars, Jackets, Colts, NJ Blackhawks?
3) Slugfest - Titans, Jackets are only teams registered right now
What other tournaments not listed or mentioned do we expect to produce some top competition? Any from Nations? Any from Grand Slam? Others from USSSA or USTBA? Anything at Signature Park?
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11baseball11
90 Posts |
Posted - 12/29/2009 : 17:01:11
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| Singer, It's all up in the air until the Bandits sign up.HAHA |
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