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JoltinJoe
8 Posts |
 Posted - 04/16/2012 : 16:31:10
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| Saw this morning that Georgia Dizzy Dean State 8U A tourney will be played in Valdosta. Does it really make sense to have a tournament at least 5 hours away from where all the parks are? Anybody else as unhappy as me about this? |
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coach0512
123 Posts |
Posted - 04/16/2012 : 20:45:17
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| Maybe all the southern DD teams are tired of the 5 hour drive north?? |
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T13
257 Posts |
Posted - 04/16/2012 : 23:14:27
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| As a middle Georgia team.... It will be good for our northern folk to head south to our backyard (our umps ain't too bad :)). Enjoy the ride, we have to make almost every weekend to play! |
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baseballready
188 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2012 : 08:06:16
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Pretty sure Valdosta/Lowndes County just joined GA Dizzy Dean and the organization threw them a bone. District 7 is the only one in South GA and Valdosta/Lowndes is the only park listed in the district. Pretty long distance to travel for the other 61 parks listed.
http://dizzydeanga.org/parks.htm |
Edited by - baseballready on 04/17/2012 08:16:30 |
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JoltinJoe
8 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2012 : 08:42:00
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T13, what middle Georgia team are you? All Dizzy Dean parks are located either above the Atlanta airport or west of it. I'm not sure how many all star teams the Valdosta affiliate has, but driving 5 hours to play another park's team that is 5 minutes away is ridiculous.
I'm sensitive to the teams that would have to travel North every year, but honestly, I've never seen any of them actually make the trip. So having 61 affiliates have to drive down for 1 affiliate is just simply unfair to the majority. It makes the 61 choose between going to states or World Series. Doing both doubles the cost. |
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4bagger
131 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2012 : 10:02:11
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So your kid is picked to be a Dizzy Dean All-Star and you are upset that you have to travel? Was traveling not explained to the parents who put in their interest form for their kids to be considered for all-stars? These Dizzy Dean All-Star teams become the new travel teams and if a trip to Valdosta is bugging you wait until you enter travel ball.
I don't completely disagree with you about 61 teams traveling 5 hours to play each other but part of the excitement of summer all-stars is traveling to other places and playing other all-stars. Staying in the hotel is a thrill for the kids. Eating out with your teammates is fun. Finding stuff to do together after the days games is both exciting and fun.
Why ruin your State tourney by complaining about the drive? Go and have fun and if it's that big a deal for you, don't sign the 9U form next year. |
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BREAMKING
323 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2012 : 10:17:51
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| Glad I do not have to make this decision. They are pushing these people to travel baseball earlier every year. I think dizzy dean could potentially lose some customers on this decision. I personally would opt out and play some of the many many other options out there than drive that far. I would rather go to the beach if going that distance and play. |
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TODDS
153 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2012 : 10:23:37
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| We will not be making that trip. Ashame since we got 3rd last yr at 7U. R parents will just not make that trip. |
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mzag920
3 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2012 : 12:51:07
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| Anyone hear anything on the other age group\locations?...nothing on the DD GA site. |
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baseballready
188 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2012 : 14:28:12
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quote:
Originally posted by mzag920
Anyone hear anything on the other age group\locations?...nothing on the DD GA site.
All age groups posted at link below
http://dizzydeanga.org/bb_state.htm
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mzag920
3 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2012 : 15:06:54
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quote:
Originally posted by baseballready
quote:
Originally posted by mzag920
Anyone hear anything on the other age group\locations?...nothing on the DD GA site.
All age groups posted at link below
http://dizzydeanga.org/bb_state.htm
No locations are posted yet though.....just dates. |
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JoltinJoe
8 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2012 : 15:40:33
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| 4Bagger, understand your point, but Valdosta a 5 hour drive, then 1 week later Southhaven MS, a 7 hour drive. While I agree when you sign up for travel ball, you know it's travel, but we're not talking travel ball, we're talking Dizzy Dean, which in Georgia is regional to a 75 mile area. My team and kids were excited about going to the World Series, but now can't afford to do both, as two trips is not the expectation of Dizzy Dean Baseball. |
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JoltinJoe
8 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2012 : 17:23:24
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Mzag not sure why you can't see it...
2012 STATE TOURNAMENT DATES
Age Date Gold Silver
6's 6/29 Whitfield Co. Gordon Co
7's 7/6 Canton Chickamauga
8's 7/5 Valdosta Rock Springs
9's 6/29 Canton Acworth
10's 7/6 Valdosta Canton
11's 6/29 Rock Springs Rock Springs
12's 7/6 Sandy Springs Whitfield Co
13's 7/6 Gordon Co.
14's 6/29 City of Jefferson
JR's 6/29 Boynton
SR's 7/6 Boynton
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TODDS
153 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2012 : 17:46:58
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| Also, if its anything like last yr, you play 1 game per day starting in the middle of the week. No offense to the Valdosta area but I'm not taking vacation time to go to Valdosta. I have an 11U in travel and they have there tournaments is a wkend, not spread out throughout the wk playing one game a day. If they did it in a wkend like travel does then I'm sure more would make the trip. DD and park would not get gate fees though!! Good luck to the few that go |
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T13
257 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2012 : 21:30:46
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| Our friends in Atlanta getting a taste of what it's like when you live in small town America..... One solution may be for you to offer your sons spot to the next kid in line, I'm sure most parks could find 12 kids/parents who would love the opportunity to represent their park and wear an All-Star uniform, no matter how far the drive! It may be some kids one and only opportunity.... Some parents/kids are thankful for travel ball as it has opened up allstar spots for kids who otherwise wouldn't make the team... |
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throwitaround
36 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2012 : 22:46:30
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| Valdosta has to be better than Tupelo or Southaven in the middle of the summer. At least you are only a few hours away from the beach in Valdosta. |
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Blue
7 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2012 : 23:10:06
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| It's been a while since we had a DD All Star but we made "two trips" a couple of times. I don't remember State lasting as long as the World Series. Pretty much a long weekend. It wasn't easy but we did it and we're so glad we did. Awesome experience and memories and life long friendships from playing summer DD All Stars. I hope all the teams are able to go and can get past their frustrations over the location. It will mean so much to your kids. I know times are tight but do what you can with fundraising and corporate sponsors. And just have fun with it. I can promise you 8 year olds can have just as much fun in a hotel swimming pool as they can on a beach ... because they are with 10-11 of their best buddies. Good luck this summer! |
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4bagger
131 Posts |
Posted - 04/18/2012 : 09:46:26
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We had an AWESOME time in Southaven so if you must pick only one pick Southaven!
Great facilities, awesome location, lots of fun. We stayed in Olive Branch Mississippi at the Holiday Inn and we were very comfortable and had every amenity close by. Other team members stayed on the main drag and paid twice as much and all admitted it would have been better to stay outside Southaven. There are alot of teams there so everyone is always looking for field space to use to warm up or practice between games and our secret was Olive Branch.
Right behind my hotel was a city park with beautiful fields so I contacted the parks department and got written permission to use the fields for warm ups. It worked out great as the team would meet and warm up, then take the 10 minute drive via the back road to Southaven and be there 10 minutes before game time. The other teams had no warm up space beyond the outfield and no cage time.
Memphis is just great. They have a ballfield in the middle of downtown a few blocks from Beale St and across from Rendezvous Ribs, the best ribs you will ever eat in your life. No question, simply awesome.
Beale St is family friendly during the daylight hours with street performers and great music in the bars. Lots of stores also. We had no problem taking our kids there and it becomes obvious when it's time for families to take the kids home and leave the street to the adults.
I highly recommend going to Southaven.
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C. MORTON
1051 Posts |
Posted - 04/18/2012 : 12:21:45
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Dizzy Dean is not travel ball it is all stars with some travel teams
in it. Makes no since to drive that far when most are 5 hours away. That's why the 8u world series doesn't get a lot of teams from Ga. Most all star parents aren't wanting to do a lot of traveling. I bet there won't be a lot of teams there from up here. |
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T13
257 Posts |
Posted - 04/18/2012 : 13:14:14
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| Disagree about allstars and travel....only people in the city complain about the travel....like I said offer your spots to other kids! |
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C. MORTON
1051 Posts |
Posted - 04/18/2012 : 14:42:37
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quote:
Originally posted by T13
Disagree about allstars and travel....only people in the city complain about the travel....like I said offer your spots to other kids!
People in the city travel more than you think especially in Atlanta. 95% of the teams are up north so what since does it make to have everyone drive down there. Give the spot to the next kid who wasn't good enough to make it in the first place. Most will give this move by dizzy dean 2 thumbs down. Allstars is not travel. You do have some travel teams that do the allstar things cause they think they are proving something. But they are no where close. Good teams in both but allstars are from the same park in a certain from a certain town. Travel well you know what that is. Big differance. If possible most will skip it all together. |
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TODDS
153 Posts |
Posted - 04/18/2012 : 17:14:26
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| I agree, give up your spot? Why? So the competion is not as good as originally intended? Again I'm sure us "northern " teams will find some tournies just as good if not better then the state. Again, good luck to the few that show. |
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rjball
36 Posts |
Posted - 04/18/2012 : 19:39:25
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Valdosta paid $12,000 for the tourn.If you wanted the tourn in the city your park should have shelled out the money |
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Rhinoball
8 Posts |
Posted - 04/18/2012 : 20:23:35
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Dizzy Dean was a great start for our team that eventually became a travel team at 10U. Southaven is a great experience at any age and I agree with 4bagger that with proper planning everyone can find something to enjoy in Mississippi or Memphis. We took our team to watch the Memphis Redbirds and some parents rode on the Mississippi river during one break. We also found a local to school to hit at and also rented the indoor air conditioned batting cages. As far as Valdosta, plan an extra day to visit Wild Adventures Theme Park and you may never go back to Six Flags. Enjoy the ride of these early years and let the kids have fun.
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TODDS
153 Posts |
Posted - 04/18/2012 : 22:30:06
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| I agree, give up your spot? Why? So the competion is not as good as originally intended? Again I'm sure us "northern " teams will find some tournies just as good if not better then the state. Again, good luck to the few that show. |
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C. MORTON
1051 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2012 : 00:04:57
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quote:
Originally posted by rjball
Valdosta paid $12,000 for the tourn.If you wanted the tourn in the city your park should have shelled out the money
Shame on them cause they over paid and they probably won't make that back. |
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Topic |
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Georgia Dizzy Dean 8U State Tourney
