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gausssa
209 Posts |
 Posted - 11/11/2009 : 16:55:17
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Hello to all...Hope all is well as you get your teams ready for the 2010 season. I have just this week learned of this web-site and the open discussion format. I want all coach's/parents to know that i have an "open ear" policy to your concerns in regards to USSSA baseball in Georgia. I am the Director of Tournament Operations for the State of Georgia and am very compassionate about what roll i play when it comes to our tournaments. Our program like know other program is or will ever be perfect and we can improve on some of the things we do. I want you to to know that i do return phone calls and emails so don't hesitate to reach out to me. Please understand that i will never bash another organ. nor will i responed in a negitive way when someone bash's me or USSSA. I have more class than that and you can ask the people who know me. I will not check this site every day but i do check emails and phone messages every day.
So again, please feel free to contact me by email or phone as i am hear to help in any way i can...
Bubba Smith
Georgia USSSA Baseball
Director of Tournament Operations
678-467-2172
bsmith@gausssabaseball.com |
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billbclk
164 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2009 : 13:25:37
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This post is a good start Bubba. I have actually talked with you on the phone before so I know just how accessible you are. Guys, you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Let's give Mr. Smith solutions to work with rather than rants. I will start. (These are my opinions that I hope will help make tournament events better). I have more but they are more age specific.
1. Enforce mandatory team check-ins at a central (Tournament Communications) booth.
This would reduce the in-valid players. It would also (in my opinion) validate the tournament beyond just being a fundraiser.
2. Require Tournament Directors (TD) to line and drag all fields and repair dirt mounds between games.
No team that pays to play should have to play on a field that is not properly setup. This can also be a safety issue.
3. Require TDs to rotate Umpires (from field to field; behind the plate to the field)
4. Recognize the good TDs and promote their events
If a TD is not producing quality events then remove them from your calendar. Sure they will go to other tournament organizations but so will the complaints. Let’s face it, most of us have issues with GAUSSSA but we still play in your events. However, I choose best on price and venue with no loyalty to your points system because I do not see any institutional control related to producing standard events. Meaning, if I play in a USSSA event I should know what to expect. You can not stop other tournament organizations from forming but I think you can induce team loyalty. Image having the top ranked USSSA 14U teams playing the Nations Baseball or USTBA teams to see who really is the best team in the state.
5. Require TDs to enter “all” the data for the tournament (Pitching, scores, etc.) and keep it updated.
Proper feedback and communication can cure many of the problems that occur during the weekend.
6. Make the rankings mean something.
Do away with the Points System ranking and use just the Power Rating (one gets the idea that you care more about those teams that play in the most tournament events and not their level of play. I understand that USSSA is in business to make money but your rankings should not reflect that. Fall teams playing in multiple tournaments should not be ranked higher than better quality teams. Point System rankings should only be an internal USSSA gauge to see who your loyal customers are. Perhaps the organization could start giving blanket discounts to teams that play in X number of tournaments.
7. I love the players search function but can you get the home office to put filters in to help qualify the search. (i.e. State, year, sport)
If you enforce team check-ins; this will give us a way to validate team rosters. I also use it to verify player experience when I’m adding new players. Perhaps you could even add a coach search.
8. Let’s enforce a uniform time period between games
I hate feeling rushed to start because we assume that parents don’t want to be at the field all day or even worse the only people getting paid (the Umps) are tired because they have been at the field all day. There are times at events with multiple age groups where there is no adequate spot to warm up because the prior game has gone longer than expected or started later than expected. I would rather be get home later than get rushed onto the field to play. In most cases teams rush to leave the dugout while the next team rushes to get in leaving their bags with all their expensive gear susceptible to getting misplaced.
Bill Clark
Collins Hill
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whits23
596 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2009 : 15:35:06
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Since it is very time consuming to check birth certificates each time a team checks in we have had a system in the past where you do it once then are given a validation so directors know your roster is good. Of course proving each kid on the roster belongs to each certificate can never be done so if a team is going to cheat nothing really prevents it. I do not think it is ever much of an issue though.
I too have spoken to Bubba with great satisfaction this year |
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gausssa
209 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2009 : 16:06:08
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| Thanks Bill for the suggestions as you have some very valid points that i agree with and i will bring them up at our State meeting in a couple of weeks. |
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Alter-Ego
802 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2009 : 16:19:28
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Good points, Bill.
One other point would be to make the on-line rosters have a button to reflect a roster that is locked and a notation if a player has been dropped from the roster. (The roster history can stay behind, but have an indicator that the player is no longer able to play with that team for the season.)
Bubba,
Thanks for coming on here and opening yourself up to feedback. |
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baseballpapa
1520 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2009 : 16:25:38
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Now this all that Papa has ever asked for and that is someone to communicate with and be accessible. I don't know why if took one year to get a response but I will just pretend that they just heard of our complaints. I have never bashed and will never bash and I think this is the first step to making the game of baseball fun to play for our kids.
I think Mr. Bill Clark from Collins HIll has given some great points that we can all begin with. And now that Mr. Smith has given out his contact information then we should have no problems with commmunicating so I say let's just play some ball.
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bmoser
1633 Posts |
Posted - 11/15/2009 : 16:35:03
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GAUSSSA:
I can figure out when a player becomes frozen, but I cannot tell which roster he was on April 1st unless he played the weekend before and the weekend after. Can you solve this riddle? Why not add a date frozen column besides the players roster history? |
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baseballpapa
1520 Posts |
Posted - 11/15/2009 : 22:14:18
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| Moser: That sounds like a simple solution to a very complex problem. I hope that ole Bubba will read and take you up on this as this in itself would solve many problems. |
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stinger
120 Posts |
Posted - 11/17/2009 : 21:12:07
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quote:
Originally posted by gausssa
Hello to all...Hope all is well as you get your teams ready for the 2010 season. I have just this week learned of this web-site and the open discussion format. I want all coach's/parents to know that i have an "open ear" policy to your concerns in regards to USSSA baseball in Georgia. I am the Director of Tournament Operations for the State of Georgia and am very compassionate about what roll i play when it comes to our tournaments. Our program like know other program is or will ever be perfect and we can improve on some of the things we do. I want you to to know that i do return phone calls and emails so don't hesitate to reach out to me. Please understand that i will never bash another organ. nor will i responed in a negitive way when someone bash's me or USSSA. I have more class than that and you can ask the people who know me. I will not check this site every day but i do check emails and phone messages every day.
So again, please feel free to contact me by email or phone as i am hear to help in any way i can...
Bubba Smith
Georgia USSSA Baseball
Director of Tournament Operations
678-467-2172
bsmith@gausssabaseball.com
Thanks Bubba for the outreach. My personal opinion is that you and USSSA have a long way to go in my book to resurrect yourself in GA. My number 1,2 & 3 complaint has been the lack of communication from USSSA at your events from even the simplest of tasks such as where our team is playing and when,or the lack of response to questions, suggestions or complaints. I believe we all will play a few USSSA events this year and hopefully our experiences will be better than in years past. If not, I see USSSA sliding right out of the mix as your competition has raised the bar in GA. |
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gausssa
209 Posts |
Posted - 11/18/2009 : 00:35:37
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bmoser & baseballpapa
At the USSSA National Meeting now. What your refering to will be an I.T. isssue that would have to be done through the home office. I have already spoke to Matt Trebuchone this week in regards and he is on board with making that change in the system. Give us a chance to see what we can get done while we are hear.
stinger
I'm not sure if you are refering to certain events your playing or certain directors you have played with. ( schedules getting out late or changes and directors not returning calls???) Please give me a call or email me so we can get to the root of your complaints. I will be having our State Directors Meeting this coming Sunday. I have several issue's to address and don't mind adding to my list.
I look forward to hearing from you.
678-467-2172 or bsmith@gausssabaseball.com |
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gausssa
209 Posts |
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bball2008
100 Posts |
Posted - 11/18/2009 : 09:43:56
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| Seems like there is an easy solution to the frozen roster predicament. Once a team's roster is frozen, have the system not accept any of the allowed 3 adds unless the added player(s) have been officially released from their other roster(s). And then once all 3 adds have been exhausted, lock out any other changes other than releases. Also, if a player is on multiple rosters when a team becomes frozen, have the system automaticaly drop that player from all of the other rosters he is on at the time. It really puts the managers in an uncomfortable situation to have to be the ones to bring up an infraction. This has to be a nationwide implementation as well. I don't think GA is the leader in roster jockeying. |
Edited by - bball2008 on 11/18/2009 11:22:53 |
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bballman
1432 Posts |
Posted - 11/18/2009 : 11:53:18
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| How about this? If a team qualifies for a post season tournament - tell them!! We had a situation a couple of years ago where we lost in the first round of the playoffs and placed something like 5th or 6th. Top two earned berths to World Series. Turned out the top 4 or 5 had already earned a berth and it was passed down to us. We knew going into the tournament our roster wasn't complete. Some kids were playing on their middle school team and some were still deciding where to play. Well, about 2 or 3 months later, coach was making roster changes and got locked out. Called USSSA (maybe you gausssa) and only then found out we had been given the berth by default. We were not given the opportunity to decline the berth and re-qualify. Not given the opportunity to re-shape the roster, we were just stuck. May have made roster changes differently if we had known we had "earned" a berth. So, please let a team know if a berth is given, especially when it is "passed down" due to other teams already having qualified - especially early in the year. Thanks. |
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Alter-Ego
802 Posts |
Posted - 11/18/2009 : 14:22:14
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bball2008,
I believe these functions are already in place. We went through that in the summer getting ready for the Elite. Where I think things come up short is with the rosters being set to Frozen before the Apr 1st date when a team earns a berth.
Visibility seems to be the biggest limitation at this point.
In the key tournaments, I have done as Bubba suggested, and pulled up all the teams, on the Fri before the tournament, and printed off their "Current Roster" and taken them with me to the tournament. It is easy to compare a team's line-up to the current roster.
As players become more known by other teams, it is harder to play under a different kid's name. |
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gausssa
209 Posts |
Posted - 11/19/2009 : 00:37:11
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Alterego
You are 100% correct that the system already does those functions. The problems occure when a coach changes the spelling of a players name (even 1 letter) or the birthdate (even 1 number). Thats why we have rules that make these tactic's not leagle. |
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bmoser
1633 Posts |
Posted - 11/19/2009 : 09:49:06
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This is directly off their web site:
Signature Park Sports Complex will open in 2010
That is all I know.
quote:
Originally posted by gausssa
Alterego
You are 100% correct that the system already does those functions. The problems occure when a coach changes the spelling of a players name (even 1 letter) or the birthdate (even 1 number). Thats why we have rules that make these tactic's not leagle.
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Titan1
210 Posts |
Posted - 11/19/2009 : 10:39:29
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Part of th problem with this is when USSSA decides not to follow their own rules when this happens.
Moser do you want to tell Bubba about last in the state championship?
quote:
Originally posted by gausssa
Alterego
You are 100% correct that the system already does those functions. The problems occure when a coach changes the spelling of a players name (even 1 letter) or the birthdate (even 1 number). Thats why we have rules that make these tactic's not leagle.
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bmoser
1633 Posts |
Posted - 11/19/2009 : 16:23:32
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Titan1:
NOBODY cares if a team got cheated out of a 10U AA State Championship last year. We'll be moving on, but also help Bubba fix what's broken. Every Coach on this board has a USSSA horror story that could top ours.
I've been in mop-up roles before as Bubba is in now, and I don't envy his position. He's got a long way to go to restore integrity and confidence in Georgia for USSSA. I still believe in their concept, but now other orgs have figured out how to give AA/AAA teams more than 3 games in their tourneys too.
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whits23
596 Posts |
Posted - 11/19/2009 : 16:48:48
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Ament moser!!..but dont add extra games and then shorten game times, one of the oldest tricks in the book
I have said many times if a team is guaranteed 2 games on sunday more folks show up at the gate and at the concession..yes umps have to get paid but its a win every time for the host. |
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gausssa
209 Posts |
Posted - 11/19/2009 : 19:59:41
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Titan 1 and bmoser
Guys, if a 10 year old baseball team got screwed out of winning a State Championship by someone breaking the rules and a director didn'y uphold our rules I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT. bmoser, I can promise you i do care. I would like to hear more on this. Please contact me. (678-467-2172)
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bmoser
1633 Posts |
Posted - 11/20/2009 : 08:13:25
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The damage is done. Let's talk solutions. Could the State or Regional Director be the final authority for a protested call at high level games? (State c-ship finals, NIT c-ship finals, SNIT C-ship game, any Elite 32 elim game, ect.). If a Tourney Director makes a mistake, there could be a quick appeal call made to the State Director by the Coach or Ump. Teams need protection against Tourney Directors who don't understand the rules, or who choose not to enforce them, for whatever reason. Some examples of infractions that could be appealed if the Tourney Director wont enforce:
AAA team in a AA Sub-State C-ship game
Teams playing at State that didnt qualify at Sub-States
Teams playing at World Series that didn't qualify in their home State
Players on a State C-Ship roster w/ no previous USSSA history
Major players being used in a AA Sub State
Players names not matching birth certificates,so multiple histories
quote:
Originally posted by gausssa
Titan 1 and bmoser
Guys, if a 10 year old baseball team got screwed out of winning a State Championship by someone breaking the rules and a director didn'y uphold our rules I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT. bmoser, I can promise you i do care. I would like to hear more on this. Please contact me. (678-467-2172)
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baseballpapa
1520 Posts |
Posted - 11/20/2009 : 08:27:36
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| Has Bubba always been our director and just didn't know about this site and the problems youth baseball has with USSSA or is he a new director that is just trying to clean up the mess. Either way I think that he appears willing to listen and do what he can and I think this is enough and that we all should throw all of all support behind him and make USSSA a really good place to play because we all know that they have a good system in place when they begin to use it the right way. |
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10 BB
264 Posts |
Posted - 11/20/2009 : 09:18:54
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| I hope Bubba takes the very much needed opportunity to make his presence known and shake hands at the Super NIT at Atlanta this year. Something about a State TD being at the major tournaments in their state says alot to the integrity of their business. Plus this would be a good way to put a face with the name and see the man that is trying to put USSSA back on the map in the State of Georgia. |
Edited by - 10 BB on 11/20/2009 09:21:43 |
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bmoser
1633 Posts |
Posted - 11/20/2009 : 09:47:39
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PaPa:
If you go to this link, then scroll down on the home page, you'll see USSSA's announcement introducing Bubba. This is also the site where the re-classifications are posted for those of us AA/AAA teams.
http://www.gausssabaseball.com/
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gausssa
209 Posts |
Posted - 11/21/2009 : 10:32:19
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Just a little back ground history on me and with with USSSA. I couched for the last 20 years and a Major team (Georgia Braves) for years for my oldest son (16 now). I have ran tournaments for USSSA for the last five years and was named the Director of Tournament Operations last year. (2008 for the 2009 season) I hold the number 2 position in the State of Georgia.
I feel that my experince in coaching and being on the travel ball scene gives me the best prospective of what you coach's go through and the problems that you experince while playing with any organ. I was told of this web-site towards the end of the 2009 season and vowed that i would check it out in the fall. SO HERE I AM. I have been taking all the feed back in for the last couple of weeks and have plans to put somethings in motion to help correct some of our problems. Will i make everybody happy and make it a perfect world? No but every team in this State has my promise that i will always be here and listen. I know....ACTION'S SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS!!!!
Do i think USSSA has the best organ. going? YES. Do i think that Georgia USSSA does everything perfect? NO. Will we ever be perfect? NO. Are we going to bust our tails trying to make it perfect? You bet. We are going to start by having a State wide coach's meeting to go over new rules,old rules and rules some people just don't get. I will announce place and time in the next couple of weeks. (will be in jan)
I want to meet as many of you guys face to face as i can.
Talk to you guys later...Off to my little one's Super Bowl. They are going after a 3 peat. |
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baseballwarrior
8 Posts |
Posted - 11/21/2009 : 22:16:25
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| Bubba, Thanks for this open dialogue. An issue we had last year being on a major team, when the team finished its season and players were then trying to find other avenues to play more baseball the so called major players are locked out of playing with AA and AAA teams. Just because a player is on a major roster does not make them a major player. This USSSA rule is more geared towards teams win and loss record than it is for a player’s ability to just play baseball. I agree that a AA or AAA team should not be able to take 3 or 4 major type players and bolster their team for a state or national tournament something, however, should be done to allow these other players who will not find a spot on a major team at this time during the season. They should not simply be told they can't play. If a coach willingly releases a player that player should be allowed to find a spot on another team. |
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Georgia USSSA Baseball
