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Online now: 4 members: JohnO28, TABLE SETTER 11, curtiss, mello24; 97 anonymousDiscussion: Field assignments.
| Posted | Discussion |
| Aug. 22, 2014 ham24 31 posts | Field assignments. We been to Vegas for are 3rd year coming up and yet to play any of the quality fields out there. It now comes out we are on the same crappy fields we have been at the last two years. We had lights go out on us at Lorenzi and shadow rock the last two years and the fields were horrible. We won both those late Saturday night games. So maybe I should could quit complaining. It just seems the largest group you have the 50 AAA should get the best since we bring in the most money. Sign just don't understand... |
| Aug. 22, 2014 Dbax Men's 65 2101 posts | You are right! 50AAA at same locations as last year. Could be worse. 60 Major Plus are all the way out in Boulder City! Decent fields, but quite the drive. |
| Aug. 22, 2014 SSUSA Staff 3490 posts | Well, it appears there is some confusion or lack of understanding about how the TENTATIVE field assignments are generated, so here's some additional information we didn't put in the initial post ... • Projected 2014 attendance is based on a modest 5% growth rate over last year, meaning the "model" is based on 500± teams (2013: 480) ... As mentioned briefly in the post, over 50% of all entries come in during the last 7-10 days before the deadlines, which makes the crystal ball a bit murky ... The membership insists on early information, but the trade out for that is, by definition, lack of precision ... We have a general idea, based on last year, about how many teams may enter in any given division, but until the deadline passes, it's still just a guess ... • Henderson Fields (Arroyo Grande, Russell Rd. and Dos Escuelas) require us to vacate by 4:00 PM Mon-Fri for local league play, meaning NO later afternoon or evening games ... This is most restrictive on Fridays ... The same is true for Clark County's Sunset, Warm Springs, Desert Breeze and Desert Bloom facilities ... However, Shadow Rock and Hollywood in Clark Co., and Lorenzi and Doc Romeo in the City of Las Vegas are unrestricted, which is important (see below) ... • Big League Dreams has local leagues on the Session #1 Friday, but graciously accommodates us in Session #2 ... Unless, and until, the host municipalities are willing to defer local leagues (like Phoenix did) during this tournament, the end result is ALWAYS going to be a difficult process to accommodate all of the required games ... • As it is now, field assignments become a "numbers game", trying to fit the larger divisions into facilities that can handle the games burden ... The "optimal" allocation is based on a theoretical ideal of six teams per field in any complex ... Obviously, with an estimate of 48 teams in the 50-AAA, it requires eight fields ... Those eight fields, for the past two years, have been Lorenzi and Shadow Rock, simply because they are unencumbered by local league restrictions and are reasonably close to each other for Sunday when the "survivors" from the respective bracket pods "come together" at Shadow ... We use Shadow on Sunday because the City of Las Vegas, in addition to the highest field rental rates in the nation, also charges tournament promoters an additional sanction fee of 15% of the gross entry fee ($104.25) for EACH team that plays so much as a single game at Lorenzi or Doc Romeo ... • BLD has six fields, with a theoretical maximum load of 36 teams ... With a bit of "out sourcing" of seeding games to other sites early on Friday, we can normally get somewhere around 40 teams handled there ... That "fits" for divisions like 60-AAA and 50-Major, and they were assigned there simply because there is nowhere else that can accommodate them ... • Only after the largest divisions are slotted, can we then look to niceties such as "...where did they play last year?..." ... We try to change it up, but many times simply can't ... Everyone, from a 40-Masters Major+ through an 85-AAA team pays the same entry fee, so no preferential treatment is afforded to anyone ... It's about as fair as we can make it given the outside restrictions that must be met ... Criticism is fine with us, but maybe sending along a suggested solution for improvement would be good ... We always consider good ideas! ... Thanks! |
| Aug. 22, 2014 softball4b Men's 70 1248 posts | As long as we are hitting "The Rock", it's all good. |
| Aug. 22, 2014 Dbax Men's 65 2101 posts | Makes sense. Ham24 you can't say Lorenzie is not a quality complex though. It's one of the nicer ones there. |
| Aug. 22, 2014 3SMITTY3 3 posts | I would happily trade you our Sunset Park assignment for your Lorenzi Park....great fields and set up. I don't know much about Sunset Park except for what I could find on yelp.....which wasn't much! In all reality, just give my team any field to play on because we just love to play the game!!!!! |
| Aug. 22, 2014 DOLFAN 90 posts | sweeeeeeeeeet...50 Major playing at BLD :-) |
| Aug. 22, 2014 taits Men's 65 4548 posts | Maybe more thought to a move to a more accommodating venue like PHX or St. G or split Vegas areas up so some are there others are in say St. G. St George area seems to be more apt to do these things. The area also has the parks as do PHX areas. But then it all depends on those contracts that seem to auto renew. There were post about age brackets\ratings were to move around so hopefully that will happen so teams are stuck in same locations year after year for better or worse. |
| Aug. 22, 2014 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | Wow, BLD Monday through Thursday and Lorenzi Thursday through Sunday! Awsome! This makes up for Sunset last year ;) |
| Aug. 22, 2014 garyheifner 649 posts | OH Boy My team played at Lorenzi two years ago and the fields were excellent. Looks like my 70 AAA team is at Sunset. From the above, I get the feeling we should not expect a good set of fields??? |
| Aug. 22, 2014 garyheifner 649 posts | P.S. Staff Good explanation of some of the problems you must deal with. Don't think most of the guys realize what it takes to run all these tournaments. Having been a 30 year football coach/athletic director, I have a small clue. Keep up the good work. Despite any criticism you might get, none of this happens without your efforts. |
| Aug. 23, 2014 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | Garyheifner, last year Sunset was being renovated so we had to deal with the construction between fields. Also, we suspected the drinking water was contaminated as most returned home with "Las Vegas Revenge" :) |
| Aug. 23, 2014 L.Martin Men's 50 47 posts | I play sunset park every year for the police and fire Olympic's, the park is no BLD for sure but is a very good park compared to the other city parks. |
| Aug. 23, 2014 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | L.Martin, something tell me you haven't played at Sunset while the renovation was in progress. We were not allowed to move between fields except for a walkway. Any foul balls, if retrieve, had to be by the construction personnel. |
| Aug. 23, 2014 Mr. Manassas 244 posts | I have played in the 60 major plus for two years now. Two years ago we played in Cheyenne and it was atrocious. Last year I played at the complex that had the construction going on and I found out that the construction crews were not aware of the softball tournament that was to be played that weekend. In addition there several fields that were sun terrible at certain times a day. This year I see that we are in Boulder City for two days and then in the BLD on Sunday. I am starting to get a complex....I know that there are massive problems in putting on a tournament of this size but it seems that maybe seperating the age divisions a little more should be considered....Just my two cents on the matter..... |
| Aug. 23, 2014 softball4b Men's 70 1248 posts | Boulder City - Big Horn I have not played there, but I have been assured by a local that this is an absolutely great park to play at. No snack bar, but great fields. |
| Aug. 24, 2014 damaged goods 13 posts | Are the outfields at Doc Romeo Park natural grass or artificial ?? |
| Aug. 24, 2014 SSUSA Staff 3490 posts | Hemenway Softball Complex @ Bighorn Park (Boulder City) will have contracted concessions there during the tournament ... Doc Romeo has natural grass outfields ... |
| Aug. 24, 2014 taits Men's 65 4548 posts | The other argument would be to add another 'session'. After all, it's gone form 1 to 3 as it in now, so why not a #4. Maybe they could get a better contract arrangement. |
| Aug. 24, 2014 Dbax Men's 65 2101 posts | I have learned that at Big Horn park there is an actual herd of Bighorn sheep that hang out there. Really. |
| Aug. 24, 2014 cyborg45 Men's 75 194 posts | 65 AAA plays at Shadow Rock and Hollywood. Haven't played either place. For those of you that have, how are those fields? |
| Aug. 24, 2014 taits Men's 65 4548 posts | Dbax, They groom the fields. Keep it low. |
| Aug. 24, 2014 garyheifner 649 posts | Thanks for the field input. My team can hit and run but we seem to have an issue with defense at times. A good field really helps us! |
| Aug. 24, 2014 Dbax Men's 65 2101 posts | Shadow Rock has two fields with artificial turf. They are great. The othe two are pretty bad. Hollywood are average. Not to bad. |
| Aug. 25, 2014 FOFO Men's 60 284 posts | all the fields listed for the tournament are good fields. there shouldn't be much to complain about. No matter where you put a tournament of this size some teams will end up getting the short stick. Phoenix, Caesar Chavez, St. George, good luck finding a room you can afford and finding a flight into St. George etc. Also this is LVSSA/SSUSA so I doubt it will be moving anytime soon. The reason it is so big is players and there wives want to come to Las Vegas so let's stop complaining and play ball. It will be a blast as usual. |
| Aug. 25, 2014 Duke Men's 65 908 posts | I have played at Shadow Rock 3 of the last 4 years. I do not recall playing at Hollywood. I have seen players twist their ankles, break their ankles, or jam their knees in the outfield at these fields because of the holes grass clumps. Therefore, please keep the grass fields groomed well. If the Parks will not keep it groomed, maybe buy a mower and pay someone to mow the grass. Since I have never played at Hollywood, I have heard that there is no shade? Non the less, I do not care that much where we play, as long as we get to play and have a great time. JMHO, Andy Smith, R & R Strokers |
| Aug. 26, 2014 antieinstein Men's 70 53 posts | What's Arroyo Grande Complex like? |
| Aug. 26, 2014 SSUSA Staff 3490 posts | Henderson's finest ... Certainly one of the top 10 dirt and natural grass facilities we use anywhere nationally ... Four fields, all 300', nice neighborhood, hotel/shopping convenient, well shaded ... |
| Aug. 26, 2014 taits Men's 65 4548 posts | FOFO I've gone to St G without a room booked twice and never had a problem finding a room. both times I found one on St George ave or blvd (what ever) Quite a few people book in Mesquite and travel the 40 or so miles back and fourth. Did that once. As for Holly wood park, I played there twice and only prob I remember, if you can call it one is that it's backed up to a school so sometimes BP isn'y easy...other is the walk from the paerking lot about 200 yards+_.... google it and place the icon yellow guy on the road near top of the map shown and go to the right. you get a long view of the field(s). |
| Aug. 26, 2014 FOFO Men's 60 284 posts | Taits, Shadow Rock is not bad if you draw the turf fields. The two grass fields aren't good as they don't seem to mow the grass. St George has some nice fields but accommodations are not that good unless you pay a premium price AND you are stuck in St. George which is why some people will actually choose to stay at a garden spot like Mesquite. People want to go and stay in Las Vegas. That is why the tournament is the biggest and best SSUSA has to offer. Why would you want to move iit. Makes no sense. |
| Aug. 27, 2014 taits Men's 65 4548 posts | Yea the bight lights and slots are a draw in Vegas. As for rooms in St G. there are also condos reasonable too. I've used them twice @ 250 for he whole week. Some may not be in town but worth the very short drive, especially if you do other sports. Vegas sticks it to you for Fri\sat night rates though. |
| Aug. 27, 2014 pureevil 19 posts | Coming from Canada we are very happy to play on any fields in Vegas or St George. I look forward to both events every year and my 40 team is starting to travel more like wash,Reno etc.It sounds to me moving to session 4 could work but the same problems will happen ,league play, gets first crack on the fields. I would move the deadline up more so teams pay faster, this will help with schedules etc but in the long run i can not wait to play and will attend every year until i turn into dirt. |
