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Online now: 2 members: PSIII, timmy; 12 anonymousDiscussion: Playing down two or more divisions?
| Posted | Discussion |
| Aug. 16 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | I've always heard that you can't play down two or more divisions, meaning as a major plus player I can't play on a AAA team in any age group. Is this rule specific to SSUSA or SPA or does it apply to any association in the SUMMIT? Would it apply to an association that isn't in the SUMMIT? I've also heard if caught it is punishable by suspension. Is that correct? Does anyone have any knowledge about this? |
| Aug. 16 LP 317 posts | what you have said is the way its suposed to be, in SSUSA & SPA but come to the ssusa tournament in georgetown ,tx. if you want to see how abuse this rule is. there were players playing two levels down on several teams, and 56 year olds playing on 60 teams and thats just what everyone new about no tellinn how wide spread it was. the excuse was, since it rained a bit , was to just to have some games to play. well the games were played but it hurt upcoming tournaments cause some teams didnt go that knew of the abuses. its all about the dollar. |
| Aug. 16 UMP IN NORTH GA. 47 posts | Good question I was diging thru the SPA rule book on line no where did I find anything about playing down at all , but have herd of it in different age groups . It may be in there policies but nothing published for the public to read with out the powers at be to give out " case by case " . My question is and to my knowlegde there not planing this if MORRIS FARMS a great 60M team plays down in 55 AAA in a regular tourneys cause theres not enough teams entered in it. Can they at nationals play in 50 AA. There again " case by case " It would open up more teams to play down grow the tourneys and as some say " its all about the money for the areas the tourneys are in " And on a side note does anyone know where there is a SSUSA rule book on the web to read . I can find ISA and SPA but ISA says see SSUSA but cant find one on line. Thanks Jesse |
| Aug. 16 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | Jesse, by "regular" tournament I believe you mean qualifiers. SPA calls their divisions Platinum, Gold and Silver. A team rated major can play in Gold if the TD allows it. In the nationals teams play in the division that they are rated. I brought up this question because I know of m+ players that have played on AAA teams in the SPA nationals. They are played on different weekends and nothing is said. I also would like to know it the same rule holds for other associations, ASA, NSA, ISSA etc. I can see that it may be ok to play down 2 or 3 levels in a non Summit assoc. I don't know where the SSUSA online rules are, sorry. |
| Aug. 16 BruceAZ Men's 70 155 posts | Bruce, the way I understand it in SSUSA is that a player can play down 1 or 2 age groups and levels. As an example we're a 50 AAA team and we played in the Western Nationals last weekend and we have a 60 M+ player playing with us. He's playing down 2 age groups and 2 levels. So you can play down 1 age group and 1 level or 2 age groups and 2 levels. I don't know about the other associations. Jessie, the online rule book is under the Tournaments tab at the top of the page, Tournaments->Rules. Bruce |
| Aug. 16 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | BruceAZ, I asked if I could play 50 AAA and was told no. It may have been SPA that told me this, I'm not sure. How 'bout SSUSA Staff, any idea of SSUSA's rule on this? |
| Aug. 16 UMP IN NORTH GA. 47 posts | THANKS BRUCEaz IVE BEEN LOOKIG FOR EVER AND JUST HAVENT STUMMBLED ON IT .. JESSE |
| Aug. 16 curveball Men's 65 705 posts | Bruce and Ump, SSUSA rules. Click on tournaments, click on rules. Highlight the rule book and you are there! |
| Aug. 16 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | Thanks curveball, I found it. SSUSA rules state you can't drop more that one level, meaning as a 60 M+ player I can't play AAA or AA in any age group. I still wonder if I could play in a lower class in another assoc, for instance ASA, ISSA, ISF, NSA etc. |
| Aug. 16 GT Men's 60 162 posts | BruceAZ. If you read page 30 SSUSA 2009 Rule book, I believe that will explain it all. Your 60M+ was not legal, but then again I have seen stranger things happen. GT Houston |
| Aug. 16 BruceAZ Men's 70 155 posts | GT, I don't know what to say, the rosters were checked and we were told it was ok since it was 2 age groups and 2 levels. But there are some strange things that go on with the rosters at these tournaments, but I don't want to get into that. Good luck the rest of the year, Bruce |
| Aug. 17 grumpy55 Men's 60 102 posts | I know it gets by sometimes, but I do not see why a Major or Major plus player would want to drop down two divisions in the first place. We all know why lower level teams would do that but what about the teams that play it straight, not fair to them. Associations need to come up with something a little better regarding their cards. Just add it to the long list of why maybe some teams don't do as many tournaments. Don't have money so don't know what this is worth:) |
| Aug. 17 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | Grumpy, I wanted to play with Kayson's Grille because they are friends and league teammates. They did the right thing by asking to be moved up to major so I could play (among other reasons) with them. I know of several other AAA teams that have major plus players and nothing is being said about it. I see that the SSUSA and SPA rules allow for exceptions. These exceptions should be posted on their respective websites. |
| Aug. 17 curveball Men's 65 705 posts | Grumpy, there are several good reasons why a guy would do this. Here's mine! I'm a 65 Major player. I played "up" with a 60 Major team in the spring as my 2nd team. During that spring tournament, the team got moved to Major+; given the option to spot 5 runs to the rest of the teams, or go home. We spotted 5 runs, went 2 and 2 I was already spotting 6 years, and had cancer in my throat area. I didn't consider myself a M+ player. I was a very adequate 65 M player, but have been off since the spring tournament in radiation and chemo. (They think they got it!! Good for me.) But, now I want to start playing ball again. I'd like to start at a level I can at least compete. I've lost 35 lbs, it'll take a while to get back where I was. I'd like to start off playing with 60 AAA friends. That is 2 divisions if you consider I was moved during a tournament to M+ (but never played M+), or one division lower if you call me a Major player. In either case, I'm going to a lower age group also. I'd rather play lower for the rest of the year and get my strength back, than sit at home because I'm unable to compete at the higher level at this time. Then, next year, go back to my 65 team. |
| Aug. 17 grumpy55 Men's 60 102 posts | Curveball, I understand there are reasons why a player would need and want to play down such as yourself with health situations. I am talking about guys that are playing down 2 divisions just to play as Bruce states above he has seen it and I have also. We all know that it happens. I just don't understand why some players would want to do that. Hopefully things continue to go well for you. |
