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Online now: 6 members: Born to run, TABLE SETTER 11, TT Man, TheBop, WO, dkrollw364; 114 anonymousDiscussion: moving up
| Posted | Discussion |
| March 14, 2018 tugboat 39 posts | moving up Most teams are comprised of players of all levels. Some teams are loaded with players that are exceptional and have a few "so-so" players on the team to fill out the roster for depth. As teams are forced to move up they have to get new players such that they can be competitive. They no longer need the "so-so" player. Just because a team is forced to move up; why is an individual player who is "so-so" player forced to move up to a level in which he is not competitive? Why can't he play in a division in which he is just an average player??? |
| March 14, 2018 Omar Khayyam 1357 posts | I believe the thinking is that when a team is forced to move up it is because they have shown themselves to be superior to that level of competition. Therefore, after the move, they are still competitive, even with the "so-so" players. I have been on three teams that were moved up and in every case, they did not dump the "so-so" players but continued to play together. Their move-up allowed us to add a couple of better players without penalty, but our team friendship was more important than dropping guys just to pick up better players. Did we win again? Not yet. But we still enjoy playing together. |
| March 14, 2018 k man Men's 65 326 posts | Omar, I think you are on to something there "We still enjoy playing together" Our team is in a similar but different situation. We have enough players for 2 teams at the same level in the same age group. Used to be 3 but one group will be aging up. So with the 2 teams there's the debate of making 1 team the strong team and the other team the guys who know they are not going to win or the other option is to have 2 more evenly balanced teams and know that there's a chance of winning but you are with mostly guys who you really enjoy playing with. And so the debate goes on but the likely hood is that when we are sending 2 teams it will be the 2 balanced teams and hope that someone catches lightening in a bottle. It's not always about the shirt! |
| March 14, 2018 softball4b Men's 70 1248 posts | In the instances where a player was on the team as a emergency fill in and or was there only as a runner because of an injury. I wrote a letter to the powers to be on behalf of the player to be for their consideration in evaluating that player's rating. If that player decided to stay with the team and play at a higher level, it would be much more difficult to adjust their individual rating no matter their contribution. |
| March 15, 2018 tugboat 39 posts | The question is, shouldn’t the so-so player be given the opportunity of playing at his individual skill level as opposed to being forced to move up. |
| March 15, 2018 SSUSA Staff 3484 posts | tugboat ... Here's our view on your fundamental question, an answer that is certainly accurate, but not likely what you are hoping to see ... Also, to get this up front, we differ somewhat on the concept of you being "forced" to do anything ... Your team appears to have earned the privilege of playing at a higher rating level based on the team's performance over time ... The choice is solely yours as to whether you wish to continue playing with them at that level, or seek an apparently lower level you would prefer, initially as one of the three allowable "out of rating" players on that new-to-you team ... You take your former team's rating history experience with you for two years ... REMEMBER: SSUSA does NOT rate individual players, never has ... We simply maintain historical data on the ratings of the team(s) you play with and their rating(s) when you do ... Softball is a team sport and the rating fortunes of the teams, and therefore, its players, rise and fall collectively, not individually ... This concept is to protect the LOWER rated teams in the competitive environment ... You have total freedom of choice to affiliate with any team for which you are otherwise eligible as to residency and your team rating experience history ... Respectfully, your reluctance to move up to continue playing with your current team does not constitute SSUSA forcing you to do so ... Good luck! |
| March 15, 2018 tugboat 39 posts | SSUSA: If all that is true and if you don't rate players. Why is a player not allowed to continue to play on a team that he played with in his own age group, when that team did not move up?? |
| March 15, 2018 SSUSA Staff 3484 posts | We may not understand your question "..Why is a player not allowed to continue to play on a team that he played with in his own age group, when that team did not move up??.." ... By "did not move up", do you mean [1] in age or [2] in rating or [3] both? ... You can always play younger if your team stays in the younger group ... You complicate things if you are playing on multiple teams with potentially different ratings and/or ages ... Is that the case? ... Regardless, the rating history of the team(s) you play with defines your eligibility for other teams ... So, NOPE, our statement that SSUSA does NOT rate individual players remains accurate ... Our only logical conclusion based on what you have typed is that you would rather play down in rating, despite your history ... You are always welcome to call the Sacramento Home Office at (916) 326.5303 and ask for one of the eligibility specialists ... Be prepared to discuss this circumstance as to the actual player (you) and the team(s) involved ... They won't be able to help you on an anonymous basis ... Good luck! |
