We’re coming down the backstretch headed for home. Only a few more weeks left in the summer season. The competition is tough, temperature is warming up and a lot of teams are wanting to come play. This weekend, we have 34 teams playing and it could have been a lot more. Long Beach didn’t want to play on Sunday due to family obligations, so we put a limit on the number of teams. I can certainly respect them for that. Especially in light of the next two weekends will be very long and very hot. Attached are brackets for this weekend’s tournament. The address will be held at the Long Beach Softball Complex, 780 Klondyke Road, Long Beach, MS 39560. Gate fees will be Adults $7 per day or $10 for a weekend pass. Kids ages 6 to 11 will be $5 per day or $8 for a weekend pass. Kids 5 and Under are free. This is a fundraiser for the Long Beach Girls Softball League and 100% of the proceeds will go to help Long Beach girls play softball. Tee Ball and Coach Pitch will play no new after 55 mins. Fast Pitch will be no new after 65 mins. It’s been working well. There will be some notable changes this weekend. The 10U game lengths have been horrid with one game lasting 3 hours.. So they will play 3 outs for 7 runs along with Tee Ball and Coach Pitch. We will be more formal as we approach Championship Play. During Fastpitch games when on defense, only 1 coach will be allowed on the field. You’ll only be allowed to have a First Base and Third Base coach on Offense. I am still receiving numerous complaints about certain teams. Those allegations are really hard to prove.. plus I don’t want to be the roster police. It’s a bureaucratic nightmare. I’m asking everyone to play fairly and ethically. It’s going to cause a lot of changes as we go into next week and next year. It’s sad when a few cause a whole bunch of work on everyone else. Also, please don’t misconstrue anything I said last week as tacit approval. Here’s some basics: This is All-Stars. If they player did not play in at least 7 (50%) of league games for a team in your league, they are not eligible for All-Stars. If a player played on middle school or high school, then wanted to pickup on All-Star team so they can play. They cannot be on an All-Star team unless they meet the minimum game criteria. This mostly effects 12U and 16U. A player can only play on one team per weekend. They can play 12u one weekend, then 16u the next weekend, and then go back to 12u if they are age eligible. But they are locked into the team they first played with on a weekend. No pickups even from your own league are allowed once the first game has started. Starting next weekend, league presidents will have to sign the team roster certifying all players were registered in their respective league and played the minimum number of games to be eligible for All-Stars. It’s a shame that it comes to this… One final word… let’s be nicer to each other. There is way too much arguing and way too much trash talking. I had one umpire was driven to tears last weekend due to abuse. Subsequent situations will be handled via the Zero Tolerance Policy. Remember it’s supposed to be about the kids.. We should be the role models for how we relate to one another. Let’s make it a great weekend of softball. Thanks for Playing USA Softball,,, Brackets … [Read more...] about 2023 Long Beach Invitational Brackets
2023 Biloxi Invitational Brackets
Below are brackets for this weekend’s Biloxi Invitational. We have an amazing 48 teams playing this year. It has to be close to a record. We are full to the gills and then some. That in itself poses some challenges… but there are a number of other conditions we have to manage around. Fast Pitch games will play Saturday and Sunday. We can’t play enough on Friday to not play on Sunday. Tee Ball and Coach Pitch will be Saturday only. No pool games, sorry. With especially big brackets, it’s probably not wise to overwork the pitchers with a practice game anyway. We can use both the baseball and softball side; so that helps. Field 1-4 are on the softball side (left). Field 6-10 are on the baseball side (right). By city ordinance, we cannot start a new inning after 10:00pm and we must suspend play at 10:30pm. With that in mind, our last scheduled game time is 8:00pm on Saturday night. If we run out of time on Saturday, we’ll re-start on Sunday morning. Game times will be no new inning after 55 min in Tee Ball and Coach Pitch. Fast Pitch will play no new inning after 65 minutes. Given the limitations above.. we have to stay on time. If necessary games will be a two inning shootout in all age groups. TB and Coach will play two innings.. if it’s tied, they will play another inning until we have a winner. Fast Pitch will play the same format.. but using International Tie-Break procedure. This is an All-Star tournament and will use the rules for Tournament Play.. They can be found at https://usasoftballsouthms.com/?page_id=4084. The address to the A.J. Holloway Biloxi Sportsplex is 765 Wells Drive, Biloxi. It’s supposed to be very hot on Saturday and Sunday. It’s imperative the girls star hydrating on Friday night. I’ll also ask everyone to watch out for grandma’s and grandpa’s too.. they don’t realize how hot it is out there. They get be highly sensitive to the heat. Finally, I’ve had a number of emails, texts and phone calls this week about teams, eligibility and poor sportsmanship. Everything from she is too old, she isn’t on that team, she didn’t play in that league, etc… I ask everyone to 1) worry about your team and getting them better and 2) adhere to ethical coaching standards; not just doing whatever for a trophy.. 3) provide a role model for these young athletes. Frankly, I’ve got way too much going on to tolerate too much foolishness. It’s been a really tough week for me personally. Both my mom and dad are in the hospital. The news isn’t good and and there will be more difficult weeks ahead. I’m stretched to the absolute limit. The good lord doesn’t give you more than you can handle.. Well the good lord thinks a lot of me… If you’re so inclined, please say a prayer for them.. They need all the support they can get. Thanks for Playing USA Softball! Brackets … [Read more...] about 2023 Biloxi Invitational Brackets
2023 Bayou View Memorial Day Classic Brackets
Below are brackets for this weekend Memorial Day Classic. We have an amazing 38 teams competing in this event. That causes so major issues in getting a workable schedule. The plan is to play Friday and Saturday night. Ms Carolyn heard from so many that just don’t want to play on Sunday. We also had to eliminate pool play. We’ll go straight to bracket play. Just no time for it. Time limits for tee ball and coach pitch will be no new after 55 minutes. Fast pitch games will no start a new inning after 65 minutes. Please keep track of the game ahead of you… games can start as soon as the game ahead has been completed. It’s supposed to great weather for softball.. hot and dry. So please hydrate your kids. The first couple of weekends are rough until the kids get acclimated. Watch out for the elderly also. Address to the fields is Bayou View Sports Complex at 4300 Hewes Av, Gulfport, Mississippi, 39507. The entry fee is $100 for Tee Ball, $175 for Coach Pitch and $200 for Fast Pitch per team. Gate fees are $7 per day or $10 per weekend for adults 12 and older. Kids ages 6 to 11 are $5 per day or $8 per weekend. And Kids 5 and under are free. Thank you supporting the Gulfport Youth Sports Association. All the proceeds this weekend goes to help their kids. Wishing you an amazing Memorial Day Holiday. Please remember those that sacrificed it all so we could have this time together. Thank you for Playing USA Softball! Brackets … [Read more...] about 2023 Bayou View Memorial Day Classic Brackets
2023 East Central Invitational Tournament Brackets
Below are brackets for this weekend’s East Central Invitational. This is the first All-Star tournament off the year. The address to the fields is Lum Cumbest Park, 18417 Hwy 613, Moss Point, MS 39562. The tournament entry fee is $100 for Tee Ball, $175 for Coach Pitch and $200 for Fast Pitch per team. The entry fee is payable to the East Central Girls Softball League. Thank you supporting the East Central Girls Softball program. Thank you for Playing USA Softball! Brackets … [Read more...] about 2023 East Central Invitational Tournament Brackets
2023 Saucier League Team Tournament Brackets
Below are brackets for this weekend's 2023 Saucier League Team Tournament. This is a league team tournament; so everyone will still be playing by league rules except for 10U. The 10U will use All-Star rules. The address to the park is Saucier Sports Complex, 23715 Saucier Lizana Rd, Saucier, MS 39574. Come prepared for anything with the weather we’ve been having. Thanks for Playing USA Softball! Brackets … [Read more...] about 2023 Saucier League Team Tournament Brackets