allenmom
enthusiast
Posts: 488
Loc: allen
Reg: 07-02-03
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01-21-10 01:07 PM - Post#103825
I've always thought that ASA was a great organization and we've played sports thru them for 4 years now. But did you know that they have changed how they form their teams???
My son has played with a team for 2 years and this year was "CUT" from the team by the coach. Yep - the coaches can pick which players to keep and which ones they don't want. He cut about half of our team and only kept the very best players.
We never missed a game or a practice and my son hit the ball at least once in every game except 3 last season. Bottom line - we lost games and the coaches didn't like it. Now ASA says that cutting certain players is just fine.
This is a recreational league!!!!! Why don't they leave it that way???
ASA told me they made the changes to keep from losing players to competetive leagues. So where do our kids play who just want to play for fun???
They told me that we needed to find a new coach and team. I thought that was their job??? And selecting "return to team" doesn't guarantee a spot. The list of names is given to the coaches and the coach can deny any player by saying their roster is full.
Just wanted to shed some light on the new changes at ASA before more kids get crushed by coaches who only want to win.
Edited by allenmom on 01-21-10 01:09 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.
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RRRquilter
enthusiast
Posts: 1243
Loc: Allen
Reg: 05-02-05
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01-21-10 01:22 PM - Post#103826
In response to allenmom
I learned about this in the fall. It seems it should be more like how they have football set up. Now the baseball teams can recruit and you will have really good teams up against newly formed teams. Doesn't make much sense.
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Maurice
Community Expert
Posts: 3981
Loc: Allen, TX
Reg: 12-03-01
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01-21-10 02:11 PM - Post#103829
In response to RRRquilter
ASA has different policies for different sports and even different days of the week it appears. You're not supposed to have the same players one day, you're supposed to be able to keep your teams the next. There's most definitely a lack of consistency at ASA and the sad thing is, it only hurts the individual sports and in the end, the kids opportunity to play.
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AHSClassof93
enthusiast
Posts: 175
Loc: Allen, TX
Reg: 11-17-08
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01-21-10 02:55 PM - Post#103835
In response to allenmom
I am so sorry you've experienced this. This happened to my son when we hit 10U with ASA, the coach's were allowed to "release" their players. We were at every practice, game, etc just like you, but we got a call from the coach saying he was releasing my son (and most of the team). There was supposed to be a draft for all players that weren't recuited. He went to the draft, gave his all, and got stuck on an "expansion" team because they created a team rather than drafting because of the numbers of kids signed up and existing teams said they didn't have spots.
They lost all but 2 games and were the joke of the league...all the other teams had been playing together much longer, or recuited and built up. It was an awful year and if my son hadn't been recruited to another team for the next season, it would have been the last of baseball for us.
If you know some of the other coaches, get in touch with them and see if they have a spot for your son. Odds are someone has seen him play and will have a spot for him.
Do everything you can not to get stuck on an "expansion" team. It is the worst experience, I still shudder to think of it.
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wetvet
enthusiast
Posts: 582
Loc: Allen
Reg: 02-26-07
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01-21-10 03:41 PM - Post#103840
In response to AHSClassof93
With as many competitive, select, leagues as there are out there, one would think that the goal for an Association such as ASA would be to cater to the rest of the young athletes. More specifically the recreational athletes whose parents don't opt to spend thousands of dollars per season on their sport(s) of choice. Sounds like it is moving towards creating its own select league.
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allenmom
enthusiast
Posts: 488
Loc: allen
Reg: 07-02-03
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01-21-10 03:44 PM - Post#103841
In response to AHSClassof93
We don't know any of the other coaches and I think this is the end of the road for us in ASA.
We've always been stuck on an expansion team - Rather it be soccer, t-ball, baseball or flag football. Never had a winning season in any sport. I always thought there may be some drafting going on b/c all of the new kids were placed on the same team. Now it's verified.
The kids weren't really old enough to be the joke of the league, but I can see how that could happen. They were just happy to play and us parents were happy to see them play.
We are looking for a church league. If we can't find baseball, then we may give basketball a try. Not thru ASA though!!
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DrivinTooFast
enthusiast
Posts: 1352
Reg: 02-20-08
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01-21-10 03:53 PM - Post#103842
In response to allenmom
There is competitive and rec. within ASA. If teams move to competitive from rec. then you see a purge like that. It's really sad and I never agreed with it.
I've taken teams to competitive and always offered it to the whole team but each coach is different.
The other issue is would that now competitive team be a good fit for your player? Many coaches use the competitive platform to jump to select ball. Is there another team you saw in the league that you liked (the coach, the coaching method, the players sportmanship, etc) ASA should be able to provide the number as see if that coach has an opening.
As a coach I was fortunate, I always had a waiting list for players.
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allenmom
enthusiast
Posts: 488
Loc: allen
Reg: 07-02-03
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01-21-10 04:15 PM - Post#103844
In response to DrivinTooFast
This team is staying in the rec. league but they can still choose their players. I can understand it if they were playing in the competitive league and I'm all for that, if that's what they want to do.
But us, we just want our son to learn the game and have fun being part of a team. That's why we joined the rec league in the 1st place. Turns out, it's not really a rec league anymore.
We did see a team that we really liked the coaching style. The coach even took the time to say a prayer before each game which isn't politically correct, but I liked it. No openings though. :(
Anyone know of any other rec leagues? Can't seem to find a church that offers baseball.
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vm7mm
enthusiast
Posts: 1384
Loc: Allen Tx usa
Reg: 08-12-04
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01-21-10 04:18 PM - Post#103846
In response to DrivinTooFast
I coached for ASA for many years when one of my sons played baseball, we usually kept the same players if we could and most kids wanted on our team because we always won first place. The only replacements we had were when a kid would move, and someone (friend of a friend that was on the team), was always waiting to get on our team.
Edited by vm7mm on 01-21-10 04:19 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.
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DrivinTooFast
enthusiast
Posts: 1352
Reg: 02-20-08
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01-21-10 05:44 PM - Post#103864
In response to allenmom
If the team is in fact staying in Rec., then I find it sad the coach is going trophy hunting in the rec league.
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allenmom
enthusiast
Posts: 488
Loc: allen
Reg: 07-02-03
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01-21-10 06:08 PM - Post#103865
In response to DrivinTooFast
My point exactly!
He does want to move the team over to competitive league in the fall. Wants to beat the pants off all the teams in the rec league 1st so his players "gain confidence".
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RRRquilter
enthusiast
Posts: 1243
Loc: Allen
Reg: 05-02-05
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01-21-10 06:18 PM - Post#103866
In response to allenmom
What age bracket is your son in? I might have a coach name for you.
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allenmom
enthusiast
Posts: 488
Loc: allen
Reg: 07-02-03
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01-21-10 06:19 PM - Post#103867
In response to RRRquilter
He's 8U
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RRRquilter
enthusiast
Posts: 1243
Loc: Allen
Reg: 05-02-05
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01-21-10 09:59 PM - Post#103878
In response to allenmom
The coach I know is in 9U. If you are willing to play up I could give you his name.
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DrivinTooFast
enthusiast
Posts: 1352
Reg: 02-20-08
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01-22-10 09:16 AM - Post#103894
In response to RRRquilter
As soon as mine makes it through HS and I can focus on coaching other kids again, I'll be back in Youth sports. From a personal experience my time as a coach was some of my greatest lifetime experiences. My greatest experience as a coach was a team that never won a GAME. Not one! The parents stuck with me and my program and we never did less than 2nd place ever again. We focused on teaching solid fundamentals and learning a love of the game not how to game the system. I am very proud of those kids and what they did and take great pride in watching them compete at the next level.
Edited by DrivinTooFast on 01-22-10 09:17 AM. Reason for edit: No reason given.
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Retired 1
enthusiast
Posts: 1168
Reg: 02-20-02
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01-23-10 11:21 AM - Post#103946
In response to allenmom
Like it or not, ASA doesn't really have 'rec' leagues. It's extremely competitive and ASA does not follow the rules. I've coached two soccer teams over the last 7 years and ASA is far inferior to cities like Plano, Frisco, or McKinney.
We played a team in the division championship and lost. It turns out (unknown to me but caught by a parent on the board) the opposing coach sat some players and didn't adhere to the 50% playing time. Parents from a team that would see them in the city championship complained and the board ruled they had no one in place to make sure the coaches are honoring the rule. So much for a rec league.
My son's football coach restricted his play the last 4 games. I finally complained to the coach in the 3rd game and he responded, "I don't care about ASA rules, I have mine!" I complained and the board wouldn't have a hearing on it or deal with it. Again, pretty sorry of ASA.
When you sign up please know ahead of time that although it says 'rec' it's NOT. Just hope you get a good and fair coach.
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sco
enthusiast
Posts: 2671
Loc: allen,TX USA
Reg: 10-26-02
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01-23-10 03:09 PM - Post#103950
In response to Retired 1
If they really wanted to have a true rec league they would randomly assign teams every season and enforce the every kid plays half the game rule. No keeping teams together, no coaches recruiting players, no fancy uniforms, etc. My daughter played volleyball one season in 4th grade. Since most of the teams started in 3rd grade and they kept those teams together, they ended up putting all the new kids who had never played before on one team. Predictably they were massacred at every game. That was the last time my daughter played any organized sport (she's a dancer now which gets her plenty of exercise.)
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Maurice
Community Expert
Posts: 3981
Loc: Allen, TX
Reg: 12-03-01
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01-23-10 06:35 PM - Post#103957
In response to sco
It's funny to hear that ASA ignored the equal playing time rule because I got hit up on that when I didn't play a player equal to others. While I think it's a good rule, it should have some latitude for the coaches as well. When a player consistently misses practice due to other commitments, that player shouldn't expect to waltz in on gamedays and get equal playing time as the kids who do show up to every practice. It's unfair to the kids who show up to practice and work hard to improve, it's also unfair to the kid who doesn't show for practice because they get the attitude that practice isn't really necessary as they'll get equal game time.
It's sad to hear ASA hasn't gotten any better.
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DrivinTooFast
enthusiast
Posts: 1352
Reg: 02-20-08
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01-23-10 10:22 PM - Post#103963
In response to Maurice
Let's keep in mind that ASA is FOR PROFIT.
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Retired 1
enthusiast
Posts: 1168
Reg: 02-20-02
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01-23-10 11:30 PM - Post#103966
In response to DrivinTooFast
Let's keep in mind that ASA is FOR PROFIT.
SO TRUE! I remember them telling a group of parents, "this is a non-profit organization" when threatened 4 years ago with a lawsuit. We had an abusive football coach who should have been sued. He was forced out the next season thank goodness.
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