What Teams Should Register?

Storm softball hosts tournaments in the Fall and Spring. These 10C softball tournaments are for newer or less experienced teams. Often times, teams entering sanctioned tournaments with USSSA or USA Softball will not have a good indication of the talent level on opposing teams. Lop-sided games are the norm. Players are challenged past their limits. Neither team benefits from these types of games.

Vision

Our goal is to create balanced games. This means that either team can win on any given day. Even within a given “level” (A, B, C), the variation can be quite large. And of course, organizations like USSSA and USA Softball can only make adjustments to a team’s level or division after they have played a few games. However, that’s only if any adjustment is made at all.

Validation

So what leading indicator(s) of team competitive level can we use to ensure true C-level teams enter our tournaments? We review the birth year for the players on the roster. This is one of the most telling variables at the 10U level. One year at this age is a lot. For example, teams with a full roster of maximum age players should be stronger than a team with only one-third of its roster as maximum age. A team of 10-year olds or 11-year olds playing against a team of 9-year olds (or younger) is generally a waste. It becomes an exercise of frustration management (for the losing team) and hollow confidence (for the winner).

After birth year, we ask teams to provide player statistics. One critical one at the 10U level is pitching speed. Pitchers throwing 40-45 MPH versus pitchers throwing 35-40 MPH is a world of difference. After speed, the number of walks per game for pitchers is very telling. Then there’s batting average.

It’s not a perfect science but hopefully better than the typical tournament surprises in pool play.

Click on the various tournament pages for more information on that tournament. You can register on the individual tournament page. We look forward to providing your team with a valuable tournament experience. Thank you!

Upcoming Tournaments

10C Softball Tournament – Fall Storytelling – September 24, 2022

10C Softball Tournament – Tinsel Hair – October 8, 2022

10C Softball Tournament – Halloween Bash – October 29, 2022