League to kids: no playoffs - you're too good

[Dr Mordrid]

This just flat blows - Link....

Youth football: League bans Sedalia team from playoffs

The Sedalia Junior Outlaws wrapped up a perfect 6-0 season on Oct. 16 and were the odds-on favorites to a host the fifth-grade division West Central Youth Football League playoffs with the No. 1 seed attached.

A week later, the team sponsored by Chad Jackson and the Mid-Missouri Outlaws learned they won’t be included in the postseason mix.

The Junior Outlaws, which outscored opponents 171-0 on the year, accompanied by a running clock in each contest, were notified in the middle of the week by league commissioner Dave Callaway of the West Central Youth Football League that teams would rather forfeit than play them.

“We received several e-mails from the league commissioner asking us if we’d consider not playing in the playoffs because it wouldn’t be competitive,” Sedalia coach Ben Lyles said. “He said that teams would rather forfeit than play us and that there would be no playoffs if we were involved.”

The competitive argument, though, holds no water for Lyles.
In a league that caters to divisions for second through seventh-graders, Lyles pointed out that multiple teams in the WCYFL league have finished the season undefeated and aren’t receiving the same treatment.

“There’s no consistency,” said Lyles, who pointed out that third-grade Grain Valley has also not allowed a point and is set to compete in the playoffs. “If you look at every other division, the team that won it went undefeated. If it’s about competitiveness, there’s at least four teams if not six or seven that are in the same boat as us. Rightfully so, you don’t see them being forced out.”

Callaway failed to comment on the inconsistencies or reasoning behind the exclusion.

Lyles believes the main reason is the false rumors swirling about Sedalia recruiting.

“There was a lot of discussion about our kids not being Sedalia kids,” Lyles said. “That’s totally not true. All of our kids are from Sedalia. We were given specific criteria to join this league ... and we’ve complied with every rule. These kids and the parents don’t deserve this. They earned that record following the same rules that every other team stuck to.”

Lyles said he has yet to hear back from the commissioner, but wants three things to take place.

“We want a refund of our entry fee. We want a note sent to every team in the league explaining the situation and that we did not forfeit, did not quit, did not back out,” Lyles said.

“The third thing is for our kids. We should be declared champs.”

[Mehen]

Not only that, but it would cheapen the championship title for whichever team did end up winning. It would be a sort of, "yeah we won it, BUT..." situation.

Stupid.

[KRSESQ]

It sounds like they were worried about the other teams being humiliated by the Sedalia team. Especially if they're playing at a skill level significantly higher than the other kids.

This is the reason I'm ambivalent about this level of organization in chldrens' sports. The parents spoil it for the kids by taking it WAY too seriously.

Kevin

[VJ]

Competition often takes the fun of things. This is why I like to watch some of those redbull sports, they still seem to put more emphasis on the sporting part. I remember this kite-surfing competition where the judges were the other comptetitors taking part in the same contest. And even if a competitor failed some trick, the judges sometimes gave good points, commenting: "Well, he managed to do this or that move. Sure he didn't land fine, but it was class! And cool to watch!". That is how it should be.

Somehow, season 9, episode 5 of Southpark seems relevant here...
Summary:

A winning season and overzealous parents threaten to ruin the entire summer when the boys of South Park head to the Little League State Championships. The kids desperately want an end to the boring baseball season, and just one loss would set them free. Unfortunately, the opposing team is much better at losing than they are.

http://www.southparkstudios.com/full-episodes/s09e05-the-losing-edge

[MultimediaMan]

I know the feeling...

It's not just football.

Little League ball is destroying itself: The Cal Ripken leagues in our area are hopelessly rigged in the "competitive" division. If every "winning" team has gone undefeated, there is something very wrong. When you see the physical size and skillset disparity, it is plain to see that this is not competitive ball at all, but a system which is easily manipulated and circumvented. Traveling Leagues are a league apart: the players in them are well-financed, motivated and trained. They are, for all intents and purposes, a professional team. They should not be allowed in local farms.

Here's how it works:

In late winter, the letters for Spring ball get sent out and posted. You can sign up early. As part of the questionnaire, players are specifically required to tell if they have played in a "traveling" competitive league, or have ever been an all-star in any league.

In early spring, there is a "try out" which consists of hitting 5 balls from a pitching machine, catching five balls thrown by a coach, and running a 50 yard sprint. Players who try out are put into the draft of "known players". Those that do not try out are put in a pool of players to be assigned.

Coaches can select their own son, and three players from the draft, and can then draw from the pool of "unknown" players.

[sarcasm]What could possibly go wrong?[/sarcasm]

Volunteer coach “a” has a child or children who play in a traveling ball league*. None of his boys nor other players in the travel ball teams try out. They may or may not be all-stars from previous seasons. But, since they have not tried-out, there is no basis for performance metrics, thus coaches who do not personally know the members of the travel team will not know the quality of the players, and they won't be eligible for the "draft". “Regular” volunteer coaches are not privy to this information and will, in all likelihood, not draft the travel ball players because they don’t know them.

Falsifying sign-up sheets is unethical and goes against the charter and should result in forfeiture.

*"Travel Ball" are collectively a professionally-backed training farms... they tend to be very expensive and of course have superb training regimen often bolstered by minor league players and teams.

[Dr Mordrid]

Pain in the ass, isn't it? This was of the reasons I got out of coaching, though as a youth I was on an early "All Star" team in the older divisions and knew going in what was going on. What really started to bother me was how many games the kids were starting to play: 70+, and more now. That's a lot of wear & tear for young pitchers arms IMO.

[KRSESQ]

It all turns out to be a training ground for the next generation of professional ball players. It's a huge money machine, that's all.

Sadly, many of those "recruited" through youth sports are likely to be totally burned out by thirty at the latest.

Kevin