Competition Committee

COMPETITION COMMITTEE

PURPOSE OF THE COMMITTEE

From the fall directors meeting - A teams looking for more competition at 10A/12A and to a lesser extent 14A. More teams, more competition, less travel is a byproduct.

GOALS OF THE COMMITTEE

Creating competitive balance for the teams.
Assisting directors with a better understanding of team placement and the effect on their community and the leagues.
The goal is to challenge players/teams.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Apple Valley Fusion - John Bullock
Armstrong Cooper - Joe Girod
Cottage Grove - Amanda Albert
Elk River - Gabe Fransen
Highland Park - Steve Penz
Lakeville - Steve Schumacher
Mahtomedi - Cory Franzmeier
Rockford - Michelle Byers
Roseville - Jen Doerfler
Tonka - Kelly Wischmeier
Minnesota Softball - Tom Bye
Minnesota Softball - Dan Pfeffer

CONTACT THE COMMITTEE

If you would like to contact the committee, send an email to Dan Pfeffer at dan@mnsoftball.com and he will forward it to the members of the committee.

MINNESOTA SOFTBALL GIRLS FASTPITCH TEAM CLASSIFICATIONS

Girls' Fastpitch Class “GOLD” - GOLD is a designation that teams earn by qualifying for GOLD Nationals that are typically “A” in classification.

Girls' Fastpitch Class “A” - Any team considered to be the highest-level competitive travel team. If your team is normally in contention to win each tournament you enter and you beat the "better" teams in your state, and you have multiple front-line pitchers, then you should consider yourself an "A" team. Practice and game schedules often prohibit players from participating from other sports.

Girls' Fastpitch Class “B” - Any team considered to be an above average level competitive travel team. If the team is occasionally in contention to win a tournament they enter and are competitive with most teams in your division/region, and have solid but not overwhelming pitching, then it should consider yourself a "B" team. The travel, game and practice schedules are often more accommodating to the multi-sport athlete.

Girls' Fastpitch Class “C” - Any team that typically only plays in a local league, a town league, an all-star team from a local league or a team that might only play in one or two tournaments a year. A "C" team is also any team considered to be an entry level or new travel team with kids new to travel softball and lacks the experience and number of skilled players and pitchers to compete on a National or State levels with the higher skilled Class “A and B” teams.

Girls' Fastpitch Class “REC” - Any team that typically only plays in a local league, a town league, and does not play in any invitational tournaments. A "REC" team is also any team considered to be an entry level not in travel softball with kids new to softball and lacks the experience and number of skilled players.

GUIDELINES/FACTORS FOR TEAM REGISTATION IN MINNESOTA SOFTBALL FOR BIG WEST AND TRI COUNTY LEAGUES AS RECOMMENDED BY THE COMPETITION COMMITTEE

PURPOSE: To provide associations/directors/coaches a framework based on historical data to improve the competitive balance across the age groups and levels of play.

Utilize the following charts based on your draw area size and number of teams at the age group to assist in determining levels of play for your team. For example: “Maple Plain” is a Tier 1 community and has three (3) teams. It is recommended they would have two (2) Class B teams and one (1) Class C team.
NOTE: It is recommended that if there is more than one team at a class that the talent be evenly distributed to maintain competitive balance at that age group.
Additional Factors that may suggest a team move up a level from the above recommendation:
1. You opt not to balance the teams where the recommendation has multiple teams at that level.
2. Majority of the team played at the level of the recommendation the prior year. Example: more than half the team played Class B the prior year. They may be best suited at Class A the following season.
3. The description of your team better fits at the higher level than the recommended level (see Minnesota Softball team classification chart for reference.)
If you are uncertain where your teams best fit, please reach out to the competition committee for assistance in helping you determine.
NOTE: The competition committee will do a preseason review of team’s registrations to ensure we have competitive balance utilizing the criterion outlined above.

TIER 1 COMMUNITIES – Minnesota A and AA and Wisconsin Division 3 High Schools

WISCONSIN COMMUNITIES: Baldwin-Woodville, Prescott, Randolph, St. Croix Falls.

MINNESOTA COMMUNITIES: Annandale, Belle Plaine, Fridley/Columbia Heights, Le Sueur-Henderson, Pierz, Randolph, Rockford, and TCU.

TIER 2 COMMUNITIES – Minnesota AAA and Wisconsin Division 2 High Schools

WISCONSIN COMMUNITIES: Amery, Ellsworth, Osceola, Saint Croix Central, and Somerset.

MINNESOTA COMMUNITIES: Alexandria, Becker, Big Lake, Chisago Lakes, Delano, Faribault, Inver Grove Heights, Jordan, Little Falls, Mahtomedi, Mendota Heights, Monticello, New Prague, North Branch, Orono, Princeton, Richfield, Rocori, Saint Anthony, Saint Francis, Saint Paul Highland, Sauk Rapids, South Saint Paul, Westonka, and Zimmerman.

TIER 3 COMMUNITIES – Minnesota AAAA and Wisconsin Division 3 High Schools

WISCONSIN COMMUNITIES: Hudson, Menomonie, New Richmond, and River Falls.

MINNESOTA COMMUNITIES: Andover, Anoka-Ramsey, Apple Valley Fusion, Armstrong-Cooper, Bloomington, Brainerd, Brooklyn Park, Buffalo, Burnsville, Cambridge-Isanti, Champlin Park, Chanhassen, Chaska, Centennial Lakes, Coon Rapids, Cottage Grove, Eagan, East Ridge, Eden Prairie, Edina, Elk River, Farmington, Forest Lake, Hastings, Hopkins, Lakeville, Mankato, Minnetonka, Mounds View, Northfield, North Saint Paul, Oakdale, Osseo-Maple Grove, Prior Lake, Rogers-Otsego, Rosemount, Roseville, Saint Louis Park, Saint Michael-Albertville, Sartell, Shakopee, Soderville, Spring Lake Park, Stillwater, Waconia, Waite Park, Wayzata, White Bear Lake, and Woodbury.

TBD: Minneapolis (612).

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