Looks like the Junior men’s team in Argentina is hard at work in preparing for the 2012 ISF Junior world championships, to be hosted in their hometown of but Argentina.

This news comes from our friend Martin Jorge, who is the medications director for the Argentine fastpitch programs, as well as webmaster for the top Spanish-language fast pitch website, “Softball News LA”:

(Google Translation)

The last weekend in the city of Paraná Youth Men’s National Team held a rally to collect a total of 61 players, kicking off the 3rd stage of work proposed by the Technical. This group works to represent Argentina in the next World Youth Championship, to be held in the city of Paraná in November 2012.

This time the call was the tournament format since the screening was divided into 4 teams that were led by Julius Gamarci (Attack Coach), Gustavo Guerrinieri (Physical Trainer), José Alberto Guerrinieri (pitching coach) and José Sacks (Monitor of Paraná), in collaboration with Monica Mata (Monitor de La Pampa) and José Pianciola (Olavarria Monitor). For his part, Head Coach Mariano Spotorno observed and analyzed the game from outside the field.

The activity began on Saturday 13 in the morning with a general meeting. There Spotorno Mariano had a talk with players about an hour and provided with the uniforms to the players. Immediately after the games began to be played (a total of 4 per team).

On Sunday, the concentration continued the same pattern, making a cut of 14 to 17 hours. due to the high temperature and fatigue of the players. During that period of time, there was a meeting where the Technical outlined the objectives and content that will have this new stage of work. 17hs A activity resumed with two more games per team. On Monday 15 morning they played the last game of the merger, ending it at noon.

It should be noted that this stage primarily aims to evaluate players in competitive situations with the intention of finding the best exponents. To do this, then this concentration is generally divided the group into two subgroups, according to the level shown in this tournament. On one side is the National Team, made up of young people who at the discretion of the coaching staff, are currently in peak condition to face a higher level of competition and training. On the other hand, is the Development Group with children who, for whatever reason, currently fail to meet the boys at the National Team, but it is considered that in the course of a year may reach. However, it is clear that these groups are dynamic and can leave or enter them every young person who is deemed appropriate.

The list of players that make up the group “National Team”, and concentrate to make ends meet in the CENARD, is:

1. Aranaz, Daniel – Paraná
2. Carril, Facundo – Paraná
3. Fernandez, David – La Pampa
4. Gonzalez, Martin – Paraná
5. Juarez, Alejandro – Paraná
6. Kuperman, Rodrigo – Buenos Aires
7. Lombardo, Francisco – Paraná
8. Malarczurk, Vladislav – Paraná
9. Masmú, Pablo – Paraná
10. Mata, Huemul – La Pampa
11. Migliavaca, Pablo – Paraná
12. Migliavacca, Teo – Paraná
13. Minigutti, Matias – Paraná
14. Olheiser, Federico – Bahia Blanca
15. Peruilh, Mariano – Olavarria
16. Rickert, Lautaro – Paraná
17. Rodríguez, Lucio – Paraná
18. Sacks, Ivan – Paraná
19. Saenz, Ezequiel – Bahia Blanca
20. Scialacomo, Giuliano – Paraná
21. Terrace, Matthew – Paraná
22. Tessore, Nicholas – Paraná
23. Zalazar, Silvio – Villa Clara
24. Zara, Juan Cruz – Bahia Blanca

This last stage of work began with a strong commitment and great effort of Argentina Softball Confederation, which provided a concentration to “zero cost” in providing free accommodation and meals (breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner) transport, for 61 players, coaches, instructors, referees, scorekeeper and colleagues in a logistic that enrolled a total of 95 people in three days of the announcement.

Argentina Softball Confederation and the Technical especially thank Paranaense Softball Association, for providing facilities and staff, the Student Athletic Club for giving your diamond and Paul Saenz (Bahía Blanca) and Luis Iribarren (La Plata) for their cooperation provided during the three days.

Jorge Martin
Head of Media and Communication
Softball Confederation Argentina

The ASA announced the host cities for the 2012 ASA Nationals, at their recent meetings in Shreveport, LA.

TOURNAMENT NAME START DATE STOP DATE
LOCATION

Men’s Major 8/2/2012 8/5/2012 TBA Monday, November 15
Men’s Class Open 8/30/2012 9/2/2012 North Mankato, MN
Men’s Class B 8/30/2012 9/2/2012 North Mankato, MN
Men’s Class C East 8/30/2012 9/2/2012 Salem, VA
Men’s Class C West 8/30/2012 9/2/2012 North Mankato, MN
Men’s 23-Under 8/3/2012 8/5/2012 TBA Monday, November 15
Men’s Masters 40-Over 8/24/2012 8/26/2012 TBA Monday, November 15
Men’s Masters 50-Over 9/6/2012 9/9/2012 TBA Monday, November 15
Men’s Senior 60-Over 9/21/2012 9/23/2012 Prescott, AZ

Click here for complete list.

Editor’s note: Class “A” is now called “Open”, the 50+ is now “Masters” instead of Seniors, and they’ve added a 60+ “Seniors” division. Unless I missed an earlier announcement, this is new for 2012. Regular readers will recall my objection to calling 50+ “seniors”, especially in this day and age, when athletes are competing longer. Good moves on the latter two (50+ and 60+). What’s behind the change of “A” to “Open”?

The one I find most puzzling though, is the “C” division. They split this “national” tournament into two divisions a couple of years ago. This year the “C” (half) East national is in Salem Virginia. OK. But the “C” (half) national West is in Mankato Minnesota.

Don’t get me wrong — Mankato Minnesota is a great fastball town — and will be hosting the men’s open and B the national tournaments in 2012. I have not have the pleasure of going to Mankato yet, but I’m old enough to remember the Happy Chef teams, and have heard great things from the NAFA teams that play there. But last time I looked Mankato Minnesota is in the central time zone, two hours, in two time zones away from the West Coast. Minnesota West?

Mankato is EAST of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, and California.

In 2009, the first year that they split the “C” division, the Eastern half was in Decatur Illinois, while the Western half was in Hastings Nebraska. Or was it the other way around? No matter – both were in the central time zone, just as is the case in 2012. When they split up the “C” division 2009, the most common reason I heard was to save teams the travel expense of going cross-country. That may well be working out for class “C” teams in the central and eastern time zone, but how about those out west?

It’s not as if the West Coast hasn’t supported the ASA “C” Nationals. When Prescott Arizona hosted the “C” (half) national in 2008, roughly half of the 50 teams, give or take, came from California, and more from the western region. An even larger number when Stockton California hosted the tournament in 2005. Ah well. I do understand that host cities are hard to come by, especially good ones like Mankato. This year’s “C” East and West are a bit more balanced, Ohio for the East and Tuscon Arizona for the West.

Miss the list for 2011? They’re listed after the jump.
(more…)

Cap tip, Al’s Fastball:

AAU International Fastpitch

To all coaches:
Friendly reminder:
There is only a week left before deadline to pay your entry fee.
Please be advise that on November 18th by noon, every team
must be paid. Any team ( no exception ) not paid off that day
by that time will be replace with one of the teams on the waiting
list.
Also, this year, only the AAU roster form will be accepted and
roster form most include every player’s address and date of
birth. No roster form without player’s birthdate and physical
address will be accepted. ** do not give us the hotel’s address
on that form and do not write one address for the entire team. **

Thanks.

Alex Linares
Amateur Athletic Union Of The United States, Inc.
Sports Manager
Panama & Puerto Rico Liaison
International Events
407- 828-5602
407- 934 – 7242 (fax)
alex@aausports.org
www.aausports.org

Breeder’s Cup — err, BreederRupp

From Dave Blackburn’s teammate, Larry Silfen:

2nd Annual Maccabi Invitational on December 11th at El Dorado in Long Beach. We have renamed the event “the BreederRupp” to honor our injured teammates, Dave and Ronnie.

All of the teams from last year are in the field of 6:

Panteras
Black Curtain (fka Rude Pac)
Liberty (fka Flor De Cana)
Long Beach Black Sox
J&B
Maccabi USA

The event will serve as a fund raiser for the Charlotte Blackburn fund in memory of Dave’s Mom. We are inviting all Maccabi USA players to come, past and present, plus as many of Dave and Ronnie’s teammates over the years.

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