Our current nationals format the best?
I can't help but wonder if the way we run the national tournament at the end of the year is the best way to crown a champion. Currently, the way we do things we have all the teams come and play three games on Saturday, which pretty much destroys everyone's arms. So what happens the next day? You come right back and can possibly play another three games.
It's almost as if it's a marathon of dodgeball, to see who can last the longest. While, I think Grand Valley was obviously a deserving champion this year, and would have most likely won it had they been forced to play 11 games the first day I still have to draw it into question.
What other sport does something like this? Outside of the time your beer league softball team decides to go to a softball tournament and plays 8 games in two days, you're going to be hard pressed to find a sport that crowns it's champions similarly.
Though there is always the argument that comes up that is hard to fight, in that teams want to play everyone they can at nationals because it's the only time of year they see a lot of the teams. Well, the simple solution to that would be to host several small tournaments throughout the year. If nationals was limited to the amount of teams going maybe teams would feel like they actually needed to schedule a game or two throughout the year.
So what is my solution? Followers of my blog know that I have always been an advocate for regional tournaments that take place 1-4 weeks before nationals. The top 1 or 2 teams from each regional advance to Nationals. Then instead of having over 10 teams at nationals, and maybe even a few more junior varsity teams (what other national tournament allows JV teams???) you have teams that deserve to be there. Then when you say you go to the national tournament it actually means something. It gives your team something to work towards. I know there are people that disagree with me, but that's fine. There will probably come a day someday along the line that you realize I'm on to something.
posted by Murph @ 1:49 PM
4 Comments
4 Comments:
I totally agree with you. Having the number of teams limited to 8-10 would allow us to crown a champion in one day. Then we see who's the best team at the peak of their playing ability, not when their arm is completely gone the next day. And like you said, limiting the teams that can participate gives you something to work toward. It's the first step in really taking this league to the next level. See my 5 Year Plan for more of my thoughts on this.
If you look at any club sport in college nationals are usually ran this way, volleyball plays three days straight and the champion often plays up to 12 games before the finals. Swimming is spread over two days also where a swimmer could swim 4 events the first day and 4 the second. Along with other sports such as soccer or rugby or hockey the tournament is run similar to how the national tournament has been run for dodgeball. Instead of trying to change everything about the sport a focus should be on the recovery aspect. many of these teams that are complaining about playing so many games in the two days did not just got back to a hotel and get sleep or ice arms or stretch instead, they went out to a bar and drank and felt a little hungover the next day. All though not every player from every team does this i honestly believe a serious note should be focused on dealing with how it is set up and also looking at just how many people actually take care of their arms that night.
Totally agree with rifleman. You have all year to 'condition' your arm. If you slack all year in practice and games when you try to let loose your arm it's gonna hurt. This is why at practice I choose to treat it as if it were a game. If you choose to slack then chances are you are gonna slack in a game. The tournament as it is also brings forth a bigger crowd. A bigger crowd leads to more reputation, more reputation leads to more public acknowledgment, more publicity leads to more companies jumping on board (Wii Dodgeball) and the more people on board leads to perhaps one day and yes I know this is long down the road... But perhaps one day, NCAA recognition!
GVSU
#66
Well, the only problem I have with the Nationals format is that the tournament is located in northern Ohio and we come from a school in southern Louisiana. It was an 11 hour drive for us to get to Western Kentucky and I heard that it's another 8 from there to Bowling Green Ohio.
If we could find a more central location that would make a trip possible as far as financial constraints are concerned, that would be excellent. We will make it to nationals no matter where they are held, but it would be great to not have to literally spend days traveling to get there.
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