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One reason Oklahoma players are ahead of Arkansas...

Started by Earl is my Hero!!, September 12, 2014, 01:25:57 pm

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Earl is my Hero!!

I have been umpiring quite a bit of High School ball over in Oklahoma this fall, and overall I have been impressed with the ball being played.

I've done several tournaments with a lot of the bigger schools - Jenks, Broken Arrow, etc. as well as regular season games for some of the smaller schools along the OK/AR border.

Last night, I was in the big city of Westville, just over the border from Lincoln. They played three games against Vian. That's right, THREE games.

Varsity
JV
Jr. High

I've been to towns little more than a wide spot in the road and they all have Jr. High teams. They'll have 6th graders out there playing school organized ball.

I have seen 7th and 8th grade pitchers that would start for most of the schools I umpire for in Arkansas. Last night, the pitcher for Vian was a very athletic looking girl, about 5'10". They way she carried herself I figures she had to be a Jr or Sr. She threw well and hit a grand slam.

She's a freshman.

Arkansas needs to add Jr. High teams. If these little towns can do it...

br549

For that to happen the AAA and the School Districts would have to give a crap about Softball.

rbhs8990

There are several teams in our area that are playing a jr high schedule.....Rose Bud, Mt. Vernon Enola, Southside Bee Branch, Mt. View, Clinton, Southside Batesville, Greers Ferry Westside....to name a few. 

Most school sports have jr high except baseball and softball it seems.....it's sad.  Wish more teams could do jr high softball.

ST

I brought this very subject up not so many years ago. I was laughed at.

br549

Thats cause you, are funny, and a lot of people on here are Butt Holes.

Earl is my Hero!!

Quote from: ST on September 16, 2014, 10:05:13 pm
I brought this very subject up not so many years ago. I was laughed at.

I thought you were dead.

mountiefan

He is like the Phoenix.  He may go away for a time but he will never die. 

ST


backatyou

I believe they play ball in the fall and spring and are allowed to play travel ball during there high school season as long as it doesn't interfear with there school ball those girls that play and want to play thar much can't help but shine!

attaboy

The main reason Oklahoma players are ahead is they have a passion there ...... save a few locations ...... that we do not have. A child must be exposed early on and that just doesn't happen here.... and we must admit it starts at a very young age!

Bullethead

Fastpitch softball in Arkansas is still in its infant stages.  Oklahoma has had fastpitch for much longer....thus they have generations of players now coaching the game - that increases the quality of instruction, commitment, etc  It will take Arkansas awhile to close the gap.

LowerAR

You may be right about fastpitch in Oklahoma and why it is better. I think there are several ex ball players in the state that could be good coaches, but a lot of those will never get to be coaches because they don't hire many women assistant football coaches, or few women basketball or volleyball coaches played softball in college. Look how many new hire coaches there are in the state and how many played fastpitch, although I do understand why it is difficult to hire quality female coaches. But that doesn't make the programs better, at least that is what I see down here, sorry if that hurts some feelings.     

NEASPORTSFAN

The problem is the AAA only gives baseball and softball 9 weeks to play a season, and one of those weeks is spring break. It is very difficult to play 20 games and two tournaments in during that time span. Other states are playing in the fall too, which makes more sense anyways. The weather in Arkansas is so much better August-October than it is in March and April.

LowerAR


BIG_K


CincyGuyintheFort

I am a novice on this topic, but I would think its not really fair to compare Arkansas softball to Oklahoma softball. Cause isn't Oklahoma city like the world capital of softball. Being that the Women's World Series, World cup of Softball are played there, and isn't the national softball HOF there too ? So with that kinda ball being played there every single year, of course they are going to be more into it and advanced than most any state. I'm just saying...

LowerAR

Well I do see your point, but I don't think Omaha is the center of baseball. Oklahoma has only won 1 world series that I can remember and maybe 1 way back I can't really remember. As a matter of fact, if you want to point to the universal center of fastpitch softball it would have to be South California and Arizona, but that has all changed in recent years. Maybe we should not expect to be able to compete with other states, but I will not ever concede.     

softballjunkie1985

Gasso has 2 national  titles,  like Arkansas, Oklahoma kids cannot play with their summer teams until their season is complete which is in October I believe.  They also  play up to 45 high school games in a year so they get many more reps than we do over here.  Arkansas has some great  players but not the depth of talent Oklahoma has but we are progressing!

Fox 16 Arkansas Fox 24 Arkansas