anyone keeping up with the happenings at NATC week in Cooperstown?

I see lots of lopsided game scores. Are the teams winning 20-0 that good, or are the losing teams that bad? I could understand there being some lopsided scores, but there just seems to be so many. I notice it in other weeks too, not just this week. Also, I wonder are the teams that play this week supposed to be the best of best? If not why is it called the National American Tournament of Champions (NATC). I only wonder because I know some of the teams playing this week are just rec/all star type teams. How does a team get to play that week? It seems most (not all)of the best teams are from the south or the west. And some of those kids look older than my 14yr old! I always wonder about some of those kids actually being 12yrs old. Anyway mine went last year, not the NATC week, but I have followed some teams that went this year. It's interesting to see what goes on, who wins, scores etc. And looking at those kids that win the skills competitions. We had a good time last year even though the team didn't do too well, I was glad my son went, and that we got to be part of the whole experience.

I'm puzzled about that week too. A team from our area was put together by a coach that had a team that played that week last year. The team that went last year deserved to be in that week. I understand the team that went this year attended because they had the week "reserved" from last year. My son went 3-4 years ago (can't remember which year - old age....). When we went, I was under the impression that if you won your week, that was one way to get in. Our team didn't do that great either but neither the parents nor the kids would trade the experience for anything.

The NATC week does have some excellent teams, but there are a number of much less qualified teams. In my opinion, there is a greater variation in ability of the teams in NATC than in other weeks. There are several reasons for this.

Teams can qualify for the tournament by winning in an earlier week. But this means that CDP has to reserve a slot for teams which probably aren't going to attend. Qualifiers typically don't play in the NATC because it is expensive, unplanned and, for the most part, a redundant experience. For many kids, school has already started, and that's an additional deterrent. So CDP tends to fill the slots with relatively local teams which tend to be weaker.

There is typically a waiting list to get entry to any week of CDP tournaments. But I think you'll find that NATC is the easiest week to get in, especially if a team has some reputation.

jj my son went up there at the beginning of August with a team from Wisconsin.After his team was eliminated he was ask by the park owner to stay and play the rest of the summer.This week he was playing with a team from Va. the Loudoun Bulldogs.They did not fair to well.There are a few high end teams there this week.