Focus Shifts to Regionals as Qualifier Season Winds Down A5 14 Suzanne, A5 15 LA Just Miss Qualifying in KC

 

The Southern Regional Championship Tournament is upon us.  We enter the event with 13 bids in hand, having narrowly missed increasing that haul by another bid or two at the Show Me Qualifier in Kansas City.  We typically earn more bids through the region than through the National Qualifier process, and based on Regional rankings/tournament seeds, it appears that more than a dozen of our teams have a legitimate shot to earn a Bid this weekend.

 

A few thoughts and recommendations to players and coaches:

1. Though the format of this tournament is such that teams are not eliminated during pool play, pool play still matters, for in most instances, the higher a team finishes in their pool the easier their path to a bid.
2. Several pools are comprised entirely of teams from the A5 Family.  Don't be fussed by this, for it means that you will not be playing them in the first round of bracket play on Sunday.  Moreover, the Region seeds the tournament based on regional rankings and does not adjust the pools to minimize matches against teams from the same club.
3. It is crucial to win the first match of bracket play to have any chance at a bid.
4. Consolation matches matter.  Depending on the division, bids may trickle to 5th or 6th place.
5. This year teams playing in the bid tournament are obligated to accept an earned bid. 
6. It is likely that some bids will be reallocated to the region next week, so all hope is not lost for teams finishing just outside the money at the tournament.