The BSF has announced the eight teams that have qualified for the 2011 Premier Nationals, based on results from this year's National Softball League competition.
The 2011 NSL title, based on results from the five tournaments at which the NSL was played (Diamonds 1, 2 and 3 plus Pioneers and Bristol) has been won by H2O. The winners amassed enough points in winning two of the first four NSL events and coming second in the other two to allow them to skip the final NSL event at Diamond 3.
All of the other teams that finished in the top eight of what became a 13-team NSL after Munster and SPAM withdrew during the season played in all five NSL events.
Premier Nationals Qualifiers
The top eight NSL teams that have qualified for the Premier Nationals, to be played on September 3-4 at Farnham Park, are listed below along with their points totals:
H2O (110)
Chromies (100)
Pioneers (80)
Dragons (78)
Mariners (76)
Slammers (72)
Blue Steel (66)
Marvels (60)
Notable exclusions from this list are Baker Tomkins, who will be missing from the Premier or A Nationals for the first time that anyone can remember and Niners, long a top A-grade team but recently fallen on hard times.
BT finished tenth in the NSL standings and Niners finished twelfth.
Bottom places
The five NSL teams that failed to make the Premier Nationals are listed below along with their NSL points totals:
Legends (56)
BT (55)
Maniacs (34)
Niners (19)
Windsor Knights (16)
Maniacs and Windsor Knights only played in four of the five NSL events, and the Niners in only three.
Winter decisions
BSF Tournaments Officer Lesley Morisetti has suggested that there will need to be a lot of discussion over the closed season about the future of the NSL. A proposal for an NSL 2 has been on the table for over a year without final resolution, and there are questions about how and when NSL competition can most appropriately be played.
The BSF may host a special Open Meeting to give the softball community a chance to have a say and participate in the decision-making process.