EUC Women's Division Format Review
Thoughts on the format and way too early predictions
Welcome to the first of my format reviews (including predictions) of the 3 EUC divisions. Starting with women’s because (a) it’s my favourite division and (b) it’s got the weirdest format.
I don’t really want to do predictions at this stage - I still haven’t even seen most of the team rosters and only one game. So as a general rule if I don’t know anything I’m going on historical results. However I’m putting in predictions because it’s a lot easier to understand the format when you can follow a team’s progression throughout.
I haven’t seen the schedule actually posted anywhere as of yet - this is all based on the format showcased by Ulti.tv. I took the format they showed on screen and created a spreadsheet for it. If you’d like a copy of the spreadsheet I created for this then email me at bettereverydaycoaching@gmail.com
Format Explained
Pool Stage 1
We begin with 4 pools. My predictions in the right hand column.
Pool Stage 2
Based on the outcome of the first pool stage groups are redrawn for a second group stage. I’ve populated the below based on my predicted outcome from Stage 1. I’m not aware if results carry from previous pools? I’ve assumed not since it would be weird to have a 3 team pool with only 2 games to be played. But it would also be strange to immediately replay the same team as the day before. I don’t know.
Power Pools
And based on the outcome of this second stage we get to power pools - 2 upper pools and 1 lower pool. Again, pools populated below based on what I think will happen in Stage 2. Confirmed here that results do not carry forward from earlier in the tournament.
The top 2 finishers in each of the upper power pools go straight through to the quarter final. 3rd and 4th in the upper pools crossover against the top 4 teams in the lower pool.
That’s right: after three pool stages and somewhere between 7-9 games for each team only ONE team is now out of contention. Someone could lose 8 games and still win the tournament.
Thoughts on Pool Format
It’s a lot of games to essentially just seed the bracket. The dates for the tournament were set before teams registered - and it’s unexpected and disappointing to only have 13 teams* - but it seems like the format is stretched out to fill all the days.
As someone who is most interested in the women’s division generally, it definitely dampens my enthusiasm for watching the opening days. For example, if Germany were shocked by Spain in their opening group it’s probably not going to have any ramifications for the tournament.
The good thing about that type of format is that the best teams should be competing in the bracket because they can recover if they slip up in the pools, but for that same reason it makes those pool games less exciting to watch.
This type of format is potentially very beneficial for teams that aren’t going to have a lot of time together before the tournament. You’ll have 3-4 days to figure things out at the tournament.
It also should benefit teams that have a strong top end rather than a deep roster. That may seem counterintuitive - a shorter format might seem more beneficial for that team. But the real enemy of the shallower team is having to win games from Day 1 all that way through to the final. If you’re able to pick your battles there’s really only 4 games you have to put full effort into.
Teams could play up to 13 games - that’s a lot for a 13 team tournament.
Bracket
OK - most of you are probably here to see this.
Some way too early thoughts on the teams:
Italy are my favourites with Germany close behind. Germany mixed team has taken a lot of talent from the women’s division so I’m giving the nod to Italy here, also taking into account Shout’s success at EUCF.
Switzerland have been to the last two finals. Can’t count them out of contention even though I haven’t seen a roster yet.
Ireland have lost a lot of player from the 2019 team. But not everyone, and the top end of their roster has a lot of experience winning in Europe. They should be good at playing the format well, and being at home does help a lot. Gravity’s dominant performance at the Spring Invite also showcases the strength in depth in the scene in Ireland. Or maybe I’m just biased (you can expect similar bias in my Open and Mixed format review)
I had Belgium doing much better until I watched them lose to the Netherlands on the Ulti.tv stream this weekend. They were missing a large number of players so that early impression could be incorrect. However, major concern was that they looked in control until heavy rain rolled in…
Netherlands looked good on defence, less clinical on offence. Plenty of time to improve that. However, they actually have a tough route on paper. Swiss and Czechs in their opening pool and then Swiss again in the second pool if things shake out the way I think.
France I have replicating 2019 by not doing great in pool play and then winning their crossover into the QF.
Poland are maybe the team I’m overrating the most? I am always impressed by Polish women’s teams level of athleticism and skills, but I think they don’t maximise it at tournaments. With Paulina Dul leading the way that might be different here, and I think she’ll be the best player on the pitch in every game she plays which is always a big help. But they might struggle to get a big squad over to Limerick so I have them doing well in the pools and then losing to GB in the crossover.
For GB then, they did great in pools in 2019 and then lost to France in a crossover. I have them doing the opposite here. The team looks young and from across a number of different clubs. I think squad size, fitness and youth is going to help them grow into the tournament.
Czech Republic I have as a dark horse. Very impressed with the performance of East Block at Spring Invite this weekend and they put up a great performance against CUSB in the driving rain at EUCF last season, narrowly losing. 3SB have also been doing well so there’s definitely a lot of talent to draw from - how much of it makes it’s way to Limerick is the question.
Austria and Sweden I could be underrating. I haven’t seen rosters for either yet and neither did great at EUC 2019. Some up and down results for their clubs since so I have no idea how well they will get on yet.
Spain are the only newcomers to the division since 2019. Have absolutely no clue how strong they’ll be
*and I hope this is taken seriously and looked into. I don’t think we can handwave it away as ‘post pandemic’. Women’s division had 19 teams in 2015, 15 in 2019 so this is a continuation of a downward trend - with all the focus on growing women’s sport in that time period it’s exactly the opposite of what I’d expect to see. It’s also not ‘everyone loves mixed since world games’ either because the mixed division ALSO has fewer teams than in 2019. Some combination of (a) too expensive (b) too long (a full week is tough) and almost definitely mostly (c ) way too much frisbee for a small demographic. U24s, beaches, expansion of club tournament season, WUCC last year are all reasons I have heard for players not wanting to play this year.