CHT, I agree with the heart of what you are saying...it would be more fulfilling for everyone involved if players were consistently placed at levels where they can be competitive and see positive results on the scoreboards from their efforts. On the other hand, on the high school ball side of the equation (I know, almost taboo on this thread), where teams don't have any choice of where players are placed or who they compete against, I really have watched players develop significantly while learning how to try to chase down better teams. It's all in the attitude of whether they want to give up after being dominated, or whether they want to buckle down and figure out how to keep from being dominated over and over. Granted, it's a hard way to learn, and it takes a certain type of dedication and motivation to capitalize on it, but I can't say I've never seen athletes and teams come a long way in a short time using trial by fire rather than consistently even competition.