I stand completely by my statements (as made and intended, not as bastardized).
Of course practice is required and an important part of development at every level. I never said it wasn't.
My point was two-fold:
1. Development comes from both practice and playing and, depending on the players current level and the quality of options in the area, some kids will develop more by practicing with the entire team out of town once a week and also playing games at a very high level than practicing 3-4 times a week and playing at a lower level. It totally depends on the child, their current level and what is available as an alternative. Life isn't black and white. There is a lot of grey. Using an analogy, putting a math genius (highly skilled player) into math 101 (i.e. practice on a lower level team) everyday will not help them develop their math skills more than putting them into a job (i.e. game) where on weekends they are totally challenged. The best way for them to develop depends on a lot of factors, not just how many days a week they practice.
2. Some people are team players while some people are not. And I have personally witnessed players who only practice once a week with their team be the best team players while I've seen players who practice with their team every day not be good team players.
