I think you have to look at the situation from an ethical standpoint...what does the player have to gain/lose vs. what does each team have to gain/lose. In either choice, are we asking the player to sacrifice something that may have major long-term benefits for something that will have a comparitively smaller impact, long-term, on the team? Or is the player going to benefit little from the choice at great consequence to the team?
To me, it's hard to justify demandng that a player make a major personal sacrifice for something that will have a very minor impact on the overall success of the team. It's equally hard to justify allowing a player to make a choice that will create little long-term effect for himself/herself but have a major negative impact on the team.
Another question might be, will the momentary negative impact of a decision be outweighed by the long-term positive benefits the player can bring back to the team through such experiences?
Missing a tournament game to go to a concert, hit the beach, take a vacation, etc.--no way.
Miss a region match or playoff game (or even a non-region regular season match) to play for another team--terrible breach of commitment.
Weighing the team's benefit or loss in a preseason tournament vs. a player's opportunity to compete at a top level, increase chances of recruitment, and hone personal skills that they can then bring back to the team's table...now the ethics seem a little different.
Just one man's opinion...never was one for asking someone else to give up a lot more than what others had to gain from it.
