Agree totally with your statements about development; there is a major difference between developing players and winning games. In the long run, it's better to lose a few games learning to do it "right" than just win the easy ones with pure speed and "boom ball." When you get to a team that has the athletic ability AND the tactical experience, it just doesn't work. The game should continue teaching the tactics and skills that are developed at practice...I hate seeing a team revert to "just kick it long" under pressure.
I think we may be looking at two different situations, though...in a lot of cases, I'm looking at players who are just learning the game of soccer, working on getting their fitness up to par, etc.; players who, against a team like Hilton Head, for example, would be quickly overwhelmed by the level of competition. They have a good sense of where they are in comparison, but getting that few minutes in can be a real focusing moment. When you have a player who only gets the few minutes in the first few games, comes out to practice and doubles her efforts, does a stand-up job in her next five-minute appearance, and ends up a week or so later spending 40 on the field in an intense, come-from-behind win...well, you don't have to tell the other players how she earned that playing time, either. They know.
