Big Daddy,
I liked most all of what you had to say in your long post above. Especially the "coach owes the kid on a practice field....he owes the team on the game field." statement.
I wasn't trying to play devils advocate in my previous post I just honestly feel that player development and coaches winning games do go hand in hand even at older ages.
As for helping my child "navigate the waters" I try to leave it in his court as to what he wants because he is the one playing. My playing days are long over. We have kind of adopted the "Impossible is nothing" motto though. Who am I to tell him he can't play R3PL, D2 College or even D1 College? If he wants it bad enough.
There was only one Michael Jordan - but there was also only one Kevin McHale. One was graceful and looked like he had all the God given talent in the world. The other looked like he was going to trip over his own feet at any moment. But I suspect they both believed "Impossible is nothing" too.
