I've followed this whole thread because DD team had a player(close friend) that was "punished" by the team for not being committed enough. She was a starter but not a star. Missed a pratice due to being a competitor at the regional science fair and again came late to an away game (missed bus but her mother took half day off work to grab her and transport a bit less than an hour away) due to AP test this spring. Coach did not play her that game (understandable) but benched her next game. Was told that she lost momentum and she needs to better balance her school/team activities. Her parents(my friends, as well) were increduluous that a coach would expect a player to forego academic commitments before athletic obligations.
My point here is that each player/family (as well as coaches) has a different scale of priorities and each are going to do what is best for themselves for their long term. We all do this with our lives, in our jobs, with our marriages etc. My job as a parent, hopefully, is to instill the proper mix of values so my child with thrive over the longer arc of their lives.
My point here is that each player/family (as well as coaches) has a different scale of priorities and each are going to do what is best for themselves for their long term. We all do this with our lives, in our jobs, with our marriages etc. My job as a parent, hopefully, is to instill the proper mix of values so my child with thrive over the longer arc of their lives.