PARENTS!!!! Especially the ones who think their DD are better than they are. I wish they would open their eyes & be more realistic, instead of complaining about the lack of playing time, work with your DD, it doesn't have to be very long, I have my DD practice pitching in the yard, I try to do it 3-4 times a week, nothing crazy, 15 minutes. Sometimes we go to the park, she'll hit a couple of buckets, then do some fielding, 1/2 hour total. I've been doing this since she is about 6, she is now 11.
The thing that is a challenge on the field is baserunning. Our girls are 12u & I do not believe they are agressive enough on the bases. If they hit a ball in the outfield, it's a single & they are happy with that, I tell them to run hard, round 1st hard & if the outfielder bobbles the ball they have a shot a 2nd, if they jog down to 1st & the ball is bobbled they have no chance or they take a chance & get thrown out.
She's 11, if I push hard too hard it will become a job for her. I don't know many people who look foward to going to work. If she pitches in HS then she will have to step it up. There are many other ways for an 11 yr old kid to build stamina...... basketball, bike riding, swimming, playing tag etc.
I coached a 10/11 All Star team.
All, but one parent, dropped their kid off every day. No questions, no contact with me.
Showed up at the games but were not willing to volunteer at the candy stand or with anything else.
And you wonder why your kid isn't that good. geesh.
I see lots of Mom's with their Cell phone in one hand and expensive coffee in the other ...back to the field while their kids look in the hope they might watch...even for a second or two.