I appreciate what you're saying, Ken, but I might amend your thoughts to say that too many parents have just enough knowledge to think they know everything about softball and what's best for their DDs, though it's usually not what's best for the team. Too many parents, and maybe coaches, also don't see the big picture. It takes time to develop a player or a team or a program. If you're a newbie on my team, you're probably not going to get as much game time as older, better players. But I will spend as much time with you as I can in practice to help make you better. Unfortunately, players and parents aren't real interested in practices, hard work and dedication any more. They see the pros and somehow think that these players got that good by some miraculous osmotic process honed by video game playing or because parents bitch at the coach. When I was up with Java with my pitcher, he observed that the most important coach a player will ever have is a parent. Truth. Show me a parent who understands the value of the DD putting skin and sweat in the game, and I'll show you a coachable, team first player who gives her best. Then it falls on the coach to figure out ways to get better - or get beat again.