Doh, by "talk to the coach" I was thinking of asking him if he wouldn't mind if we missed a few practices to pick up with other teams and try and get more innings.
I'm not sure why wanting more softball innings is ruffling so many feathers. So far we have been rejecting pickup offers in favor of attending practice because I was worried it would affect her playing time. Our current team doesn't play as often as we would like.
She just wants to play more softball.
Ok... so it is ruffling feathers because you keep using 'I' and "we". "I was worried", "We would like". "I have to watch", etc, etc.
It is not about you. It is not you out there - it is her and her journey and game. It is also about everyone else on the team as well - the coaches, the parents, the other players.
You don't miss team practices to basically try out for another team or 'get more innings'. Finish your commitments. Guest on off weekends or off days if you want to. Be upfront that you are doing it. Believe me there will be PLENTY of innings. In fact there will be TOO MANY INNINGS at some point. It isn't a race - it is a journey.
Does she really want to play more softball? Or do you want her to? Young kids often say what they think their parents want to hear. Are you SURE. I over-committed my kid in 12U - she played WAY too many games and yeah, too many innings. She said she was good with it - but she really wasn't. Luckily I realized it before it was too late.
Look - in the end you are on the wrong team. Finish the season out, and move on. But finish the season out first.