We're looking at a scenario like that for next weekend. It's a tournament 3 hours from home (hotel required). I've been looking at the list of teams registered and thinking we're going to get absolutely pounded. I guess Coach will have to make a decision by Wednesday (the day hotels become non-refundable). There's nothing quite as deflating as spending all the money on hotel, gas, and meals and going 0 for 7 or 8 games over a weekend.
This is pretty much what DD's team is looking at. Though the tournament I am thinking about is in six weeks. Her team was doing ok in the fall, but has pretty much imploded since the end of April. Who knows what the reason is, but only about a third of the team is executing, the rest are making such basic mistakes they do not even look like they belong playing at our level, whether because a lack of effort or skills have gotten much sloppier.
In any case, I am not looking forward to a 5 hour drive, and paying for two or three nights of hotels, just to watch her team get run ruled all weekend. I am wondering how to address this with the head of the organization.