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[QUOTE="Townie72, post: 879891, member: 780"]
This was not a Pop Warner League. We have them in Maryland, but not in and around DC.

Montgomery County (MD) offered its own youth league with mandatory playing times. Even though it was partially taxpayer subsidized, the league failed. Coaches didn't want to coach and kids didn't want to play in a league in which everybody was owed playing time.

Neither the government or parents are in charge of the league.

The teams in the Capital Beltway League play to win. You might call it a "select" league. Playing time is given to the best players. There are no "cuts". Its a self-pruning system. At the younger ages there just isn't that much difference in ability so it isn't an issue. But on the "bigger" teams the key to playing time is performance ... just like in any "select" league in any sport.

The kids don't have a problem with this. They want to win ... probably more than the coaches. The coaches have to treat the kids fairly and well or they won't have any players. The league was run by real adults so coaches who mistreated players had very short tenures.

The better coaches would remind you more of Jim Boeheim than Vince Lombardi. The coaches are calm demeanor guys. The parents get a little excited.

The league produces large numbers of kids who go on to play in high school and college and even a few pro players are among the alumni.

Our experience with the "developmental leagues" in DC is that they don't work.
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