I'm not going to name the program because it doesn't serve a purpose as the coaches are no longer coaching, but my daughter is a freshman in high school this year and I wanted to thank our "B-level" travel coaches. Neither are coaching any longer, but they coached a group of girls that stayed together for several years at younger ages. We had a number of parents, including me from time to time, who complained because the team didn't win as much as we thought it should, especially at the B-level. But, these coaches spent a LOT of time on individual fundamentals sometimes at the expense of team preparation. The girls played everywhere defensively. Lots of teams say they are about development, but they really were. They taught hitting mechanics that would play long term rather than just give them short-term success.

Of the 14 girls who played those two years (two person turnover from one year to the next), 12 are still playing softball and the other two are still participating in other sports. Eight of the 12 still playing softball made varsity as either a sophomore or freshman at 4A or 3A schools. Five are now playing A-level travel.

More than the skill development, my daughter and this group still love playing as evidenced that they are all still playing high school and travel.

Just sending this along as a reminder to not get caught up in the name of the program in the earlier development stages if your daughter doesn't make one of those teams. Also, interview coaches of the teams you are looking to join and especially talk to the parents of other girls they've coached, especially a few years down the line. That's where coaching at younger ages often starts to show itself.