softball,
valid points. I hope to never run across a situation where we would have to leave. Looking at it from a personality and history standpoint, i finally took someone elses advice, left the school i was teaching at to go to a new place. me, who hates change, goes with the flow and just grins and bears it, and now i'm telling others to stay the course. but i also felt i did what i could and it was stressing ME out more than it should have...for me to jump ship for another team during the season it would have to effect my DD to the core, because she's the important one, not me.
as for getting more involved, yes, it's hard to the end all be all of volunteer work. we dont get paid for coaching, and now our families are being asked to basically raise other people's kids to teach them about softball for so many days during the week. I've been doing this in soccer for 3 years. taking kids, buying equipment, getting sponsors, setting up games and what-not and while it is close to the best feeling in the world watching those kids win and excel there's always another part of me that says, "how come the parents dont come out more?" of course, when you are working weekends, worried about the other kids or barely scraping by, fastpitch is the last thing on your mind. (especially that of a young 12-14 year old girl, who, under most circumstances, probably runs the house while mom is working)
that's why, win or lose, going to the ballpark every weekend is a treat because you see so many involved parents, and you have to have some pride in that we are raising some class A ladies to be even classier young women, by just being involved. it's sad to think of any parent who cannot enjoy watching their DD play anything because they have to pay the bills. it takes that special person to get involved in something that huge and monumental, and still have time for yourself and your family.
i'm glad to hijack any other thread you might have in the future! good luck to you!