WOW - The only thing I would like to input, is there are many different talent levels of girls playing softball and many different talent levels of teams available, from Rec to elite and everything in between. The best case is when you have a parent that is willing to take off the dad goggles and look at their DD realistically and put her on a team that will best suit her abilities and goals (this team might change every year if she progresses above and beyond the team or the team progresses past where your DD is). And, hopefully, you have a coach that will pick tournaments that will match the teams ability (challenge them, but not defeat and destroy their self esteem). There is a place for every girl that wants to play, and every girl should have the opportunity to play - parents need to be realistic with their expectations.
By the spring season, some teams will fold because they don't have enough players and those girls on the teams that fold will find a place with some of the teams still looking. It is just that time of year.
And 2 - the worst Rec league I have seen . . . When in the field, the girls were not taught to make plays. . . whoever had the ball, would run to get in front of the lead runner, hold up the ball, and yell "time". . . that would end the play. (girls from 3rd to 5th grade were on these teams) - they went to 12U and had no idea how to play the game. This is why we looked beyond our local rec league to find something more - - and more comes in baby steps, not leaps and bounds.
JMHO
