Originally Posted by Anonymous
Here is the YJ business model. Be the first girl's travel program on LI - good job. Then plug as many of your coaches as possible into the local HS programs as coaches. Then pressure the kids in those school districts to play for YJ's causing an extreme conflict of interest. Kids and parents feel they have to join out of fear of repercussions from their HS coaches. Families on lower level teams fear leaving because of those same repercussions. Then coach your kids year round which is against NYS high school rules. Then have 800 kids to tryouts and give 780 of them a spot on a team. That's elite right?
Elite should be the term reserved for the top team - or perhaps top two teams in a club such as the Yellow Jackets.

Lower level teams benefit by being part of an elite club structure and potentially gaining entrance into some showcase and tournament events from which they might be rejected. While those lower level teams themselves might not be in an elite category, they can benefit through their club association.

Whether 780 from 800 are offered team spots or 280 from 800 are offered spots, the elite teams are still the top ones within any age group. The concept of being an "elite team" does not vary with the number of spots assigned. An "elite club" is one which can consistently field "elite teams".

It is a family's call as to whether the services provided to those lower teams are worth the cost. That value judgement is done based on the family's budget, expectations, and potentially, offers from other programs.