I know equal playing time is not guaranteed, nor should it be because like you said it is club and not rec. However, I don't think at this age there should be an entire tournament that goes by where kids never see the field. If a kid is that bad that being on the field for even a shoet amount of time can cause you to lose multiple games, then why are they on the team?[/quote]

^This

Middle school club should be about development first and winning second. No college coach is looking at anyone younger than 2024 (maybe 2025 if you’re all world) so getting kids game experience and meaningful reps is the right move.

Honestly, parents care more about wins than the kids[/quote]
I thinks its important to strike a balance between the two. Player development and winning are equally important to a players self esteem and confidence. Lets be honest, no one likes to lose...that's why we compete against each other. Its up to each clubs director and/or coach to make sure they are playing teams equal to them and also placed in proper tournament brackets.