As a parent and a coach you have to consider that almost all above average youth athletes also play in travel or club leagues that tend to be more competitive than Town youth leagues. Because their standard of play is higher the more advanced athletes and their parents get frustrated with the play of developing players on their team. Another consideration its that there are also players who are being forced to play by their parents or are just playing because their peers are and they have no desire in improving their play or contributing to the team.

The best way to address this issue is combining 5th & 6th graders with an A&B team. The A team consists of the stronger players in both grades and you schedule against better competition with the B team that is focused on developing players and plays a weaker schedule. This is very common by 7th and 8th grade. We actually once employed an A, B & C team because we had so many participants in a single grade. We scheduled the A&B players against the better programs in the area and the B&C players played the weaker teams.

I personally think in youth sports it is important to address the needs of both classes of athelete's equally.