I coach PAL and have spoken at with other coaches. Proper team size is 23:
2 lines for Attack
2 lines for Defense
3 lines for Middy (they run more)
2 goalies
Add 1 or 2 extra kids in case school sports, family activities, injuries, kids's quit or just life in general and you have the ideal # of kids on a team.
The backup goalie and 3rd Midfield line may not get any play, but that is what you sign up for when you play travel lax.
The only way you last sentence could be acceptable is if there were more transparency to the try-out/ roster-building process. As it is parents are asked to write a check and take their chances as to where their kid falls.
If the kid is not able to make one of the top 2 mid-lines then they should be able to get all/some money back rather than waste an entire year on a team in which they cannot possibly develop as players.
