[bluefirebrand]

Difference is that on a sports team, you are under contract to be a player and there's not really any chance to just be promoted to being a coach.

If you have a high performing dev who wants to be a team lead and you hire someone else for that role, you risk demoralizing them and causing them to look elsewhere.

Morale is important. Promotions, real promotions with more responsibility, are important