Be good enough that you have to be on the field. Then dont worry about Daddy Ball or politics or anything else negative. I would have been promoted but _________. I would have been __________ but. My son would have been __________ but. Excuses and complaints leave your child hollow and without solutions. The dad goes out puts the team together etc etc etc of course his son is going to play. How many rec level , travel teams etc etc have you ever seen where the dad was the coach and his kid sat the bench? Should anyone at that age be sitting the bench all the time? If your son can play he will play when it matters the most. If he cant play and he still does play are you going to complain to the coach and have him sit him? Just play the game. Be so good that they have to play you. At the lower levels its about learning the game and getting a solid fundemental base of the game. None of this stuff will matter down the road anyway. The best way to deal with it is to not worry about it. Dont focus on it. And dont use it as an excuse. Be above it and be better than your competition.