Tell your kid to bust his a$$, then whatever team he ends up on, bust his a$$ some more. It'll all work out in the end...if your son has the talent and there is a need on varsity for his abilities, he'll be there. I, for one, don't consider what grade a kid is in as far as deciding whether he makes JV or varsity. If he can help varsity, he should make varsity. If not, it's certainly not the end of the world. Tear up JV for a season or a half a season, get on the best travel team you can find, and make varsity next year with three years left in high school...I don't think making one team or the other as a freshman will have any influence on his ultimate performance or ability to progress to the next level.