As the Dad of a 2026 and a 2028, trust me when I say that all of you guys are chasing the wrong ball. Try not to get distracted by all the smoke and mirrors that other teams do in order to win, and that other families do to position their son for success (ie, holdbacks and reclass). Focus on YOUR SON and ask the basic questions - is he getting good coaching, are his teammates good players and nice kids, is he getting ample playing time, is he developing as a player and does he love the game. If another team has a ton of holdbacks (whether rumored or true) or they are borrowing Hawks players for the world series, or they are changing their name to bolster their ranking, or their parents are clowns on the sidelines, or the owner calls people ungrateful quitters, or whatever stuff goes on, who cares!
In two years none of this will matter and your son will be focused on making his HS team, and getting on the radar of college coaches. It all depends on how good a player he is, not what shenanigans other teams, coaches, or players are doing. If you doubt me, go over and look at the 2026 BOTC board right now. Two years ago the accusations and whining about holdbacks were as rampant as they are now on this board and the vitriol was flowing. But today, crickets. Parents have matured from 7th grade to 9th grade and realized that the holdback who you think is hiding around every corner is not where you should focus your attention.
Hope this perspective helps.