Interesting. When my son was growing up in Kansas all boys either played tackle football beginning at age 9 or were labeled as “butterfly collectors”. His father was a coach and neither he nor any of his asst coaches would ever try to play. Much has apparently changed over the years.
The coaches “KIDS” not the coaches. I reread my post and I specifically says coaches kids, not the coaches.
Since your son’s father was coach, I would bet anything he played every down no matter how bad he played. And the faster better athletic kid who threatened his playing time was buried on the bench.