Should I let my son quit football?

I quit baseball my freshman year in high school. I was attempting to play club soccer at the same time, so I kind of had a full plate and then some. The coach and my teammates were understanding, but I really loved baseball and I wish I had at least stuck out the season. That was the only time I ever quit anything. I wasn't a good enough athlete to play multiple sports but damn, I loved baseball. I know the kid in this thread isn't liking football, but I really hope he sticks it out for this season.

 

I'm sticking with the finish what you started idea.

Here's two reasons why:

1.) If he hasn't experienced the full cycle, how does he really know he doesn't want to do it? I'd submit that he won't. He's gotten to the tough part, decided he doesn't want to do it any more, and he hasn't arrived at the payoff point. Even not seeing the field, he might find he enjoys wearing the uniform, getting the sideline view and other things that go along with being on the football team.

2.) Allowing him to quit now will contradict the importance of honoring commitments. I'm not saying he'll necessarily end up running guns and selling meth, but allowing him to quit will reinforce the mindset of taking commitments lightly, both before and after he makes them. Make him stick it out, and he's more apt to think it through the next time something comes up; because he had the experience of honoring that commitment even though he didn't like it, perhaps next time he asks what's involved before making a commitment.

 

He has a better chance to get laid if he is a football player.

 

I dunno, Boom. The hacky sackers did quite well when I was in high school.

 

YOU SONOFABITCH!!!!

 

Yeah but they got the goth chicks with weird piercings and tattoos that put them on a path of weird sexual yearnings for life.

 

There were a lot of guys who never saw the field as freshmen who were starters on varsity. I started as a freshman, but I was 5-7, 135 as a freshman and 6-2, 240 as a senior. We had one guy who barely played as a freshman who ended up getting a Division I scholarship. For a lot of people freshman football is their first time playing tackle football and that first year can be a transition year as they learn to tackle and take a hit. That's also the first time a lot of people start lifting regularly.

I grew five inches during my freshman year.

 

He also could go the Greg Brady route and become team photographer.

 

Also known as the everyone-on-this-site route.

 

Wrong, Dick. I quit football to focus on hacky sack.

 

Were you able to nail some goth chicks?

 

High school was a difficult time, Boom. Let's not talk about the parts I remember.