What do you tell a teen that wants to quit football when he has potential??

[NCHillbilly]

I have room for those who admire and appreciate organized sports and for those who don't. No matter which side of this side issue one falls on the important matter here is the health and well being of the youngster right now. An Uncle can be a help but the focus should be on the health and well being of the youngster, not on whether he plays any particular sport. Without a good understanding of what is going on, it would be very easy to do more harm than good.

Well said. The kid not wanting to play football isn't a crisis. The kid suddenly making a 180* turn in his behavior and not talking to anybody about it is a red flag.

 

[JB0704]

.....or it's just the pressure from his family, who seem to have the attitude that if your life doesn't revolve around wanting to play football that you then logically must be a queer. That's one of the stupidest things I've ever read on here, and that's saying something.

That part made me feel bad for the kid. Earned a Billy thread too.

 

[1eyefishing]

I bet in the absence of family pressure he will find his way into something he enjoys.
My youngest excelled at Little League Baseball. On base percentage greater than .600... Later an often leading scorer in community league basketball (his grandpa and I were big ballers; disappointing when he decided to hang it up). The high school football coach loved him as a wide receiver, but my son wasn't enjoying himself. He now carries a golf handicap you can count on one hand and is looking to make $200k this year.
Sometimes it's best not to try to make them fit a mold.
2 cents...

 

[BamaGeorgialine]

Yep, either something traumatic happened at school, or it's just the pressure from his family, who seem to have the attitude that if your life doesn't revolve around wanting to play football that you then logically must be a queer. That's one of the stupidest things I've ever read on here, and that's saying something.

Well, if he continues to play football and is a queen then he has a really great shot at playing for the Dawgs. Just kidding, just kidding. That one has been sitting on a tee for days now. I had to point it out!

 

[Howard Roark]

I went thru this with my oldest son. Played AAU basketball ball for years and was really good. He was good enough to play college ball but one day after practice his senior year on the way home he says Dad, I'm not going to college. I'm also done with Basketball. Needless to say I was crushed, upset, mad, confused????? Thankfully I only responded with, we will talk about it tonight. After I dropped him off at home I left to get my thoughts together as well as call a couple of people I had great respect for for additional advice. That night I told my son that I was proud of him and I would support him no mater what he decided. I know that was not what he expected me to say that night 7 years ago but I could tell a mountain was lifted from him that night. He never looked back. He graduated hs and within 3 years started his own site work business and is doing better then I could have ever imagined for him.

My advice, and that's all it is, let go of the idea that football is his path to success becuaes in reality that's only true for 1% of anyone that ever strapped a helmet on. Instead love on him as his Uncle and tell him you are proud of the football player he was but now your excited to see what the next chapter in his life holds. That reaction will do way more for your relationship with him then trying to fix the situation in your eyes. It also might allow him to reveal what's really going on as well?

This is not good advice, it’s GREAT advice!

 

[kingfish]

Long story short, good buddy of mine has a son who was a very talented baseball player. Son had worked his way up to second string catcher in his 2nd year of college and decided he was done, no more baseball. His dad was devastated . Sat down with his son and had "that talk". Son said all he wanted to do was finish school and start his own handy man company ( the kid has a talent for fixing things). Dad told him he was behind him 110 % as long as he put the same effort in to his new business as he had in baseball. The son told me that was the easiest thing his dad ever asked of him. So far it's working out, the kid is booked out about 8 months with work and is making really good money. I really believe that an athlete's mentality is different from a regular person, and a huge advantage even if it's not on the field.

 

[Throwback]

I quit baseball cause it cut into my turkey hunting.

I didn’t have much potential in baseball anyhow because all of the coaches and assistant coaches kids got to play wherever they wanted , whenever they wanted. Lol

Yep. That’s why I quit baseball and I was pretty good. Got a new coach and he wanted his son to pitch, his buddies to play the other positions, etc.

 

[Throwback]

I wish all the people in my life when I was younger who “knew what was best for me” had kept their mouths shut.

 

[BuckNasty83]

Went through this with my son last year (sophmore year). My son plays football, wrestles, and runs track and excels at all 3. I thought he was bluffing when he said he wanted to quit all sports. He wasn't. I, along with the family was crushed. It's a tough situation to be in, but at the same time, I didn't want him to play for me. I wanted him to because he wanted to. Too many kids grow up playing to please their parents and I've always let him know where I stood with that.

I told him I didn't support the quitting part, but would support his decision regardless. Made sure he understood the consequences and impressions he would leave on his teammates and coaches. The risk of getting behind in the game mentally and physically, and losing the trust of his coaches and teammates. Let him know I thought he would regret it, but I also let him know it was ok to walk away and I would support whatever he wanted to do.

He quit everything last season, but spring practice started 2 weeks ago and guess where he's been? Back on the football field.

Give him time and let him sort things out on his own terms. You never know, maybe he'll find his way back to the field. Kids at this age have a lot of things going on that we easily forget about. Maybe its friendships, maybe its girl problems, maybe he's depressed, maybe he's burned out, maybe he don't want to compete, maybe he's intimidated, maybe he wants attention outside of football, maybe it's too much pressure. It could be any number of things. Maybe he is just done and as bad as it sucks, don't beat him up about it. Just support him and be there for him. Never too early to get a headstart on plan B. Last thing you want, is him playing for the wrong reasons.

 

[Oldstick]

There is a huge difference in youth sports today than when I was a kid in the 1960s. Until High School, there weren't that many kid's sports leagues around these parts, other than Little League baseball and such. Today it has turned into a major industry catering to every parent that is certain their son or daughter is an upcoming Olympic champion or pro/college star. Problem is, the further they advance the more it becomes obvious how high the competition is. Requiring them to dedicate almost their entire life to practice, training, traveling tournaments, etc. etc. Sometimes at the sacrifice of their academics, social life, etc. Some kids come to the decision they don't want live a life as that college sports star bad enough.

 

[Pig Predator]

The OP hasn't responded or logged in since post 8 of his thread. Hes got lots of advice to ponder upon when he logs back in....he even mist his own useles Billy dedication thread, smh. Some people.... at least the guy in the porkypine thread is keeping up...

 

[Throwback]

On second thought give him a good cussing out. That should motivate him

 

[alphachief]

Don’t worry about him playing football. Just focus on making sure that the kid is healthy and happy. That’s ALL that matters.

 

[mizzippi jb]

On second thought give him a good cussing out. That should motivate him

What would Kirby do...

 

[kmckinnie]

On second thought give him a good cussing out. That should motivate him

Recruit him to Auburn ! They don’t want to play ball either. ?

 

[kmckinnie]

My 1st post in here. ^^

 

[Danuwoa]

I would just listen to him before I told him anything. I can tell you from experience that adults ruin sports for kids more often than anything else that can ruin it. From coaches to parents. Adults are usually the problem.

 

[4HAND]

My 1st post in here. ^^

And it was a humdinger.