[willseeuntheHOUSE]

The son who did not play football gave it up to swim on a USA swim team. Can you say 5:30 am practices 4 times a week! USA swimming makes the time investment in football look puny. Seriously! Too many kids play football because their PARENTS want them to play instead of following their own passions!

Why do most kids get out of bed in the mornings? Because their parents make them. Why do most kids go to school each morning? Because their parents make them. Why do most kids clean their room or mow the yard? Only if their parents make them. Yes, I will admit that I had to make my son play football to start with but now he actually gets up on his own to participate in extra football activities and loves it. He has long quit baseball, a sport that I didn't have to make him play. If my son followed his own passions as a youth then he would be 300lbs plus playing video games. IMO there are more dysfunctional kids walking the halls of the schools who don't play football then dysfunctional kids that do. I, for one , am happy that I gave my kid direction. As in baseball, had he wanted to quit football as he got older than I would have supported his decision. FYI my younger son plays football also and mainly cause I encourage (make) him.