Reasons your child quits sports

I came across a very interesting article written by John O’Sullivan, founder of the Changing the Game Project, regarding the reasons kids quit sports. I found it interesting and highly relevant to Filipino parents whose kids are either currently active in sports or young athletes who for some reason have become discouraged or disillusioned with organized sports.

Click here to read O’Sullivan’s article.

Like academic awards or honors, participation of kids in sports (especially if they’re in the school team or varsity) is a badge of honor and pride for us parents.  And it should.  At this age and level, any child who goes through the hard work of daily or thrice-a-week training sessions while scoring A’s in school and building his Minecraft kingdom or sprucing up her Little Pony doll is worth admiring and celebrating.

However, the big danger is if we lose track of why our kids are even playing sports in the first place. O’Sullivan mentions five reasons why our kids quit sports, and for me, the most fundamental one is reason #1 — “it’s no longer fun.”

“If your young athletes are not having fun, they will eventually walk away, regardless of talent or how good their team or coach is. Adults rarely do voluntary activities such as exercise or community service work that they do not derive enjoyment from. Why do we think our kids will?”

Ultimately, at its core, sports IS play. Let’s never forget this.