Are college sports for everyone?

College Life
1

Hello, I posted something similar his week about freshmen and incoming football players. Just got off the phone with my parents and it made me inclined to see how people on this forum feel about my situation.

I told my parents that I was going to give football a chance and my best effort. They were upset because they want me to be all in on college football, and think I’ll be a quitter if I decide to not continue after this season. They think football will make me a better man but IF I were to decide to just focus on my major then I don’t see what’s wrong with that. They think my feeling towards football will change, and that college life changes when al the students move in. (Football reports early for fall camp). I’m just not sure how I feel about football. It’s a JOB. And I simply do not know if I want to treat football like a job. It’s not ‘fun’ or exciting anymore. But I’m giving it my best effort and doing well! I’m getting reps with the second string, it’s not hard. Or anything like that! Just a very very large difference of COMMITMENT compared to high school. But I’m gonna stick it out and see what happens. If I don’t find my feelings I once had for football in high school, then I’m not sure if I want to continue. I was simply honest about my feelings to my parents when I called them. For some odd reason they were upset at me for thinking the way I am. I know I can’t please everyone. Combined with the feelings I have versus my parents feelings, I just do not know what to do. I don’t want to feel like a quitter and get guilt-tripped by my parents but I also do not want to be forced into a sport that I don’t want to play if I don’t enjoy it after a year. It’s not worth the physical abuse on my body if I’m not all in. But I’m giving it my best shot.

2

I am not a big sports fan (in fact, I refused to let any of my sons go near a football field) but the analogy I can give you is that I really wanted my D to continue with her singing and acting in college, even though it wasn’t her major. She tried for awhile and, eventually, I realized that she wasn’t deriving the same pleasure from it that she had in HS and I told her she could quit. She eventually joined an a capella group, took up guitar and quit acting altogether. She now happily performs in coffee houses and other venues. If you give football “the old college try” for one season and it’s not for you, then explain that to your parents.

I’ll share another story. My cousin really wanted to be a CPA but his mom had visions of him becoming a doctor. He talked her into letting him take accounting classes at college along with his pre-med (he told her that this way he would know if the office staff were ripping him off!). When time came for the MCATs, he bombed them so badly that he didn’t even get into Guadalajara Medical School! It’s not that he isn’t smart - he passed all 6 parts of the CPA exam on the first try. His mom is still confused 35 years later about how her son didn’t get into medical school!

Assuming that your feelings about playing football after freshman year don’t change and IF your parents won’t see reason AND your continued attendance at college isn’t financially tied to being on the football team (athletic scholarship), what would happen if you just didn’t make the team next year and you were cut during tryouts?