Whenever I come to a crossroads and there’s a decision to be made, I always try to remember the law of physics which states for every action, there’s an equal and opposite reaction.
For example, if I try to jump eight trash cans on my dirt bike, we can guess the equal and opposite reaction will probably involve a trip to the emergency room.
If game show host Steve Harvey accidentally crowns the wrong Miss Universe, survey says the reaction will be hard feelings, endless jokes, and a mistake that will define Harvey’s career.
That brings me to the topic of high school athletes deciding to quit playing sports, something which seems to be fairly common here in Warren County. Since I’m not here to endorse a life of anguish, I would consider quitting an option if the player has truly grown to dislike the sport and is miserable during time spent around that sport.
But we must remember each action brings an equal and opposite reaction, and most of the time that reaction to quitting for high school athletes is remorse. If it’s not immediate remorse, it will be remorse later when, a few years after high school, they look back and wish they’d finished their playing career.
One thing that can’t be stated firmly enough is how small a window most people have when it comes to an athletic career. And kids don’t fully realize that when they’re young.
They quit playing sports so they can get a job. Or they quit so they can spend more time with a boyfriend or girlfriend. Or they quit because it’s too much of a commitment and they want to hang out with their friends. Or they quit because they don’t like the coach.
The problem with so many of these excuses is teens often don’t realize they only have a few brief years to play high school sports. They have the rest of their lives to get a job and work.
In a strong year, Warren County might have 10 athletes who decide to continue their playing careers in college. Of those 10, there might be two who are still playing by the time they’re college sophomores. The window to play sports is indeed a small one and you better enjoy it while you can.
That’s why I always cringe when I hear a player, usually due to some disagreement, has decided to quit his or her team. In many cases, it’s a decision that hurts the team and it’s one that will haunt the player.
The decision to walk away from sports in the middle of your high school career, like the law of physics suggests, can create many different reactions. The most common are regret and sorrow.