Superstar Son losing desire, what do I do?

Question

I have a son who is phenomenal in Football. He had 16 touchdowns in 6 games last year and was league MVP . He is now 9 yrs old. This off season I decided to push him, with workouts to see how good he really can be. This season is underway, and he seems to have lost desire to play. Should I push him to play and strive to once again be the best, or let him either quit or go at it half heartedly. I dont know what the right thing to do is. It shame if his God gifted talent goes to waste though.

Answer 1

He's 9. Find out whats bothering him. Don't push him. Football is meant to be fun, especially at that age. You may be pushing him to the point of it being work. No 9 year old wants to work.

Answer 2

Kids need to rotate their sports, or they will get burned out on one sport.

Put him in basketball, volleyball, soccer or swimming; all excellent conditioning sports. After the season, he will want to return to football.

Answer 3

Show him the money!

Answer 4

U may be pushing him too hard and taking the fun away from it. He is only 9 yrs old. I think u might want it a little more than him. Make sure u dont yell at him in public while he is on the field. Don't let him quit though.

Answer 5

This early in his life just let him enjoy the game because thats what it is not a job plus if he truly loves the game he will eventually want to become better because he is a competitor he wont go at it half heartedley. but dont put that kind of pressure on a kid

Answer 6

Parents who push their kids should be shot. Its their life not yours. Let him do what HE wants, not what YOU want.

Answer 7

Do what he wants even though that is a tought thing to do.  I say if he likes it he wont quit but maybe you shouldnyt push him so hard, he is only 9.

Answer 8

For God's Sake !! The kid is 9 years old. Let him experience sports and let him mature . Pushing him is only going to make him rebel if he is forced to do something he no longer feels is important. As for workouts, let him fraternize with kids his age where his talents will probably come to the fore. Had he been 19 instead of 9 I would say counsel him for his future could hinge on sports. Who can predict how good he will be at 10.

Answer 9

Don't push him. Let him play naturally. He's only 9! Nothing personal, but dad's that push their sons too hard, will turn to extremes, just to impress their pops(like steroids). Pushing him might hurt your relationship with your son.

Answer 10

Don't push him if football is not what he wants to do. He may have God-given talent, but why risk your relationship with your son over football?

I went to high school with a guy who turned down a football scholarship to Notre Dame to enlist in the Marines. Football doesn't mean everything to everybody.

Answer 11

well it sounds like he doesn't think it's fun anymore, not with dad pushing & cracking the whip every moment he's awake. he's only nine yrs old and i don't think he should be doing two a days with the steelers, remember he's scoring against other nine year olds not the dallas cowboys. let's let him play at his pace and maybe he'll enjoy it again. wait a couple years to push him like when he gets to grades 7,8,9. if he's that good then his talent will be there when the time it's needed. let him be a child and play because it's fun and not because dad wants the next reggie bush.please don't push him like these moms and their daughters with the beauty pageants. =)

Answer 12

Dude, he's 9...my 9 yr old will change his mind about 6 times a minute about what he likes to do...if he's a natural like you say he is...then he'll have no problem encountering someone to hone his skills and make his love for the game come out...just for now, the harder you push, the further away you're likely to push him away.

Answer 13

Im sure he is really good at football, but if you push him he will really resent you and the sport. If you let him chose for himself most likely he will go back to football because he is good at it. He is only 9 and has time to determine whether he wants to make a life out of football. Talk to him about his feelings toward the sport and in a kind gentle manner hint toward him that u like him to play football, but it wouldnt make u love him less either way.