Why I Stopped Playing Football

Football is in my genes. My older brother was MVP of our high school team. And it was expected that I would play too. But my sophomore year, I wasn’t sure if it was worth it anymore. Last year, my football coaches started us on an aggressive new conditioning regimen. They had us constantly working: testing us on the playbook, running hour long agility drills and even quintupling our protein powder intake. To me, this seemed crazy. But our coach said that if we stuck with the program, he could guaranty us division one scholarships. This new routine took its toll. My grades slipped because I was too tired to do homework after practice. Football wasn’t fun anymore. It started to feel like work all the time. I asked myself: Is this what I really want? I was ready to quit. But I was nervous to tell my parents. I didn’t want to let them down. To my relief, they were incredibly supportive. And now, I have time for more than football -- I can study, do extracurriculars, even get some sleep now and then. I still love football, but I’m glad it’s not my whole life.