However, it is something that I do not get when it comes to high school athletics. I tell kids who choose not to play that they have one, four year window to do something athletically where large amounts of people actually care. When it comes to basketball in Indiana, this will be the only time in their lives that bleachers are pulled out, people buy tickets, a concession stand is set up, and a band will play for them to do an activity. The high majority of them will never experience anything even remotely close to it ever again. And yet, they choose not to play. I do get that they don't understand that because they are kids, but it is something that 100% of the people who have done that, not play, have regretted to some extent.
That regret has been something as blatant as telling people with a serious look of regret on their faces to subtle comments made that if you aren't paying attention to it, it might pass by without a thought. It is like just about anything when it comes to young people in that you wish you could touch a kid on the shoulder and have them "feel" how they will feel in the future for the decisions they make today.
If we could do that, how different would all of our decisions be? But you can't do that and they make the decisions that are best for them right now which is what we all do to some point. However, in some instances it comes off as selfish, even though probably not to them at that moment. Why selfish? Because at a smaller school where we have "come" outs instead of "try" outs, playing time and opportunities have been given to some players over others. When those players decides to "give it up" instead of that time and effort given to them paying off for them, the coaches and the program, it is like stealing from other players who could have benefitted from the same time and stay with the program.
