How do I get him to understand that I want to quit?

[Anonymous]

I'm a senior playing varsity football and I personally don't have the drive or passion to play anymore, and in all honesty don't even know if I like the sport itself. The coaches are jerks and the team is awful and everybody else wants to quit anyways, we have to show up 2 hours in advance for a practice that last 3 hours already. Id stick with it if I knew it was only practice I hated, but we have a game tomorrow and I'm not even excited for that, compared to my other 5 years of football I loved game week and most practices. This isn't something that I just started feeling either, I've been on and off about football since last season and I already pushed through my junior year, I decided I'd give it another try and I really wanted to just keep at it since it's my senior year, but now I feel like I just wasted an entire summer I could've worked so I wouldn't let anyone down that wanted me to play. I already talked to my coach and tried to turn my gear in yesterday but he basically wouldn't let me, he went on and on about how he knows what I'm gonna do with myself after I quit and how he doesn't want me to go down that road, he basically said I'm not gonna do anything outside of football, which I already have planned, I was gonna start working again and lift to prepare for wrestling season. He told me to at least finish this week and the game because they need me and he wants me to play. I thought that was reasonable, until I practiced that day and again I hated it and just didn't want to be there. I want to quit after the game either way, I know this sport isn't for me anymore, but how do I go about saying it to him without him trying to guilt and force me into playing the rest of the season? He let other players quit with ease, but he's making it so difficult to make my own decision. I don't want a scholarship so this isn't effecting anything I have going for me later in life, as a matter a fact I'll probably never put my hands on a football again lol.

[Klaatu51]

"I'm a senior playing varsity football and I personally don't have the drive or passion to play anymore, and in all honesty don't even know if I like the sport itself. The coaches are jerks and the team is awful and everybody else wants to quit anyways,"

^if u think so... wot's stoppin u from quittin then?

" Id stick with it if I knew it was only practice I hated, but we have a game tomorrow and I'm not even excited for that, compared to my other 5 years of football I loved game week and most practices."

^again if u feel dissatisfied... u shouldn't stay here anymore... u'll start feelin disgusted if u do...

"This isn't something that I just started feeling either, I've been on and off about football since last season and I already pushed through my junior year, I decided I'd give it another try and I really wanted to just keep at it since it's my senior year, but now I feel like I just wasted an entire summer "

^so it seems like u r not sure about football anymore... anyway... if i was u i'd quit.. i'd not waste my years anymore on sth i'm unsure if i like or not... or even worse stayin at some team which's awful and coahes who r jerks...

"he basically said I'm not gonna do anything outside of football"

^basically he's tryin forcin u to stay in football... but anyway... he can't force u to stay or not right?

"He told me to at least finish this week and the game because they need me and he wants me to play. "

^u know wot? i believe he's afraid losin u... this team sucks u said... so wot i believe's he's afraid losin all team members (u said as well everybody wants to quit...)

" I want to quit after the game either way, I know this sport isn't for me anymore, but how do I go about saying it to him without him trying to guilt and force me into playing the rest of the season?"

^there's no reason to overthink about it... just tell him "i don't feel to continue football anymore"... he cannot force u to stay...

"He let other players quit with ease, but he's making it so difficult to make my own decision. "

^maybe he might actually believe u r good in football... but even if u r good u shouldn't do anything dat makes u feel dissatisfied in my opinion :)

[Anonymous]

I have been through something similar with my past coach. I didn't enjoy the sport anymore and needed a break, but he kept pushing, so I know how hard it is to have such a conversation.

I think it is rather clear that your coach thinks you have talent, so that is why he won't let you go that easily. However, you need to do what makes you happy and not the coach. So when you tell this to him keep in mind that this sport makes you unhappy and life is way too short to be miserable. I know it is difficult, but afterwards you will wonder why you haven't done it sooner.

Good luck!