As someone else said, would you rather they be sitting at home?

I love coaching youth basketball and seeing them improve. I'd say half of my kids last season (5th-6th basketball) were only playing because parents made them. Some of the parents told me this. For younger kids (like age 6), it's harder. But for 10-14 year olds you as a coach can help them improve and enjoy the sport, and that's what I love. I absolutely love seeing the joy they have and the confidence they gain as the season goes on. This season in our second to last game 8 out of 9 kids on the team scored a basket. For 5th-6th grade basketball, that's an amazing feat.

One of the kids on the team whose parents made him play had the best motor of any kid in the league, and he was one of the tallest kids. He was a few inches taller than any other player on our team, and only a 5th grader. He was pretty competitive. In fact, one of the reasons he didn't want to play was because he didn't like not being very good. At first he was too tentative. By the end of the season he was still somewhat tentative, yet he was our best defender. We'd put him on the opposing team's best kid and he'd shut them down. He could run and run and run and not get tired. He was our 2nd best ball handler by the end of the season and highest scorer in the last game. With his height and athleticism and competitiveness he has some real potential. It was good for him to be forced to play, and I hope he continues.

I hope the other boys continue as well at least for a few more years. I'm glad their parents made them play, and I'm glad I got to coach them. It's better than sitting at home.