Each year, thousands of young athletes quit sports. But why?

Changing the Game Project founder and CEO John O’Sullivan believes there are concrete reasons behind why kids are giving up on sports.

O’Sullivan spoke at the 2016 USA Football National Conference about changing the culture of youth sports. He believes a movement needs to be created in order for football to have its full effect on an athlete’s life.

“(Football) is such a beautiful game, that can teach kids so much more,” O’Sullivan said. “Not just about sports but about life.”

Here are five factors that O’Sullivan said drives many kids off the field or court.

• It stops being fun. Some coaches, fans and parents believe that sports cannot be fun and competitive at the same time. This pressure can take the enjoyment out of the game and eventually lead to burnout and walking away.
• They lose control. If kids are still enjoying sports, this is likely because they are enjoying it on their terms. Sometimes coaches or parents force athletes to specialize in one sport, by taking the control away from their athlete they are in turn limiting the ability for the athlete to enjoy themselves.
• The focus on outcome occurs far too young. Often times, the player that gives the team best chance to win will receive the most playing time. Coaches and parents have lost patience in player development and have lost faith in the process. Some of the best athletes are late bloomers. Parents cannot view sports as an investment.
• Kids feel disrespected. Feeling connected to a coach and to parents is critical for young athletes. It is more than a game. Coaches need to remember they are not only coaching a player, they are coaching a person.
• There is not a safe environment in which to fail. Everyone makes mistakes, and for kids, being reprimanded for those mistakes can be damaging. It is important that coaches, fans and parents do not let the outcome or a performance blind them from that fact. Young athletes can learn from failure but not if that failure is unacceptable.