That's a bit harsh… I had to play football during Ramadan (Muslim holiday) where I ha to fast till sundown for a month. Couldn't drink water or eat. And my chem grades seriously suffered. It's hard to balance both sports and studies.

Yeah, but that's a month. Quitting usually implies stopping for an indefinite span of time.

That doesn't make one a ****-up. I don't know if youve ever had to balance the two but its really hard. Including if you play more than one sport.

I know plenty of guys who were sports stars back when and are complete **** ups now, and I also know plenty of people who didn't play sports to focus entirely on academia, who are now finishing up top grad school residencies, internships, and other meaningful paths that will undoubtedly take them far. I was a jock who after getting injured playing starting defensive line became a nerd, and I'll tell you something, it was a blessing in disguise. Unless OP was good enough to go pro, he absolutely made the mature decision; high school glory is fleeting, but what you choose to spend the rest of your life doing will define the rest of your life. OP has chosen to pursue his craft and is trying to figure out what he wants that to be, and I applaud him for it.

#64 and #94 I was a four-year letterman in high school and I was also a top student. Yes, it was a challenge to balance the sports and the studies, but I still think staying fit started me off well in life. I had gotten out of shape after college, but applying the skills I gained through high-school sports (and training for them), I have been able to become very fit again. Sport complements academics and it's terrible to play one off against the other.

While I can respect that sentiment and applaud you for your drive, it's OP's life; making that decision that early on shows me that he really is that serious about school, and the fact that his dad is more disappointed in him and his efforts to go far in academics than his drop out brother says to me that OP has never had his family support him in school and chooses upon his own volition to take it one step further. I just think that it's a shame his parents don't support his goals and try to be proactive in assuring he reaches his full potential. There's no question that OP's father was a football player and that's great, but I despise it when parents try to live so vicariously through their children that the kid is ultimately just living out the life that the parent wishes they had or could still have

Having a pet, like a cat or dog, has also been shown to stimulate the mind. Students with such interactive pets have been shown to perform better in school than kids without, with or without sport. Still, interaction and activity is the key.

I agree, and just because OP chooses to not play sports doesn't mean he won't work out, if anything he'll keep his physical and mental health and his studies in check because he can manage his time, not have sports manage his time for him