"I wouldn't be here if my parents didn't always push me," Michael Jordan said during his Hall of Fame induction speech in 2009 (“Michael Jordan Hall of Fame Speech”). That being said, this phrase was used in twenty-four of the twenty-five Hall of Fame induction videos I watched. In a video where the line was not used, Julius Erving said: "I couldn't have done this without you, mom." What would have happened if their parents had let them quit when they didn't want to wake up to practice, or when things got tough? Parents should force their children to participate in extracurricular activities because they promote development, decrease health problems and teach commitment. Extracurricular activities lead to developmental milestones. Engaging in physical activity directly teaches children that once they decide to do something, they should follow through with it before deciding to stop. Jim Valvano, also known as Jimmy V, is a former NC State men's basketball coach, but he is also known for his famous quote "don't give up, never give up." Mr. Valvano was battling cancer at the time, but he expressed the importance of never giving up, of loving and of hoping. Mr. Valvano was committed to giving back to his team and staying strong for his family, he knew he could give an excuse to give up, turn around and beg for mercy. Instead, he decided to fight cancer while still being there for his team, those who relied on his advice to become better men. The International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition & Physical Activity conducted a study on the importance and effects of participating in extracurricular activities, which concluded that participating in extracurricular activities allows students less time to wander off and form bad habits. One student was even forced to say that if a child cares enough about their goals, they won't let them down by getting involved in the wrong activities or with the wrong people (62). Additionally, when a student commits to a team, they commit to a group of people who need them to succeed as a team. Involvement is taught by a parent making their parents not involved in their child's extracurricular activities teaches the child that they are not as important as the parent's wants or needs . Teaching a child that they can leave a team when they've had enough or when things get difficult teaches them that it's okay to let go. A child is not going to resent their parents because they wanted them to become the best person they could be. In fact, participating in recreational leagues is an inexpensive alternative to being on a travel team or something of that nature. Recreational leagues typically cost between $35 and $75, compared to the hundreds of dollars per month that traveling teams require. Recreational leagues provide children with the equipment needed to compete. Finally, extracurricular activities, especially in high school, require a specific average to be part of the team. Most schools even give the student a study period to focus on their grades and be able to compete. Recreational leagues typically have one practice per week lasting about an hour and one or two games per week that last about two hours. School teams practice for at least an hour right after school gets out, giving kids plenty of time to go home and do.