"I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for my parents always pushing me," Michael Jordan said in his 2009 Hall of Fame induction speech ("Michael Jordan Hall of Fame Speech"). That 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 it without you, mom." What if their parents had let them quit when they didn't want to wake up for practice or when the going got tough? Parents should force their children to be involved in extracurricular activities because they help development, reduce 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 complete 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 expressed the importance of never giving up, love and hope. Mr. Valvano was committed to giving back to his team and staying strong for his family, he knew it could give him an excuse to give up, to turn around and ask for mercy. Instead, he decided to fight cancer while still being there for his team, those who relied on his guidance to become better men. The International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition & Physical Activity completed a study on the importance and effects of engaging in extracurricular activities, concluding that engaging in extracurricular activities causes students to have less time to be misled and form bad habits . One student was even forced to say that if a child cares enough about his or her goals, he or she will not throw it away by getting involved in the wrong activities or with the wrong people (62). Additionally, when a student commits to a team, he or she engages with a group of people who need it to succeed as a team. Commitment is taught by a parent making sure that their parents are not involved in their child's extracurricular activities teaches the child that they don't matter as much as the parents' wants or needs. Teaching a child that they can leave a team when they get tired or when it gets difficult teaches them that being a quitter is okay. A child will not resent their parents because they wanted them to become the best person they could be. In fact, getting involved in recreational leagues is a low-cost alternative to being part of a travel team or something like that. Recreational leagues generally cost between $35 and $75, compared to the hundreds of dollars monthly required by travel teams. Recreational leagues provide children with the equipment needed to compete. Finally, extracurricular activities, especially in high school, require a specific grade point average to even make the team. Most schools also let the student have a study period to focus on grades so they can compete. Recreational leagues generally involve one practice per week lasting about an hour and one or two games per week lasting about two hours. School teams practice for at least an hour immediately after school closes and leave enough time for children to go home and do homework afterwards