Out In The Open·Audio

Want your kid to love playing sports? Try letting them quit

Growing up, David McGlynn was a very strong swimmer, working his way up to train with future Olympians. But his talent eventually topped out, ending his career. As an adult, David encountered that drive to be exceptional from another vantage point: his son's. He tells Piya about the challenge of grappling with his child's basketball prowess – and its ultimate plateau.

David McGlynn hoped that his kid would become a basketball star ー until his son began hating the sport

Before Dave McGlynn's son became a teenager, he pushed him to become an elite basketball player. (Submitted by Dave McGlynn)

This story was originally published on June 13, 2019.

Growing up, David McGlynn was a very strong swimmer, working his way up to train with future Olympians. But his talent eventually topped out, ending his career. As an adult, David encountered that drive to be exceptional from another vantage point: his son's.

He tells Piya about the challenge of grappling with his child's basketball prowess – and its ultimate plateau.


This story appears in the Out in the Open episode, "The Special Edition".