From a young age, history teacher Robbie Hoffman has played a variety of sports including basketball, baseball and golf. Coming from a family of athletes, Hoffman was naturally drawn to sports and became an avid athlete, playing throughout his middle school, high school and college years.
“I would always hear stories of my parents playing sports, and ever since I was a little kid, our family activities were always going to a sporting event,” Hoffman said. “That’s what we did and it was a way that we could bond as a family.”
Similarly, junior Sean Foo comes from a family of athletes and was first introduced to different sports by his parents, including cross-country and soccer. He eventually found his passion for basketball by watching games with his friends and family. Ever since then, Sean has dedicated much of his time to basketball, playing on the MVHS team and for fun in his free time.
“My first introduction was through the Golden State Warriors,” Sean said. “When they won their first championship back in 2015, I fell in love with the game and the team, and I’ve just been playing basketball ever since.”
Although Sean attributes his introduction to basketball to the Golden State Warriors winning the 2015 NBA championship, he says his father’s experience and love of the sport helped fuel his passion and get him to where he is today. His father Ian Foo played on his basketball team in high school. Growing up, Ian was always taller and naturally was guided into the sport of basketball. Since Sean showed an interest in the sport, Ian would take Sean to school to play basketball and teach him certain moves that he felt gave him an upper hand against his opponents.
“While we were playing around, I also took the opportunity to really teach him basketball fundamentals, like how to post up, how to shoot a ball and how to do layups,” Ian said. “We still continue to shoot around today.”
Not only did his father’s affinity for basketball affect Sean, but he also mentions how both his parents played an important part in the sports he had participated in in the past. His mom’s history in cross-country encouraged him to join the team in middle school, though after realizing it was not for him, he quit to focus entirely on basketball. Additionally, his dad was always an avid soccer enthusiast which led to his enrollment in many soccer leagues at a young age. But, as with running, Sean eventually did not feel fit for the sport and ended up quitting soccer as well. Despite not continuing with his parents’ most beloved sports, Sean’s parents continue to support their son in basketball, citing one of their favorite moments as a game where Sean was exceptionally happy with his win.
“There was a game that he won and had a major contribution to the win,” Ian said. “He had a lot of points and boards in that game. I remember his face was just beaming after the game. You can tell that he was very proud of how he performed during that game. As a father, seeing your child that happy made me very proud. It just sealed a memory that I will never forget, like how happy and proud he looked, and it made me very proud to be there and be his father in attendance.”
Instead of encouraging his kids to play his favorite sports, Hoffman slowly introduced sports to his kids in a different way, by allowing them to show their own interest first before actually participating. Hoffman believes it is important to create a choice for his kids, so they have the freedom to make decisions on their own about what sports they want to play. This way, Hoffman can make sure his kids do not feel any pressure to do a sport they do not want to do.
“I would not be mad if my kids decided not to do any sports because it is totally up to them,” Hoffman said. “I let them do it, and I play sports because my son likes to do it. For example, the other day, he asked me if he could go to the driving range with me, and so we just went and hit some golf balls. It’s not something I would ever force upon them to do. If there’s a sport that they’re interested in and they see me do it, and they want to continue to do it, fantastic.”
Sean adds that he is grateful for his parents’ support, but did feel some pressure before deciding to quit soccer, in fear of disappointing his dad. Hoffman recognizes that parents may place pressure on their children to play the same sport, even though it is not intentional. Rather than treating sports as a responsibility that his children fulfill, he instead thinks of sports as an opportunity for family bonding.
“We’ll go outside and just try and hit these foam golf balls just for fun,” Hoffman said. “It’s just a way to interact with them, and bonding with them is more important than anything else. I enjoy being with them, so whether they’re good at it or not, if they enjoy it, it’s just something that I see as an opportunity to have fun with them.”
According to Hoffman and Ian, parents play a large role in choosing and introducing their kids to sports. However, both agree that at the end of the day, it’s the kid who is playing the sport, not themselves. Both believe it is important to let their kids be open to trying new things and what they continue to do is their individual choice.
“It’s totally up to my kids if they want to do it or not because playing and watching sports is just something that I enjoy,” Hoffman said. “I’m not going to stop doing it. I’m going to continue watching it and participating as much as I can, and if my kids decide to continue doing that it would be fantastic, but ultimately it’s a choice that they should make.”
