The final choice does lay with parents. However, the pressure comes from a combination of children under the influence of the "glory" of football and the fact that their frontal lobes haven't fully developed yet. Additionally, some, if not many, parents these days find it difficult, if not impossible, to say "NO" to their children. Saying "NO" means you have to be the adult. Adults today are in short supply. We have too many children raising children.