Maybe it's the word "quit" that makes this sound so awful. Sooner or later your last game will be played, be it high school, college or pro. My son decided he didn't want to play in college. He had an academic scholarship to a great school. Then a coach from a small NAIA school came to see him and talked him into being a part of his "rebuilding" program. Now he's a redshirt freshman and still not playing much. But he loves being there and being a part of it. If he called me today and said he had had enough, it would be okay for me.
Maybe this other kid is mature enough to know when he's through. Maybe he's not considering "quitting". Maybe he's considering "retirement".