Push my 4 year old into sports?

[Michael]

Should I push my son into sports? My wife and I took our 4 year-old son to play soccer as part of a league for 4 and 5 year-olds that is, according to their literature, "just for fun. don't expect the kids to learn much about the game." I was "assistant-coaching" but had to run off the field for a couple of minutes. When I got back our son was sitting with my wife on the sidelines. I asked what was wrong and my wife, visibly unhappy said that our son decided he didn't want to play any more. I ask our son and he said he "hated" soccer and didn't want to play anymore. I said, "come on, lets get back out there...etc." But he didn't want to play anymore but he wanted to go play on the adjacent playground (where several other kids who apparently decided soccer wasn't for them were playing). I took him to play on the swings and slides for a few minutes. When we returned to the game, he still didn't want to play and my wife was very upset. I asked what was wrong and she said, "you're not being a good father! You should be out there pushing him to get back into the game. You're letting him be in control! He's going to turn out to be a pansy!" I thought you could do more damage to a kid by pushing them to do something they didn't want to than to let them be happy. I obviously don't want my son to be a "pansy" (although I didn't realize that not playing soccer was the defining moment in one's life that make a child a pansy) and I want to do the best I can for our son - so what's the right way to proceed? Any insights would be appreciated.