cannon-fodder complex

Psychological characteristic of a person who is too afraid to play any fast-paced sport that involves a ball, such as football, soccer, baseball, or basketball because he or she is too afraid of getting injured during rough playing, and/or because he/she is too afraid of the ball when it's thrown or kicked at him/her at high velocity. Called a "cannon-fodder complex" because the person playing the sport feels like a cheap under-protected soldier being sent first against the enemy while having to avoid deadly enemy fire). So in fact, he or she thinks that it's too dangerous to catch, stop, or volley the ball while it's travelling at high velocity.