Competition is deadly, equipment highly technical and expensive, salaries absurdly high. But prayer is no game. It's not likely you'll get any credit at all. It's a matter of need and responsibility. He can't live a Christian life at all if he doesn't pray.
Prayer is the opposite of leisure.
It's something to be engaged in, not indulged in. It's a job you give first priority to, performing not when you have energy left for nothing else. Pray when you don't feel like praying. Pray until you do feel like praying. The apostle Paul did use an analogy from sports to describe prayer.