Jarrad, the best way to get your mate there, call him out on his manhood. Be like "What, are you too scared to actually have a go, and just want to be a poser?" He'll be like "No", so be like "So why don't you enter?" when he starts giving excuses cut him off and be real sarcastic and like "Blah blah blah, all I hear is your girlfriend/sister whining, I thought I had a man friend, not a whiney bitch" then turn and walk off...
It works awesomely if he has a GF/Sister that constantly whines about shit and it annoys him...