Being Rewarded is Important
So there it is – all shiny and made of pure gold. It might be plastic but the kids can’t tell. That amazing piece of artistry on a marble base that makes Michelangelo blush… it is so magnificent. It is what every kid dreams of when they start playing soccer or any sport for that matter. Not really, although it’s called a “participation trophy”. For some unfortunate reason, it has become a talking point for parents when discussing the good and bad of youth sports.
Now when I grew up a long time ago, there was no discussion about the participation trophy. Only the winning team gets a trophy. If we are playing youth sports and I need to win to get a trophy, then put me on the winning team. It’s not the child’s choice to win or lose in a team sport.
Win or Lose, Everyone Deserves to be Recognized
In the end, winning and losing is not always a matter of how good a child’s skill maybe overall – it is how good the team is as a whole. There are many variables to how good a team might turn out to be, most of which are out of the children’s control. When children participate in soccer, they’re told they must win if they want a trophy. When did showing up and trying your hardest in youth sports for weeks not become a rewarding achievement?
If you do something good at your job doesn’t it help when someone says great job? Or maybe when you and the team get a bonus in the form of money. Now, what if the company did a great job as a team – should we not reward them with something so they continue to achieve? If they knew they would be rewarded for showing up every day for work, would they not try to do well? The participation trophy of the work environment is money, oftentimes in the form of a bonus.
Being Rewarded in Everyday Life
There seems to be a major argument as to why children should not be given a participation trophy. I am a firm believer that when you allow a child to blossom to their full potential in youth sports, they will enjoy sports more overall. Kids already put enough pressure on themselves to impress anyone watching, they don’t need an added element of an arbitrary scoreboard determining if they get a trophy.
When we go to a fast-food restaurant, what do kids get in that meal that adults do not get? I am not talking about the better deal and price. I am referring to the toy that accompanies almost every child’s meal at any fast food restaurant in America. It’s like a participation trophy of the fast-food industry. Yet nobody has a problem with rewarding every child in a meal. Why do we care more about what kids are doing in youth sports than what they are eating and putting in their growing bodies? I would argue that a reward for ordering an artery-clogging grease burger in a fast-food establishment should be a much more important discussion.
At FFPS Everyone Deserves a Trophy!
So let’s give all kids a reward for going out every soccer game and meeting friends while having fun at their pace. Let’s give all children a reason to participate in youth sports. Let’s encourage them along the way with positive reinforcement so they will continue to play. More positive growth in a child is gained by giving a participation trophy than will ever be lost.
