Kids and Participation Trophies

[Spurminator]

http://reason.com/poll/2014/08/19/57-percent-of-americans-say-only-kids-wh

The latest Reason-Rupe poll (http://reason.com/poll/2014/08/19/august-2014-reason-rupe-national-survey) finds that when it comes to kids and their trophies, 57 percent of Americans think only the winning players should receive them. Another 40 percent say all kids on a sport team should receive a trophy for their participation.

Seems like every other day you hear some smug old asshole whining about today's spoiled youth and how they all get trophies even when they don't win anything.

First of all, this isn't a new thing. The end-of-season party where the whole soccer team gets trophies to commemorate the season has been going on at least since the late 80's when I was a kid, and I'm guessing it started earlier than that.

Secondly, kids aren't that stupid. No 8-year old on a soccer team that went 2-10 is going to think his trophy signifies victory or equal standing with a team that went 10-2.

No surprise that Republicans polled were much more likely to be against trophies, since everything is a harbinger of socialism now.

[DarrinS]

I don't believe in participation trophies. Like you said -- kids aren't stupid.

[Avante]

It does depend on the age of these kids. Little bittie kids, sure give um a trophy. At around...hmm?..10ish now it's about actual success.

[cantthinkofanything]

Around these parts, they stop giving them at 7 or so.

[Spurminator]

Around these parts, they stop giving them at 7 or so.

Too late! Those 6 and 7 year olds are going to grow up thinking they deserve to be rewarded for doing nothing! They will have no sense of achievement.

[DMC]

Doesn't matter. By the time they are adults (36 by then) they will be past the age of competition.

[byrontx]

If you are thinking that participating in sports is all about winning you are wrong. Not everybody wins but kids on team sports learn to work together and sports in general teaches the kids about many other things. When I coach 8 year olds in basketball, for the most part we do it without obsessing about the score; the goal is that everybody has a fun experience and wants to come back for more. When kids on teams that went 0-10 get trophies it signifies that they participated, were part of a team, and have learned more about the sport. There is nothing wrong about kids on a losing team having a good time; give a trophy and hope to see them next year.

[Blake]

Not a fan of the participation trophy.

Give em a pizza party instead

[cantthinkofanything]

Not a fan of the participation trophy.

Give em a pizza party instead

You don't think that there is enough evidence that the participation trophy works?
At the younger ages, all the leagues are trying to do is keep enough kids (good and crappy) coming back to make teams.
There just aren't enough good players to support a league by themselves. As to pizza parties, it's over in a day and
probably just one of many in their lives.

[Blake]

You don't think that there is enough evidence that the participation trophy works?
At the younger ages, all the leagues are trying to do is keep enough kids (good and crappy) coming back to make teams.
There just aren't enough good players to support a league by themselves. As to pizza parties, it's over in a day and
probably just one of many in their lives.

I don't really know. I know I'm just not a fan of giving someone an award for just showing up.

[Spurminator]

Most kids don't see it as an award, they see it as a souvenir.

[cantthinkofanything]

I don't really know. I know I'm just not a fan of giving someone an award for just showing up.

then why give them a pizza party?

[Blake]

then why give them a pizza party?

One last happy fun time party with the teammates they've played with all season?

If participation trophies work for you, great. I just don't get the message being sent to the kids.

[Blake]

Most kids don't see it as an award, they see it as a souvenir.

Says who?

[cantthinkofanything]

One last happy fun time party with the teammates they've played with all season?

If participation trophies work for you, great. I just don't get the message.

what if it's a bunch of players and parents who hate each other? sounds like a really fun party.

[Spurminator]

Says who?

Anyone who has ever been a kid and played team sports.

[Blake]

what if it's a bunch of players and parents who hate each other? sounds like a really fun party.

sounds like a fun team to play for. Where can I sign my kid up?

[cantthinkofanything]

sounds like a fun team to play for. Where can I sign my kid up?

why would you sign your kid up for a team where everyone hates each other?

[Blake]

Anyone who has ever been a kid and played team sports.

I'm sure all those people appreciate you speaking on their behalf.

[Blake]

why would you sign your kid up for a team where everyone hates each other?

Exactly.

[Spurminator]

I'm sure all those people appreciate you speaking on their behalf.

Well I tried to rally them all together to post their individual thoughts in this thread themselves, but I didn't have a lot of luck, so I'm going to have to draw on personal experience like everyone else who posts opinions online.

[cantthinkofanything]

Exactly.

so don't you think the kids would rather have a trophy?

[Blake]

so don't you think the kids would rather have a trophy?

you moved the goalposts, but yes of course they all want a trophy.

At what age do you stop giving a participation trophy? And do the kids say "hey, I showed up! Where's my trophy?"

[cantthinkofanything]

Of course they all want a trophy.

At what age do you stop giving a participation trophy? And do the kids say "hey, I showed up! Where's my trophy?"

about 7 or so. at that point, you usually have a group of kids that genuinely enjoy the sport and you can have some stability in the teams and league.

[Blake]

Actually, I'm not so sure some of them wouldn't rather go to Main Event than get a participation trophy.

[Blake]

about 7 or so. at that point, you usually have a group of kids that genuinely enjoy the sport and you can have some stability in the teams and league.

Ok. If it works, it works.

[cantthinkofanything]

Ok. If it works, it works.

oh it works fine. just don't worry about. it'll get taken care of.

[Spurminator]

Actually, I'm not so sure some of them wouldn't rather go to Main Event than get a participation trophy.

I agree they'd rather do that, but why should they get a free trip to Main Event if they didn't win anything?

[cantthinkofanything]

Actually, I'm not so sure some of them wouldn't rather go to Main Event than get a participation trophy.

THAT'S WAY MORE EXPENSIVE THAN A TROPHY AND A LEAGUE ISN'T JUST GOING TO FORK OVER VOUCHERS FOR A BUNCH OF KIDS TO GO APESHIT IN MAIN EVENT.

[Blake]

I agree they'd rather do that, but why should they get a free trip to Main Event if they didn't win anything?

I don't really equate party with trophy.

You get a trophy, you feel like you won something.

[Blake]

THAT'S WAY MORE EXPENSIVE THAN A TROPHY AND A LEAGUE ISN'T JUST GOING TO FORK OVER VOUCHERS FOR A BUNCH OF KIDS TO GO APESHIT IN MAIN EVENT.

if the league is that poor, I don't suggest trophies at all.

Maybe some certificates from Dollar Tree

[cantthinkofanything]

if the league is that poor, I don't suggest trophies at all.

Maybe some certificates from Dollar Tree

trophies are pretty cheap. way cheaper than pizza and some games. It sounds like you're trying to talk people into taking a bunch of children to Main Event so you can watch.

[The Reckoning]

it's a nice memento to have in your room as a kid. i don't see the problem.


what's really retarded are preschool and kindergarten graduations.

[Spurminator]

I don't really equate party with trophy.

You get a trophy, you feel like you won something.

Says who?

[Blake]

Says who?

K, if [i] get a trophy, [i] feel like [i] won something.

It's the basic dictionary definition of "trophy"

[cantthinkofanything]

K, if [i] get a trophy, [i] feel like [i] won something.

It's the basic dictionary definition of "trophy"

we're not really talking about trophies. we're talking about "tryphies". they don't have a place on them for the younger kids. but they have little words of motivation.
"you did well"
"nice effort"
"good game"

things of that nature. so the kid can put it on his shelf and read it when he wants.
tbh, if society was more willing to give out tryphies, we might have less people sitting around doing nothing with the attitude of, "hey...why should I try...I'm not getting anything (paycheck, food, etc)."

[Blake]

Why should I try if I'm getting a "tryphy" that says I did good?

[cantthinkofanything]

Why should I try if I'm getting a "tryphy" that says I did good?

the tryphy doesn't say you did good.

[Spurminator]

Why should I try if I'm getting a "tryphy" that says I did good?

You must not have had any sense of competition as a kid. Did you play sports?

[mrsmaalox]

I have no problem with participation trophies, pizza parties or any combination of hem. I think completing a season of practices and games is an accomplishment for little kids and acknowledging it is no big deal and may even encourage the behavior of starting something and seeing it to the end. Kids are pretty smart and before middle school they pretty much know it's just symbolic because there can only be one real winner in a competition. At least I haven't encountered anyone yet who thinks a trophy they won as a kid means anything.

[Blake]

the tryphy doesn't say you did good.

Smh you said it says "good game"

[Blake]

You must not have had any sense of competition as a kid. Did you play sports?

yes and yes.

Irrelevant to the tryphy

[Blake]

I have no problem with participation trophies, pizza parties or any combination of hem. I think completing a season of practices and games is an accomplishment for little kids and acknowledging it is no big deal and may even encourage the behavior of starting something and seeing it to the end. Kids are pretty smart and before middle school they pretty much know it's just symbolic because there can only be one real winner in a competition. At least I haven't encountered anyone yet who thinks a trophy they won as a kid means anything.

I don't have a problem either way. I hope there isn't a point where people are demanding participation tryphies because their kids feelings might get hurt without one.

[cantthinkofanything]

Smh you said it says "good game"

yes...the tryphies are customizable for each kid

one might say, "you're the best"
another might say, "getting better"
or yet another, "good game"

if there was a kid who came out and gave minimal effort, his tryphy might say, "try harder next time".

[Blake]

Need some don't-tryphies

"bad almanac list"
"you do......0......here"
"leave the kids in Olongapo alone"

[TheyCallMePro]

I remember participation trophies...I was always embarrassed to get them as a kid. I remember in swim meets whoever got 1st place got a blue ribbon, 2nd a red, and 3rd a green. And then everyone else got yellow ribbons. Well every time I got a yellow ribbon I would crumple it up right in front of whoever gave it to me. That said I was a very poor sport and HATED losing, but still, nobody wanted a fucking yellow ribbon.

[Blake]

Not everyone gets a trophy in*James Harrison's house, as the*Pittsburgh Steelers*outside linebacker wrote on Instagram on Saturday. Harrison is taking away his kids' participation trophies because he wants them to "EARN a real trophy."Explaining his position, Harrison said he's proud of his two sons and will always encourage them. But the "2015 Best of the Batch Next Level Athletics Student-Athlete Awards" are going back.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13447657/james-harrison-pittsburgh-steelers-takes-away-kids-participation-trophies-says-awards-earned

[Blake]

http://sportsnaut.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/james-harrison-son-trophy.jpg

pretty nice trophies

[SpursforSix]

I used to be anti-participation trophies but I'm somewhere in the middle now. For younger kids, I think it's fine and even maybe necessary. With everything there is now competing for their time, a trophy is what sometimes keeps a 5 or 6 year old coming back to play. Keeps them active a little longer and gives them enough time to know if they're going to want to stick with it or not.

As for older kids, most of them know the difference between getting a participation trophy and winning a division.

Much ado about nothing IMO.

[boutons_deux]

"self-esteem" movement, participation trophies are trying to avoid people from being hurt, traumatized, embarrassed by not winning a game, a contest, by not being the best student in a class or whatever. fucking stupid, assumes people are so fragile, can't handle defeat, adversity, etc. just fucking stupid.

[SpursforSix]

"self-esteem" movement, participation trophies are trying to avoid people from being hurt, traumatized, embarrassed by not winning a game, a contest, by not being the best student in a class or whatever. fucking stupid, assumes people are so fragile, can't handle defeat, adversity, etc. just fucking stupid.

You're way off...at least in terms of athletics.

As for school, the idea that everyone passes is another story.

[Blake]

I used to be anti-participation trophies but I'm somewhere in the middle now. For younger kids, I think it's fine and even maybe necessary. With everything there is now competing for their time, a trophy is what sometimes keeps a 5 or 6 year old coming back to play. Keeps them active a little longer and gives them enough time to know if they're going to want to stick with it or not.

As for older kids, most of them know the difference between getting a participation trophy and winning a division.

Much ado about nothing IMO.

On it's own it would be fine to give kids something for getting out there and trying sports.

But I think it's a microcosm of our society's kids feelings of entitlement just for showing up. In that sense, I don't like giving a huge trophy just for trying.

[SpursforSix]

On it's own it would be fine to give kids something for getting out there and trying sports.

But I think it's a microcosm of our society's kids feelings of entitlement just for showing up. In that sense, I don't like giving a huge trophy just for trying.

I don't think the norm is a big trophy. Most of the participation trophies I've seen are about 4-5 inches tall and 90% plastic.

[Darth_Pelican]

Giving trophies out for participating completely discounts the meaning of trophies for winning. Winning should be rewarded. Participating should be expected. It cripples competitive spirit when a kid knows he's getting a trophy regardless of the result. Is this the right message to be sending?

[SpursforSix]

Giving trophies out for participating completely discounts the meaning of trophies for winning. Winning should be rewarded. Participating should be expected.

At certain ages, yes. But in the early years, you don't want to run off kids that may have potential or end up enjoying the sport. Usually at these ages, they are all just randomly placed on a team. So you might have a great player on a totally shitty team with a shitty coach. And they might lose every game 10-0. But you want to try to get them to come back at least another year or two. As they get older, the leagues usually divide teams by their level of play. And from there, the good players end up gravitating to the top division while those that aren't so good end up in the lower. As time goes on, the very good players have the option to moving to select leagues.

But normally, at around 8 or 9, they stop with the participation trophies. But I don't know that it would matter anyway. Most kids playing sports at 10 are smart enough to know the difference between winning a division and getting a piece of shit trophy.

I'd even add that the teams that win the divisions don't care much about the trophies. They care more about being able to say they're number one and being able to look it up in the standings on the internet.

[Chinook]

Trophies are a waste of space anyway. I had a whole recycling bin of them from high school. I kept the national and qualifying ones, but the regular-season trophies are all in the garbage somewhere now.

The folks at my office are always complaining how the amount of crap their kids bring home anyway that they want displayed (artwork and such). No way do I think kids need to be bringing home stupid trophies as well.

[Darth_Pelican]

They should at least rename the "Participation Trophy" a "Losing Trophy", because essentially that is what it is. This name will remind kids that even though they got a trophy, they still lost, and the goal should always be to win. Also, the Losing Trophy should always be 5 times smaller than the trophies that the winners get. This would at least keep kids motivated to win.

[SpursforSix]

They should at least rename the "Participation Trophy" a "Losing Trophy", because essentially that is what it is. This name will remind kids that even though they got a trophy, they still lost, and the goal should always be to win. Also, the Losing Trophy should always be 5 times smaller than the trophies that the winners get. This would at least keep kids motivated to win.

maybe we're talking about 2 different situations.

The leagues in this area give every kid the same participation trophy from ages 4-7 or so. They don't officially keep score or records during the first years either. Once they start keeping scores and records, there are no participation trophies. Only 1st and 2nd place. If the 3rd place team won 75% of their games, they get a trophy also.

But for the younger ones, it's important to reward them for playing. Again, some of these kids get put on a shitty team with a parent coaching. It's a beating for these kids to lose every game and not even have enough decent teammates for them to even have a chance to perform.

And I agree about trophies being a waste of space. There is a movement to go to meals instead. Something that won't break and that's easy to store.