The Importance Of Playing Sports

The thrill of winning a trophy for the first time is always memorable, however, it brings up the question: Is receiving an award for participating just as exciting? Participation awards are a topic highly debated among those of all ages, with none agreeing on a single answer. Individuals who are under the impression that they are essential believe they boost a child’s confidence and self-esteem. This may be true in some cases, but these trophies could be doing more harm than good. Although in the moment they may appear to be wholesome, they have a lasting effect on children as they grow older. Many children put loads of effort into winning awards, which is belittled by participation trophies that are not only unhelpful and unrewarding, but don’t teach them the important values learned by losing.

Participation trophies are changing kids ideas of winning around the globe in many ways. First off, it gives children the wrong impression on working or putting an effort towards something. Trophies are something you should have to earn. Life doesn’t give you a participation medal, you have to earn it (Website #2). Kids just need to learn that

In an age where everyone is expected to be recognized, there must be an understanding that the world does not progress by congratulating the “average.” I believe that giving participation trophies makes people stop competing; especially if the trophies are given at a very early age. For example, a team of small children have a terrible baseball season, but it’s okay! Because the coach gives out trophies to everyone. This in turn only teaches the child that no matter how bad life gets, they will always be rewarded. Participation trophies create future generations of entitled adults as seen by today’s generation. We need to reward kids that work hard for what they do for the sake of risk and reward. That is simply how progress is made in society. Yet I agree with one point made by the opposing side. I believe that participation should be recognized sometimes. Participation can teach kids that teamwork matters in every little aspect of society. Participation trophies should be eliminated but participation should still merely just be recognized with a pat on the back as said by Betty Berdan, a high school junior from Connecticut. Participation trophies overall hinder the growing and learning process of kids; whether it is through sports, or any other competitive involvement.

Participation trophies can vary from sports to clubs to activities of any type. Many people believe these standard awards provide many benefits for children and their childhood growth. However, children today have become accustomed to receiving an item or prize regardless the outcome of their effort, which could potentially send an unhealthy message about achievement and diminish the value of the award.

Do we give children too many trophies? According to Bob cook a sports father of four, “when it comes to participation trophies in my experience kids know the score.” Therefore at the end of the day, a trophy for involvement is a gift, and children are aware. Based on the facts and anecdotal evidence we are not giving children too many trophies. These pieces of plastic are a source of memorabilia. In addition, the trophy does not reflect the kid’s attitude towards hard work.

A new trend across America has risen in sports. Event officials are doling out participation trophies in massive numbers. The question is, are these participation trophies negatively changing the basic American values we treasure in these children? Yes, participation trophies are shaping a new cultural norm of entitlement and it promotes a new attitude of doing nothing, yet still being rewarded for it. This trend must be put to a halt and reversed. Participation trophies are not the answer to making kids feel better about themselves.

To start, trophies are a thing that was brought into this world for people who win a game. sociologist Hilary Levey Friedman says, "That first participation trophy, it does mean something, especially among the younger kids. The children see them more as symbols and remembrances of an experience," participation trophies are for people who earned it, not for people who didn't do anything on their team.

Elementary students who participate in group sports often receive participation awards at the end of the sports season. James Harrison posted on twitter that he felt participation trophies were wrong, because the child did not actually achieve anything. This post has caused a major controversy across the United States. Some parents agree with Harrison and say that participation trophies create a false sense of achievement, which stops their child from trying hard later on. I, however, disagree. Participation awards help kids feel like they had a part in an activity, reward children from their effort, and can help them strive for success.

Heffernan believes that if kids are given these trophies as a sign of recognition, even for just showing up, they will become motivated to do more next time, because when it comes down to winning and losing, at a young age it’s not a necessity, as the lesson in that is all around them (Heffernan, Paragraph 3). The main lesson in this is that it teaches kids at a young age to not give up, and to strive to succeed, although there is no need to fret over failure, because what matters is that you do your best. Even if success isn’t the result, then working hard with recognition as motivation will have a greater outcome the next time. Not only that, but it is a lesson in teamwork, as kids are taught to work together, and if someone is struggling, then they are there to help, since they have been in the same situation (Heffernan, Paragraph 8). Teamwork is a major key in adulthood. There will be many instances in which teamwork is key, and will make tasks easier to handle. Where there is teamwork, there is also leadership, a quality that many discover through teamwork. It is important for kids to learn leadership in order to handle difficult situations in the future. There are some negatives to those who receive participation trophies, as there can be kids who just don’t care at all about any recognition, and can grow out of the sport, or anything else. Sometimes, what is used to motivate some can be seen as discouraging towards others, and there is where a flaw is seen with

Once you reach age eight you understand the concept of the game and that their are winners and losers. By taking away participation trophies we can eliminate the culture of expectation that everyone gets a trophy for showing up and kids will understand that you are going to have to work hard to get a trophy that you truly deserve. If we do decide to stop giving out participation trophies children need to understand that “It’s okay to lose, but it’s not ok to not try your best” (Lula Bauer). Lessons in sports can still be taught without participation trophies. “Trophies aren’t all the issues.

Participation trophies are a highly debated topic among childrens sports. Many people beleive it is unessarcary, while others beleive it boosts self-esteem to non-confident young athletes. Participation Trophies should not be handed out because kids will learn that if the just give a little effort towards accomplishing something they will get rewarded.

Participation trophies only hurt kids. These trophies have been given out in many sports for decades but they do not mean much to older children. Something as simple as golden painted plastic will not keep a child playing for long after their first years. Children must also be taught how to compete early on. These trophies create a lack of competition in youth athletes and should not be given to children above the age of ten to help teach them life skills and to protect them from struggling in their future lives when they will have to compete for jobs.

It is good for young children to get participation trophies because it makes a positive impact on them that they have accomplished something even if they aren't the best. There have been Youth Developers that say it is better for children to get participation trophies because is makes a good experience, and they will come back and try again the next season and want to keep participating Kenneth Barish a psychology professor at Weill Cornell Medical College said that trophies encourage participation in sports and that children will learn about competition later in life and that the stuff they do now is only for fun. The difference from participation trophies and regular trophies is that the participation trophies are tiny ones that are meant for the children to have something that signifies they accomplished something. This makes a good impact on children to try something new and even of they weren't the best they tried it and they did not quit and give up they made a promise to the team they would be there

Does frivolously giving trophies to children make them into better adults or take away their will to give their best? Giving trophies out every time a child participates in an activity has just become a way of life; from receiving 12th and 13th place ribbons at field days to receiving participation trophies for tee ball and soccer. Children should have to earn what they receive, and if they lose then the hurt feelings they may have will just help them grow in to well-rounded adults that are able to cope with failure in their future. Giving trophies to children is great for boosting a child’s self-esteem, yet it dilutes the ability to overcome failure; trophies are mass produced and frivolously distributed by adults, but children still know what they have earned and what they have not.

Last year 7 year old Billy beat his opponent in a tennis match. Billy was so enlightened that he was going to get a trophy. Then, he looks to his opponent and saw that he was getting the same trophy as Billy! Billy felt very depressed after that because he worked so hard to win just to see the opponent getting a trophy for clearly not as much work. Participation trophies started in the 60’s to motivate inner city kids, but it spread like wildfire everywhere. Kids should not get trophies just for participating they need to work hard to get them this is ,because after time trophies can lose their value. It will also not encourage kids to improve with skills , and it is very expensive.