The Role Of Excessive Rewarding For Children In Sports

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.

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.

Is giving kids participation trophies beneficial to children, or motivation killers? Many people all around the U.S. have their opinions for both sides of the discussion. James Harrison, linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers, has weighed in on this topic. In many people’s eyes, his beliefs make a lot of sense, they understand where he’s coming from and what he is speaking about. Carol Dweck also made a statement to NPR about her belief’s on the topic. There are millions of important facts that need to be talked about with this epidemic: an estimated fifty-seven percent said “only winners” should receive a trophy for participation in kids sports, giving out participation trophies is tantamount to giving kids the wrong kind of praise, and this

Only the kids who actually win deserve to be recognized for their hard work that paid off in the end. “The benefit isn’t actually winning. The benefit is improving. When you’re constantly giving a kid a trophy for everything they 're doing, you’re saying, ‘I don 't care about improvements’” (Participation trophies reward mediocrity 2). This conveys the idea that when a child is constantly being praised they think they have no more room for improvement and are the best they could be. Although, there is always room for developing as an athlete to become a higher level sportsman. In general, participation trophies hurt kids more than they help them and are ineffective ways to reward kids.

Awards are given out to many kids for the same reason. These credulous kids are being taught that everything you do can lead you to getting a trophy. Most children are given awards for being on time, participation, showing up to practice, exetera. Teachers, parents, and coaches are all responsible for this; showing that kids are awarded for something that does not deserve an award. How would you feel if your kid grew up thinking that most of the things he/she does is enough to get an award?

When youth sports programs hand out trophies for participation, they teach kids that you only have to participate in order to win. An article states, “Having studied recent increases of narcissism and entitlement among students, she warns that when living rooms are filled with participation trophies, it’s part of a larger cultural message: to succeed, you just have to show up” (Losing is Good for You, nytimes.com). This will turn out to be a huge problem in a child’s future. It’s going to be a huge disappointment when a child learns that you must put effort into their work in order to excel.

One way that kids are motivated to keep playing is to give them trophies. Another example is from “Should Everyone Get a Prize?” by Brenda Iasevoli. Kenneth Barish, psychology professor at Weill Cornell Medical College, says, “‘I think we should encourage kids’ participation in sports… A trophy is one way to encourage kids’

Participation trophies aren't good for kids, and even kids health, for multiple reasons. First of all Sports aren't for trophies. Sports are for fun! Sports Psychology, Jonathan Fader says, “the science suggests that we need to be praising our kids on the process, not result” (Website 1). Another thing that might change people's perception about participation trophies is that it isn't fair for kids that actually won. If you try your hardest you will most likely win, and

Our young athletes get a shiny plastic pacifier every time they cry. We reward trophies to kids because their parents can drive them to multiple practices and games. Even if they never win or are the worst on the team, they are rewarded. Due to all of this, there is no reason to try to do better and they stop trying. Participation trophies are detrimental to children because they cost the coaches and parents a lot of money, make children forget how to accept loss, and we kill the drive for the players.

I believe that children should earn trophies and medals because they enjoy the thought that they did something significant. According to an article by The Mercury News, earning medals and trophies can boost a child’s self-esteem. One example, an eight-year-old soccer player told The Mercury News that he was happy to earn a medal after the soccer season, and that he keeps it on a bookshelf in his bedroom. Kids who earn trophies also tend to share and keep knowledge about their trophies, participation or not (Article 2).

¨Success can mean working collaboratively and becoming a team.¨ (Parker Abate). Success are what kids want when they play a sport, but if they always receive a trophy and not learn what it's like to loose they may not accomplish that. ¨Trophies should be given out for first, second and third; participation should be recognized, but celebrated with words and a pat on the back rather than a trophy.¨(Betty Berdan). If we keep giving trophies to kids for participation the their going to get used to always feeling like they win and they're not going to try as hard to get 1st, 2nd or

On my soccer team, no matter what, everyone ended up getting a trophy, and the kids who did work hard felt like it was for nothing. Young athletes will never learn that when people try their hardest they will be rewarded, they will become vain and always expect rewards. In addition children will not know what it is like to lose because every time kids end up getting trophies, they have to fail to succeed. To begin with, some coaches and experts may argue that it boosts confidence in younger athletes, actors, and more. They will get confident enough to pursue what they are doing and win trophies.

trophies can make kids grow up to be narcissistic,irresponsible,lazy,and unmotivated. A debate has been going on between parents a while now over kids receiving participation trophies in activities like sports. I beleive that kids should not receive participant trophies.

Dr. Jonathan Fader is a sports psychologist whose focus of study is working on what motivates people. Fader asserts that " instead of dealing with defeat by telling our kids that “everyone’s a winner at heart,” we should praise them for how hard they hustled, what they did right and how they improved." Praising effort as effort is given is a great way for an individual to feel pride in their work. Intrinsic motivation, that is the motivation that comes from within makes people who love sports instead of just playing them. If a child is intrinsically motivated to help the team to win, then the trophy is of little consequence to that child. Knowing which sport to enroll a child in can be a time consuming, trial and error operation. However when a child finds the activity that motivates them intrinsically the motivation to get better will comes easier than the child that was enrolled in a sport without any knowledge of it. This is also true with adult, as a kid one may be asked to figure out what person loves to do and make that a career choice; the only reason is because the work is more enjoyable and the joy of doing the work will lead to a happier work

Kids in sports shouldn’t receive trophies for participating in sports. Children who participate in activities such as sport and music, earn trophies just for taking part in it. Ribbons, trophies, and medals are handed out at the end of the season to everyone children, to make everything fair. But, is this really fair to everyone? Just because they participated and showed up to some practices, doesn’t mean they deserve it. It wouldn’t be fair giving an award to a player who demonstrated a bad attitude on those rare occasions she or he actually showed up. In an article Ashley Merryman said “The benefit is improving. When you’re constantly giving a kid a trophy for everything they’re doing. You’re saying ‘I don’t care about improvement. I don’t