Do you feel that youth athletes should receive participation trophies? In my area, several high school coaches believe that participation trophies should not be allowed because it teaches them they don’t have to apply themselves to earn something. Youth athletes should not receive participation trophies because it teaches kids the value of earning, betters their work ethic, and affects them socially.
The value of earning is an important attribute that kids need to learn at an early age. According to a pro athlete and father, James Harrison, you athletes should not receive participation trophies with his quote. “While I am very proud of my boys for everything they do, and will encourage them till the day I die, these trophies will be given
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A mother of a young athlete, Kim Skinner, said that, “How do you teach your kid to be good winners or good losers if they don’t win and lose? I feel sorry for those kids that never learn disappointment. How will they handle life, such as not getting a job they really wanted etc (Skinner, n.d.)?” Studies have shown that we are more committed to an activity when we do it out of passion, rather than external reward such as a trophy (Studies, n.d.). Johnathon Fader is one of the top sport psychologists in the world. He states that, “When you start rewarding kids with I saw that you really enjoyed this and good job on this play. Then the trophy becomes meaningless (Fader, n.d.).” When kids show bad sportsmanship and flip out on other kids, causing scenes. It embraces that child’s parents, friends, and the program affiliated with them. It’s all because they don’t know how to take disappointment or a loss (Fader, n.d.).
High school departments and coaches everywhere in my area say no to the “give me” trophies. All of the details throughout the paper support why youth athletes should not receive participation trophies. “If you want something bad enough, go get it.” The kids that strive for their goals will achieve it. Some kids don’t have the will to achieve. That’s when we motivate and congratulate until every kid has reached their goal. I can promise that the end of it, it’s going to feel a whole lot better when you know that you earned that