Persuasive Essay On Youth Sports

Growing up, most kids are introduced to ideas of teamwork and companionship through athletic sports. These children also learn about aspirations and how to work diligently to achieve something. In today's society it is often debated if every child involved should achieve a medal or a trophy for participation. Some argue this can mend children’s expectations for the ‘real world.’ On the other hand, some believe this will affect the children positively if they do receive these awards. Children would benefit from receiving participation awards. This is because of self esteem, and equality. Kids would also be able to celebrate their achievements from an early age. Parker Abate, who wrote the article, In Youth Sports, Participation Trophies send

To a young mind, kids are not usually able to process the difference between bad or good. If one of their fellow teammates receives a trophy while they receive anything, this can start unhealthy thought processes that they are not good enough. Even if they did not win first place, young minds need praise for the things they have done. In Youth Sports, Participation Trophies send a Powerful Message of paragraph four, Abate states, “Watching a peer receive a trophy and not receiving one yourself can be degrading. Any kind of honor can make a young kid feel as if he or she meant something to the team, and that could boost the child’s self-confidence -- children today need as much of that as they can get in our society.” The last line sticks out, ‘in our society’. The author is pointing out how cruel the world can be, especially for young ages. You have to deal with conformity and insecurity, so in something fun like a sport, why make it where kids can feel down then to? Kids need to feel equal. Coaches have to

Like in paragraph two of, Participation Trophies Send a Dangerous Message Betty Berden has this to say, “When awards are handed out like candy to every child who participates, they diminish in value. If every soccer player receives a trophy for merely showing up to practice and playing in games, the truly exceptional players are slighted. The same applies to teams. Regardless of individual effort or superior skills, all who participate receive equal acknowledgement.” There's a difference between everyone being praised, or everyone receiving different levels of praise. Not every kid should receive the exact same award, or acknowledgement, that is true. Every kid should have something to take home with them no matter how little. While the kids who deserve bigger trophies should get that. More often than not, kids who receive big trophies or awards will focus on that rather than if other teammates got a participation award. This can also teach kids to share accomplishments with those who have helped them. Looking back at old trophies or medals from when you were young, you won't only remember what you've won, but what fun you've had, and what it took to get there. Not all kids want to continue in these sports, that's why it's about finding your passions, but you also don't want to feel like you have wasted any time to get