OT: James Harrison returns sons' participation trophies

[texascpa]

Per Harrison as reported by Bleacherreport:

James Harrison

· 431,526 followers · August 15 at 10:09am
I came home to find out that my boys received two trophies for nothing, participation trophies! 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 back until they EARN a real trophy. I'm sorry I'm not sorry for believing that everything in life should be earned and I'm not about to raise to boys to be men by making them believe that they are entitled to something just because they tried their best...cause sometimes your best is not enough, and that should drive you to want to do better...not cry and whine until somebody gives you something to shut u up and keep you happy. ‪#‎harrisonfamilyvalues

Gotta say as a father of 2 boys who played football, a previous football coach and a league Past-President, I agree with Harrison. Don't take that to mean that's how I dealt with this issue during the time I was heavily involved in youth football, because I had to put my feelings aside to play the political game that is youth sports.

 

[HtownOrange]

I agree with this line of thought. I have daughters that played a high level of volleyball and they didn't want participation awards, they wanted awards they earned.

 

[orangefog]

I am torn. I think in the lower levels of most sports, it isn't a bad thing to have participation awards. I also think there should be awards based on merit as well. As the kids go to higher levels then the participation awards should cease. My 11 year old daughter is a high level gymnast and they get participation medals at most meets. Most of the girls don't care about them at all, because they know the medals and trophies they want to win, and those are the ones that take hard work and sacrifice.

 

[Pyle]

My 11 year old son has about 20 trophies, he cares about 1 and it's from his undefeated championship little league season. He knows which one really counts.

 

[Alsacs]

I would say give them trophies when they are 6-8 years old and the score isn't kept. However once your 9 yrs and above no need for participation trophies. Just give them paper awards.

 

[NKR1978]

The trophy lobby is way too powerful to ever get rid of them.

 

[DeGrozz]

The trophy lobby is way too powerful to ever get rid of them.

I see an opportunity here for the T-Shirt lobby to make some headway. There's a big difference of opinions on whether kids should get participation trophies. There are no differing opinions when it comes to free tee-shirts. All kids get tee shirts, winners get trophies, closers get coffee. It's that simple.

 

[NKR1978]

I see an opportunity here for the T-Shirt lobby to make some headway. There's a big difference of opinions on whether kids should get participation trophies. There are no differing opinions when it comes to free tee-shirts. All kids get tee shirts, winners get trophies, closers get coffee. It's that simple.

As Syracuse fans, we know t shirts.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Love Harrison's stance on this. With all the money he's got in the bank his kids COULD coast through life on his dime if he allowed it. Obviously he's not going to allow it.

Flip side is, if you don't have a 7+ digit bank account, you want your children to learn to work hard and accomplish things. Life doesn't get easier as you get older so best to learn that lesson early on. If you've never metaled in something, working for a bronze feels great. If you've won a bronze, push for the gold. Not everyone has the same God given athletic talent but there is a correlation in working to the best of your athletic ability that will carry over many other facets of life.

 

[orange_in_VA]

I don't like the entitlement giving every kid a trophy encourages from a young age. The only participation trophies I ever got were for baseball and they never left the box in the closet. I don't know if they gave out participation trophies for football (assuming they might have) since I was fortunate to be on a championship team every year in pop warner/youth league.

Middle and High School ball there were no participation trophies when I was that age. I REALLY hope they don't give them out for kids at that age.

 

[BlackKnight76]

I'm fine with the sentiment, but I remember being a kid and getting them, and I never felt proud about getting participation trophies or ribbons or whatever. I think most understand the difference, but maybe there is a generation gap there.

 

[jekelish]

I'm fine with the sentiment, but I remember being a kid and getting them, and I never felt proud about getting participation trophies or ribbons or whatever. I think most understand the difference, but maybe there is a generation gap there.

Yeah, I was always embarrassed by the thought of receiving a participation trophy. It's a pat on the head for being not quite good enough, in cheap plastic form.

 

[texascpa]

I would say give them trophies when they are 6-8 years old and the score isn't kept. However once your 9 yrs and above no need for participation trophies. Just give them paper awards.

Let me tell you from experience, 7 and 8 year-olds keep score.

 

[Phenomenon]

I was on 4 undefeated Sherman Park football teams.
I was on 2 undefeated middle school basketball teams.
I was on the championship A.C.T.I.O.N. league basketball team.
I was on 2 conference championship swimming teams.
I was on an undefeated tee-ball team.

I received a single trophy for all of that. Every time we were undefeated or won a championship and got nothing, I was PO'd. Let these kids have their trophies. It doesn't make them any less of a person for it. If anything, we shouldn't be taking parenting advice from the guy who was more upset that his pitbull was going to be euthanized for biting his son and wife and putting them in the hospital than he was by the fact that his family was mauled by his crazy dog.

 

[HtownOrange]

I am old enough to remember when trophies went to teams and only the MVP got his own trophy.

 

[Scooch]

Kids aren't stupid, but parents sure as hell are.

Harrison's a dope, no matter his stance on the burning issue of trophies for 5 year olds,

 

[cuse309]

Maybe they should replace participation trophies with a slice of pie or cake.

 

[rosconey]

ummmmmmmmmmmm pieeeee

 

[OrangeTown]

They had this story on The Today Show yesterday. Their online vote said 93% of America did not agree with participation trophies. I was surprised. Not sure of the sample size, but it had to be a fair number of people. I'm with the majority on this one.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Kids aren't stupid, but parents sure as hell are.

Harrison's a dope, no matter his stance on the burning issue of trophies for 5 year olds,

Exactly. Much to do about nothing.

 

[Alsacs]

http://deadspin.com/little-league-world-series-scandal-softball-team-throw-1724733555

This why parents/coaches suck. The team from Washington try to throw a game in little league softball.

 

[Opus]

For every sports team I was on I got a team photo. That was good enough for me. Do they not do that anymore?

 

[qdawgg]

For every sports team I was on I got a team photo. That was good enough for me. Do they not do that anymore?

They (the kids) are ok with it in my experience. It's the parents that aren't.

They'll be the first ones to complain about every player getting a trophy or ribbon and the first ones to complain when their kid isn't recognized.

 

[MadNY3]

Per Harrison as reported by Bleacherreport:



Gotta say as a father of 2 boys who played football, a previous football coach and a league Past-President, I agree with Harrison. Don't take that to mean that's how I dealt with this issue during the time I was heavily involved in youth football, because I had to put my feelings aside to play the political game that is youth sports.

L-o-v-e it.

 

[Millhouse]

Exactly. Much to do about nothing.

everyone thinks kids are so stupid. none of us would've been impressed by a trophy that even the worst kid got. but kids these days are too dumb to know it?

a bigger issue might be giving big trophies to the winners and making them actually think that they're special. kids who are the best at something in their piddly little town might not realize there's a big world out there with a million piddly little towns.