Receiving an award or trophy is an amazing feeling. For competitors, receiving a “participation” award is a slap in the face. For others, it might be a superb moment in the child’s life. Coaches and parents always want kids to push their hardest, learn and grow, but others want kids to learn how to win. By receiving awards for showing up, it teaches children to be okay with the result. It may even tell them to not care.

Coaches, leagues, and parents give out too many awards for just trying.

If parents are raising their kids to be successful, learn the most and be leaders how can this be accomplished if children are told: “it is okay to lose and still get rewarded.” For example, if a marketing agent loses out on the client because the agent was outbidded, should that agent get part of the client’s business? No, he was outbidded, fair and square. Here is the explanation: by being awarded participation awards or any awards besides first place, kids are learning that they at least have part of the real reward. If winning first place is that special, it should be that special. No other award should be given out. The real-world situation example would, of course, never happen. Coaches are mentors for players. Most coaches preach to work hard, the great coaches preach with that hard work will come with great rewards. Those “great rewards” are not as simple as showing up.

For children who don’t really care about sports, participation awards can take away from the other kids who actually want to win. Those kids who actually want to be winning can’t because the kids who don’t care and just want that ribbon defeating the purpose. By giving a ribbon to everyone who is participating gives kids a way to not care. It is the easiest way to get out of playing sports, especially for players who do not want to win. If going into the tournament, one knows that he or she gets an award for losing, the sport loses its value.

Participation trophies are ruining sports. If leagues continue to give these out, the players will not try as hard as if they would if only the first place award was given out.