Should everybody win in youth sports?
August 13, 2012
Do you think kids should be taught that everyone wins?
I had a parent pose this question to me:
Do you think there is a long term cost for the “everybody wins” point of view so many put on kids’ sports these days?
I know what I think, but I can also see two sides of the coin. I’ve had my kids be on teams where everyone received a trophy, and I’ve also seen them throw those trophies aside because my young athletes felt they were meaningless.
Pros for Everyone Wins:
- kids feel valued
- could help build kids’ self esteem
- kids might have more “fun”
Cons for Everyone Wins:
- kids don’t appreciate the value of working hard for a win and actually earning it
- kids will think that life will always give them “wins”
- kids won’t learn how to handle defeat in sports and in life
What do you think?
Is there a time and/or place for the everyone-wins philosophy in youth sports?
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Twitter: espinosajoey
August 13, 2012 at 8:03 am
I think that at younger ages the importance should be on participation, with an increasing focus on performance as they get older. No 10 year old should get a trophy for participating. And end-of-the-season party for the team, but not a trophy.
Look what Joey Espinosa recently posted: Allendale-Fairfax High School Tigers: Football Season Has Begun!
Thanks, Joey. I’m really interested to find out what parents are thinking.
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August 13, 2012 at 11:34 am
It could be argued that giving everyone a trophy doesn’t actually boost self esteem or make them feel valued. The value of the award is diminished if everyone gets one. For a toddler who hasn’t fully developed conceptual skills, it might provide a boost but telling kids that they did a good job would do the same. An older elementary aged student knows that the award is essentially a participation award and will not place the same value on it. If you want to give everyone an award, it would be better to give individual awards, such as “most improved,” “most assists,” “best teamwork,” etc.
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Good point. I know that the numerous trophies my kids collected as small kids did nothing to boost their self esteem! It’s the parents and coaches and other influential adults who can do that.
The value of the award is diminished if everyone gets one.
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