The main goal is to help kids learn the game, improve their skills, and do their best.
In sports, there are team awards and individual awards. They’re both huge accomplishments and it means a lot, not just to the team or individual, but to many others.
I won awards in youth sports, but I (and we) also learned what it meant to lose. Things didn’t always work out. We even had losing seasons.
Parents and coaches should talk to kids, teaching them that things sometimes don’t work out in sports. You lose. In response, it’s a matter of moving forward.
But, in contrast, there’s the contemporary philosophy–embraced by many parents, coaches, and others–that “everybody is a winner.” Some parents and coaches don’t want kids to feel left out. But sports aren’t really about that. Sports should be about training to be the best you can be and, then, leaving everything on the field or court when you play.
Courtesy: sltrib.com
As a young athlete, one of my teammates won an individual award. I was happy for him and didn’t feel any bitterness. Today, though, it’s often a matter of “wanting to get my slice of pie.” I don’t think that’s a helpful approach because it doesn’t teach kids lessons that transfer from sports to life.
I’m a great believer that there are winners and losers in sports. There’s a first place, a second place, and a third place, too. There should be a separation between levels of performance. And if we award non-performance, what incentive is there for kids to improve?
I believe winning an award is a reward for working hard and excelling. Isn’t that what sports are about? What life is about? It’s not the award, per se, but what the award represents.
So, from my perspective, the main goal for parents and coaches is to prepare kids for learning the game, improving their skills, and doing their best. If kids do that, then–who knows–they just might end up standing on a stage with a trophy in hand.
