Participation awards run against the grain of my philosophy as a coach.
When I played football and ran track in the mid-to-late 90’s, my coach made it very clear that we need to earn our position for the right to represent our school. My teammates and I worked hard every season. Some were winning season, others were not.
All the while, our coaches tried to help us work together–to do the best each of us could and to achieve, as a team, with championships as the goal.
In those years when I went home empty-handed at the end-of-season banquets–as my teammates were lauded–I didn’t complain. I always offered my congratulations. I knew how hard they had worked to win those awards. Their success inspired me to work harder.
Today I’m a coach, something I’ve been doing the nearly a decade. I know society today isn’t that same as it was when I was a youth athlete. One thing that’s different is there’s a lot more emphasis on playing for the love of the game. Another difference is the enhanced focus on player safety.
Both aspects are important but, as a coach, I always emphasis additional aspects associated with sports–primarily about how sports is a training ground for being successful in life. Teaching young athletes how to think critically as games and seasons unfold is one thing I teach. Another is how to manage your emotions.
I don’t endorse ‘participation awards.’
Sports involves more than just showing up, not putting out, and then getting a trophy. I can’t think of a worse way to prepare youth for adulthood. It’s just not the way the world works. And, if youth are duped into thinking that it is, then they will be in for a rude awakening.
Participation awards run against the grain of my philosophy as a coach–to help youth develop as athletes and people–to be the best they can be. The bottom line is preparing them to take on sports and the world.
What is your coaching philosophy?
Part of the reason there is emphasis on participation awards is kids now a-days are not as interested in outdoor activities.