So for the third time in the last 5 years, we are being asked to stop awarding end of season trophies to all players in a youth football league for kids from 4 years old to 8th grade, and I am so fucking sick of this I am ready to set a few parents' cars on fire.
Yes, I get that Fox News and other comedians who have never coached a sport (or often never played a sport) has convinced every jackass that participation trophies are making kids lazy and dumb, which is the most asinine thing I have ever heard. Pretty much everything you have commercials for, pretty every apathetic parent who can't be bothered to drive their kid to practice or eat dinner 30 minutes earlier or later 2-3 times a week, those are what is making kids lazy and dumb. It's not the fucking trophy that recognizes the kid who was tired at the end of the school day but still put on the pads, went out in the cold rain and ran through 90 minutes of drills, plays etc just to play a handful of plays on Saturday.
The people who push us to eliminate "participation trophies" are - as you would expect - in two camps. Either their kids are phenomenal athletes and them posting every bit of gameplay all over their Facebook page isn't enough recognition for them or they are morons who don't look at their kid's face when they get handed the trophy at the end of season banquet.
Clearly, I am venting, but philosophically I can't believe how big a deal this has become in our league. We are facing declining enrollment in youth football almost every year. And while concussion risk is obviously a huge factor, I think that Video games and overbooked parents are as big a factor. I'm a bit proud to say that our numbers are getting stronger at the top of our program as we have focused hard on the safety messaging (and living it) and we have done a lot to help the boys enjoy the sport and feel part of something. And part of that, in my opinion, is the end of season trophy.
I don't know, has anyone else dealt with this silliness and come out with a better solution?
Yes, I get that Fox News and other comedians who have never coached a sport (or often never played a sport) has convinced every jackass that participation trophies are making kids lazy and dumb, which is the most asinine thing I have ever heard. Pretty much everything you have commercials for, pretty every apathetic parent who can't be bothered to drive their kid to practice or eat dinner 30 minutes earlier or later 2-3 times a week, those are what is making kids lazy and dumb. It's not the fucking trophy that recognizes the kid who was tired at the end of the school day but still put on the pads, went out in the cold rain and ran through 90 minutes of drills, plays etc just to play a handful of plays on Saturday.
The people who push us to eliminate "participation trophies" are - as you would expect - in two camps. Either their kids are phenomenal athletes and them posting every bit of gameplay all over their Facebook page isn't enough recognition for them or they are morons who don't look at their kid's face when they get handed the trophy at the end of season banquet.
Clearly, I am venting, but philosophically I can't believe how big a deal this has become in our league. We are facing declining enrollment in youth football almost every year. And while concussion risk is obviously a huge factor, I think that Video games and overbooked parents are as big a factor. I'm a bit proud to say that our numbers are getting stronger at the top of our program as we have focused hard on the safety messaging (and living it) and we have done a lot to help the boys enjoy the sport and feel part of something. And part of that, in my opinion, is the end of season trophy.
I don't know, has anyone else dealt with this silliness and come out with a better solution?