Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Hugh Kennedy
Mrs. Cramer
Comp Pd. 8
16 Nov. 2018
One can almost guarantee that some time throughout someone’s childhood they were
awarded a participation trophy. These kinds of awards are in every sort of competition in modern
times. People would most often see them in sports such as little league, youth soccer, and youth
basketball programs; but they can also find them in new technology and modern competitions
such as school robotics and education events for example, a spelling bee. Whether one would
believe this statement or not, that trophy could have somehow, some way influenced a part of
that person’s life. Read further to understand what exactly a participation trophy is, the negative
impacts of them, and overall mental impact of why they should not be awarded in youth sports or
other activities.
First of all, what is a participation trophy? According to “Trophy Overload” and Ashely
Merryman a participation trophy is an award given to every participant in an event just for the
fact of showing up and being there. These awards are mainly given in competitions focused
around kids but have begun to be used in more mature leagues as well. Previously in history,
trophies were only awarded to the highest ranked and most talented athletes in competitions for
instance, in the Olympics (early on and now), medals are only awarded to the top three placing
athletes; first place receives a gold medal, second gets a silver medal, and a bronze medal is
given to the third-place participant. At no point does any competitor in any on the Olympic
events receive a participation award. But starting in the 1960s, trophies became mass produced
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and the mindset of “everyone’s a winner!” began and with it, the custom of participation
trophies. Awards for participation did not always have to be physical trophies either. Kids could
be provided with just a common award like a high five at the end of a game could be considered
Next, there are negative effects to these awards. Youth sports leagues have been
beginning to see the negative effects of providing every participant with their own participation
trophies according to Merryman’s, “Losing is Good for You”. An example of a negative effects
could include people who were awarded these having false hope of accomplishment in their lives
after receiving awards for the mere action of being on a team. This would lead the recipient of
the award to view the world as an easy place to get what they want when they want, when in
reality, that expectation is not realistic. Another example includes how people who have grown
up with being awarded participation trophies have a sense of being better than others because of
the illusion of accomplishment when being awarded participation trophies. This makes
cooperation with these people more difficult because of growing stubbornness and ignorance
toward others. A study by Emylee Anderson and Aaron Buchko showed that constant and
consistent negative feedback has shown to motivate and sometimes benefit current generations in
sports and activities. The providing of participation trophies limits this negative feedback and
doesn’t allow the personal growth children needed. These are the negative effects of participation
trophies.
Now, how does this have an impact on people mentally. A study conducted by Sarah
Donaldson and Kevin Ronan shows that children’s motives throughout youth sports and even in
their daily lives are manipulated by the awarding of participation trophies. It showed that a kid is
less likely to perform tasks and chores such as taking out the garbage and cleaning dishes when
he/she know that he/she will only be mildly awarded. The children believed they would be
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mildly awarded due to them receiving participation trophies in sports and them realizing that
those trophies truly don’t have a large meaning of accomplishment. Children’s motives were
dependent on how often they were awarded something with meaning. This also directly
influenced their competence according to Klint Kimberley and Maureen Weiss. A similar study
made apparent that when children’s motives were not supported they seemed to be less
cooperative and more stubborn. Youth sports participation directly relates to the well-being and
emotional support of children. It was shown that the more children participated in their youth
sports, the more confident they became, and they were found to be better at socializing. Their
participation should not be awarded as an incredible achievement with a trophy but more
appreciated with a simple “Good job!” and other phrases like that (Penny McCullagh, Karen
Matzkanin, Susan Shaw, Marcela Maldonado). That’s the mental impact of the awards.
In conclusion, the previous paragraphs have gone in depth into why participation trophies
should not be awarded in youth sports and activities. It has explained what exactly a participation
trophy is, the negative effects of participation trophies in competitions, and the mental impact the
awards have on children and adults alike. After reading through, one could think back to a
participation trophy they were awarded in their life and think how it could have influenced
decisions in their life and how it may have shaped their personality.
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Works Cited
Merryman, Ashely. “Losing Is Good for You.” Top Dog 24 Sept. 2013 1-2. Print.
Emylee Anderson, Aaron A. Buchko, Kathleen J. Buchko, (2016) "Giving negative feedback to
Millennials: How can managers criticize the “most praised” generation" Abstract.
Penny McCullagh, Karen T. Matzkanin, Susan D. Shaw, Marcela Maldonado. “Motivation for
Print.
Kimberley A. Klint, Maureen R. Weiss. “Perceived Competence and Motives for Participating in
Donaldson, Sarah J., and Kevin R. Ronan. "The Effects of Sports Participation on
Young Adolescents Emotional Well-Being." Adolescence, vol. 41, no. 162, pp.
369-89. Adolescence, vol. 41, no. 162, pp. 369-89. Abstract. Print.