The Value and Importance of Participation Awards

Did you know that participation awards can ease team building in youth sports in a meaningful way?

Though some parents have voiced their hesitation towards participation trophies, the truth is they can help remind kids that the work they put in matters.

A trophy for hard work does not lead to a sense of entitlement in most children, rather a sense of pride for their time and effort.

After all, participation in sports as a child does matter, in a time when many kids do not.

A participation trophy can also help remind both kids and parents that while winning is great, so is putting in the work and having fun.

Here is some other reason why participation trophies in youth sports are beneficial for sports clubs.

Science Agrees with Participation Awards

There are some interesting facts behind participation awards. Critics of this common practice will often argue that these awards create "a brat". But, this idea is a misconception of simple facts.

Social scientist and theorist Alfie Kohn calls this general attitude the "Better Get Used To It", or BGUTI principle.

This principle is the idea that children need to experience failure to prepare for the adversities they will surely face later in life.

Thus, based on the BGUTI principle, kids that face failure at a young age, or learning the importance of winning rather than failing, will help them grow up for the fierce, competition world.

But, how much evidence is there to support that receiving a participation trophy interferes with the teachings of failure?

There isn't much to support it. In fact, there is a growing body of knowledge around awarding effort, as it helps children challenge themselves.

Participation trophies are good because they support children to do their very best. This is what can help them stay in sports throughout their childhood.

Trophies Send a Big Message

Kids put their time, effort, and enthusiasm into a team sport, and that is no easy feat.

As well as an acknowledgment of effort, it is a reminder that they were part of a team. It helps teach them that success does not need to be about winning, but about working collaboratively and learning.

Therefore, the real message of a participation award is that the game itself is more important than the outcome and that success can be defined in a multitude of ways.

Final Thoughts on Participation Trophies

All and all, there are many pros of participation trophies in youth sports. It can teach many lessons to children, and help encourage them to continue playing sports into their teenage years.

Moreover, it shifts the focus of the sport away from the competitive side of it, to the more collaborative side.

There is little evidence to suggest any negative consequences of participation awards.

The idea that kids must learn to fail and suffer may not be as accurate as critics would like to make it out to be. There are many different ways to raise successful children, and awarding effort is one of them.

For more information, check out our post on award plague wording ideas perfect for team sports or any occasion.