My kids' team just go eliminated from a soccer tournament.....

[torbee]

And no one got a participation trophy.

In fact, in 7 years, my kid has never got anyithing for participating- only for first and second place trophies in tournaments.

Yay soccer!

 

[LuteHawk]

It was the great sportswriter Grantland Rice who wrote:

"For when the One Great Scorer comes
To mark against your name,
He writes ...not that you won or lost...
But how you played the Game."

 

[Wahawk56]

Why didn't you act a fool on the refs?-

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

I'm curious as to how widespread this "participation trophy" thing really is.

Guess I will find out when/if my kids start playing sports.

Wish we could find a good balance between participation trophies and the "if you don't win this middle school sports game you are a failure at life."

 

[LuteHawk]

Sports in grade school and high school prepare you for
life. You do not get a participation trophy for your marriage.
You do not get a participation trophy at your job.

Bottom Line: Sports prepare you for the ups and downs,
wins and losses in the game of life. Some grow up to be
Whiners and some grow up to be Winners.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

Sports in grade school and high school prepare you for
life. You do not get a participation trophy for your marriage.
You do not get a participation trophy at your job.

Bottom Line: Sports prepare you for the ups and downs,
wins and losses in the game of life. Some grow up to be
Whiners and some grow up to be Winners.

As someone who didn't really play organized sports except one summer being forced to play on YMCA basketball team and then competitive ballroom dance in college, I really think the amount that sports prepares someone for live is highly overstated.

I just look at it as a physical activity that is fun. And that's reason enough to play them given how bad obesity and sedentary lifestyle is in our culture.

I do however think participation trophies are a bad idea because it could cause kids to believe they will be rewarded for failure. On the other hand we should also work to avoid putting kids under too much pressure to win. Sports should be fun and winning is a heck of a lot more fun then losing, and that should be reason enough for them to want to win. But it worries me if kids start to feel like adults will look down on them or care for them less if they fail to perform.

So we severely need a balance between the two extremes. And adults that verbally abuse kids at sporting events should be kicked out period. They aren't pro's who get paid to take verbal abuse from other teams fans, they aren't college athletes who are grown up enough to let it slide off their back, and they aren't even high school kids who can sort of get that this comes with the territory. An 8 year old shouldn't have to listen to adults verbally abuse them just because said adult's kid plays on the other team. . . or even plays on the same team and said adult is mad cause they think this particular kid is a bad player.

 

[LuteHawk]

Hoosierhawkeye, you gave yourself no credibility when
you said you did not play organized sports. Guys and
Gals who play for their school team in grade school &
high school learn the value of team work and having
common goals to win games. Competitive sports can
instill the will to succeed in life. You learn to lose with
grace and win with humility.

Bottom Line: Ball Room Dancing doesn't count in the
world of sports.

 

[moral_victory]

Hoosierhawkeye, you gave yourself no credibility when
you said you did not play organized sports. Guys and
Gals who play for their school team in grade school &
high school learn the value of team work and having
common goals to win games. Competitive sports can
instill the will to succeed in life. You learn to lose with
grace and win with humility.

Bottom Line: Ball Room Dancing doesn't count in the
world of sports.

Something this corny should be put on an inspiration picture.

Guys and Gals who play beer pong in grade school &
high school learn the value of team work and having
common goals to win games. Beer pong can
instill the will to succeed in life. You learn to lose with
grace and win with humility.

 

[swagsurfer02]

Torbee = James Harrison?

 

[HawkMFT]

And no one got a participation trophy.

In fact, in 7 years, my kid has never got anyithing for participating- only for first and second place trophies in tournaments.

Yay soccer!

For second place? Your kid is a wuss then. My kid has played longer than that and despite winning tournaments and plenty of second places, he has ONE medal to show for it. Last tournament we played in the winners got a t-shirt from the stand at the park. It didn't say "champs" or anything. Just an event t-shirt.

 

[3boysmom]

Why didn't you act a fool on the refs?-

Where did he say he didn't?

 

[3boysmom]

And no one got a participation trophy.

In fact, in 7 years, my kid has never got anyithing for participating- only for first and second place trophies in tournaments.

Yay soccer!

The only participation trophies my kids have ever gotten have been in tball. Well, and Battle of the Borders. But, you had to place top 4 in the state in order to get invited so not just anyone could participate. The 4 teams from the winning state get a champion plaque. The other 4 teams get runner-up. It's bizarre because you could theoretically have a team lose every game and get a champion plaque because the other teams carried them.

 

[Funky Bunch]

What are y'alls thoughts on this after losing 78-39?


Our 2015 NCAA Sweet 16 rings have arrived!!

 

[SailorJerryHawk]

I'll cut Torbee some slack.He actually put's out his life here on HROT.No reason to make him some
west Coast dick.
He wants me to go fishing so there is that..
I'm drunk.

 

[gonegolfing]

And no one got a participation trophy.

In fact, in 7 years, my kid has never got anyithing for participating- only for first and second place trophies in tournaments.

Yay soccer!

Sorry your kids aren't athletes. I'm sure you had high hopes.

 

[ICWestfan]

I'll cut Torbee some slack.He actually put's out his life here on HROT.No reason to make him some
west Coast dick.
He wants me to go fishing so there is that..
I'm drunk.

You might just be the Ernest Hemingway of HROT.

 

[SWIowahawks]

How old is your kid Torbee?

 

[unIowa]

How old is your kid Torbee?

Pedo

 

[SWIowahawks]

Pedo

Wouldn't a pedo want to know the gender of the kid? Or are all pedos non gender specific in their illness?

 

[unIowa]

Wouldn't a pedo want to know the gender of the kid? Or are all pedos non gender specific in their illness?

I have no idea how it works.

 

[gusto79]

Wouldn't a pedo want to know the gender of the kid? Or are all pedos non gender specific in their illness?

Pedos usually aren't gender specific.

 

[dgordo]

Sorry your kids aren't athletes. I'm sure you had high hopes.

Is that how your parents felt until you told them you were a golfer?

 

[KennyPowers_96]

Wouldn't a pedo want to know the gender of the kid? Or are all pedos non gender specific in their illness?

I think the PC movement now insists on this.

 

[Tenacious E]

For second place? Your kid is a wuss then. My kid has played longer than that and despite winning tournaments and plenty of second places, he has ONE medal to show for it. Last tournament we played in the winners got a t-shirt from the stand at the park. It didn't say "champs" or anything. Just an event t-shirt.

These must be free leagues or something then. At least for baseball, I can't imagine a tournament charging the money they do to register teams and then not giving the tourney champ a trophy.

 

[Tenacious E]

These must be free leagues or something then. At least for baseball, I can't imagine a tournament charging the money they do to register teams and then not giving the tourney champ a trophy.

and I will add that for baseball, no participation trophies that I've seen, at least in USSSA. 1st and 2nd get trophies. For the state tournament if you get third place it is a medal, not a trophy or a ring.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

Hoosierhawkeye, you gave yourself no credibility when
you said you did not play organized sports. Guys and
Gals who play for their school team in grade school &
high school learn the value of team work and having
common goals to win games. Competitive sports can
instill the will to succeed in life. You learn to lose with
grace and win with humility.

Bottom Line: Ball Room Dancing doesn't count in the
world of sports.

So by your definition I should not have learned any of those things because I didn't play sports.

And ballroom dance is more sport then you realize. Takes more athletic ability then baseball or golf. Find me a professional ballroom dancers at the top level that are overweight due to body fat, because there are plenty of MLB players who are.

 

[torbee]

How old is your kid Torbee?

The soccer player is 13.

 

[hawkitd]

So by your definition I should not have learned any of those things because I didn't play sports.

And ballroom dance is more sport then you realize. Takes more athletic ability then baseball or golf. Find me a professional ballroom dancers at the top level that are overweight due to body fat, because there are plenty of MLB players who are.

Maybe aerobic ability, but athletic ability?

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

Maybe aerobic ability, but athletic ability?

You ever seen professional ballroom dancers in person? I have.

Not just anyone can spin their body around several revolutions in one second. The speed and body control required at the top professional levels is crazy.

Maybe not the most athletic sport out there, but more athletic then golf or baseball and no one argues that those arn't sports.

 

[Pinehawk]

In the soccer tournaments I've seen, typically kids get a 'participation' medal at many tournaments up through U10. Starting at U11 awards only go to the Champion and runner up.
And, I don't have any problem with that system. Participation award keep young kids interested and happy, and then as they get older, it transitions to where they have to 'earn' their awards. Seems like a win-win.

 

[Old_wrestling_fan]

In the soccer tournaments I've seen, typically kids get a 'participation' medal at many tournaments up through U10. Starting at U11 awards only go to the Champion and runner up.
And, I don't have any problem with that system. Participation award keep young kids interested and happy, and then as they get older, it transitions to where they have to 'earn' their awards. Seems like a win-win.

FWIW, my younger son played on a competitive soccer team that traveled to tournaments across the midwest and he got a lot of medals...when they didn't win the tournament. But they could have been when he was 8, 9 and 10, I really don't remember.

I don't have a problem with younger kids getting some form of a ribbon, medal, etc. for tournament participation, etc. But I do think there comes a time where they need to transition over to where the winning team(s) get the medals/trophies and that to me is probably around age 11 or 12 or so.

Keep kids sports fun and inclusive at the young ages and tighten things up as they cross into their teenage years IMO.

 

[KennyPowers_96]

I recall wrestling as a kid 30+ years ago and having kids get medals through 4th place, sometimes in a 4 man bracket.

I am ok with that as it takes some balls for that 4th place kid to keep coming out to the mat even if the odds aren't good. I have no problem with participation ribbons for young kids.

I know every American wants their kid to be a type A, nerd beating, sports star, but that's not in the cards for most. Give them a P ribbon for trying...what does it hurt?

 

[torbee]

I recall wrestling as a kid 30+ years ago and having kids get medals through 4th place, sometimes in a 4 man bracket.

I am ok with that as it takes some balls for that 4th place kid to keep coming out to the mat even if the odds aren't good. I have no problem with participation ribbons for young kids.

I know every American wants their kid to be a type A, nerd beating, sports star, but that's not in the cards for most. Give them a P ribbon for trying...what does it hurt?

What does it hurt?

It only RUINS AMERICA for god's sake!

 

[dbq hawk 32]

So by your definition I should not have learned any of those things because I didn't play sports.

And ballroom dance is more sport then you realize. Takes more athletic ability then baseball or golf. Find me a professional ballroom dancers at the top level that are overweight due to body fat, because there are plenty of MLB players who are.

It's not a sport, it's an activity.

 

[JWolf74]

I'm sorry you have to spend perfectly good weekends at soccer games.

 

[hawkifann]

and I will add that for baseball, no participation trophies that I've seen, at least in USSSA. 1st and 2nd get trophies. For the state tournament if you get third place it is a medal, not a trophy or a ring.

My kids have gotten participation trophies for the rec ball leagues (Little League) for ages under 10 (leagues prior to Little League majors). That doesn't bother me at all. Our league handles majors by place. Everything else we do is travelball-lite and is tournaments. None of the tournaments have given out participation trophies, only firsts and occasional seconds. The kids did get pins and medals for "participating" in All Stars, but you had to earn your way onto the All Star team, so I view that differently.

That lines up with what I've seen from other sports. My kids haven't gotten participation trophies from the youth basketball league, but they have for soccer -- but this is all young-age, rec-level stuff. We have friends in the travel soccer and basketball leagues and they don't. Seems reasonable to me.

 

[HawkMFT]

These must be free leagues or something then. At least for baseball, I can't imagine a tournament charging the money they do to register teams and then not giving the tourney champ a trophy.

I can assure you it's not a free league. Select soccer through VSA in Waukee. As far as tournament fees and charges, I have no idea...that is all rolled in to what we pay every year for the select program. I honestly think soccer is a different animal that way. I actually like it. Prevents dbag parents from posting pics of every little trinket their kid wins...

 

[HawkMFT]

I'm sorry you have to spend perfectly good weekends at soccer games.

Viewed from a different angle, as one of those evil former season ticket holders, I can say that I would spend a weekend watching soccer any time over watching a shitty boring football game against a lame opponent in Kinnick the past couple of years.

 

[torbee]

I'm sorry you have to spend perfectly good weekends at soccer games.

Actually, we have a blast. I'm bummed this might be his last year on this travel team (starts high school next year).

We have become good friends with many of the other parents and we always go out and have beers, good dinners, etc. during tournament weekends.

The other nice thing about soccer is the games are typically 30-40 minute halves, a 5 minute halftime break, and NO STOPPAGES IN PLAY! Now going to baseball tournaments, THAT would be nightmarish - those games are slow and take forever. Same with girls volleyball, thank God my daughter quit that sport - it was excruciating.

I love being out on the soccer fields in the spring and fall.

 

[HawkMFT]

Actually, we have a blast. I'm bummed this might be his last year on this travel team (starts high school next year).

We have become good friends with many of the other parents and we always go out and have beers, good dinners, etc. during tournament weekends.

The other nice thing about soccer is the games are typically 30-40 minute halves, a 5 minute halftime break, and NO STOPPAGES IN PLAY! Now going to baseball tournaments, THAT would be nightmarish - those games are slow and take forever. Same with girls volleyball, thank God my daughter quit that sport - it was excruciating.

I love being out on the soccer fields in the spring and fall.

Could not agree with you more. This year for the first time, our club divided out the U13s into premier and competitive though so we will lose some of those contacts.

We have plenty of friends who play baseball tournaments all summer and I'm sorry but those feel absolutely painful to sit through.

I never played soccer and never really wanted my kid to play it. But we have been blessed with incredible coaches, a ridiculously high skill level in his age group and as a result have been treated to some really good quality games to watch. I've grown to love the game and will be sad when he's done playing it someday.