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A participation trophy is a trophy given to children (usually) who participate in a recreational sport without requiring their success in competition. One of the earliest known mentions of the term "participation trophy" occurred on February 8, 1922, in a Massillon, Ohio newspaper, The Evening Independent, in an article announcing a high school basketball tournament.[1] The Olympics issue participation medals to athletes and support staffs, event officials, and certain volunteers. Military equivalents are the service medal, the campaign medal, and marksmanship qualification badges.
The term may also be used as an example of the celebration of mediocrity or of emotional coddling. In this rhetorical context, it is frequently associated with millennials, those of Generation Y.[2][3]
Justification
editDefenders of participation trophies argue that they teach children that trying their best is good enough, even if they do not win.[4][5] They assert that it makes the child feel good about being on a team or participating, competing and having fun. They don’t feel left out or “less than” their peers who won. It makes every child feel special and raises their self-esteem. Parents feel good about it and the child feels good about it. It also increases the likelihood that a child will want to return to play other sports/get another trophy. [6]
Critique
editCritics argue that such trophies promote narcissism and an entitlement mentality among recipients, and are based on incorrect assumptions regarding supposed psychological benefits of self-esteem. Critics also note that some children do not value them as much as they do trophies given only to winners.[7] A backlash against participation trophies intensified in the 1990s.[8]
Jordon Roos and Brad Strand hold that participation trophies don't allow kids to learn from failures; that when a kid loses, it enables them to learn a lesson from their loss, such as that losing is a part of life.[9]
See also
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References
edit- ^ "Many Trophies For Tossers In State Tourney". The Evening Independent. February 8, 1922.
- ^ Schlitzkus, Lisa L.; Schenarts, Kimberly D.; Schenarts, Paul J. (2010). "Is Your Residency Program Ready for Generation Y?". Journal of Surgical Education. 67 (2): 108–111. doi:10.1016/j.jsurg.2010.03.004. PMID 20656608.
- ^ "The Participation Trophy Generation is a Lie and I Can Prove it". Inc.com. 2017-01-16. Retrieved 2018-02-20.
- ^ Wallace, Kelly (2015-08-17). "Debate: Does sports participation deserve a trophy?". CNN. Retrieved 2018-02-20.
- ^ "The NPR Ed Mailbag: The Participation Trophy". NPR. 2014-08-14. Retrieved 2018-02-20.
- ^ "Participation Trophies – "Special" or "Harmful" The Participation Trophy". characterandleadership.com/. 2017-09-18. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
- ^ Johnson, Heather Beth (2010-03-23). Children and Youth Speak for Themselves. Emerald Group Publishing. p. 326. ISBN 9781849507356.
- ^ Fink, Candida. "The Power of Participation Trophies". Psychology Today. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
- ^ Roos, Jordon; Strand, Brad. "The Conundrum of Participation Trophies in Youth Sports". PHE America. PHE America. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
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