Sports Teamwork Essay

“I don’t measure a man’s success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom.” This quote by George S. Patton Jr. demonstrates the path to take after failing. Unlike Mr. Patton’s quote, we are teaching kids it’s okay to fail so there is no need to bounce back. There should always be a winner and there should always be a loser. Handing out trophies to all participants at a sporting event is not a way to build up key tools for later on in life. As leaders and adults, we need to put an end to this façade of everything always being perfect. There are certain key lessons that by being on a sports team teaches children like resiliency and that not everything in life will be handed to you. Sports teams use the concept of resiliency to help their team to not give up.

Everyone, at least once in their lives, gets hit with a situation that can make them feel like

they have hit rock bottom. When we are children, this feeling used to come into play when losing a game at a sporting event but now children get trophies for winning, losing or just plain showing up. There are quite a few studies that tell us that children who are overly, unrightfully praised are most likely to be unmotivated, self-obsessed, and irresponsible. This false sense of success has been demonstrated in some of the worst people in society like bullies, criminals and junkies. Handing out trophies to everyone is not letting the children build up their residency for later on in life when they really need it. This method shows the children that in life, everything goes smooth and as planned which is not the case. Most importantly this method demonstrates that everything in life will just be handed to you.
An occupation, a degree or a relationship all have to be worked for. Asking adults what they would like out of life, you will more than likely have someone saying they want one of the three. So how do they make it more than just a dream? It must be worked hard for and never given up on. If a child has it ingrained in their head that if they want something, they get it automatically, they will never get what they really want out of life and wonder why not. The method of giving a trophy to all participants ruins the feeling of drive and desire we get when we really want to accomplish something. It makes people lazy and makes them feel entitled just because they have shown up. Children need to fail sometimes so they know what it feels like. It gives them a sense of respect for it so they never want to return there.
With every good argument, there will always be an opposing side.

In this case I’m sure the opposing side would argue that giving all the children trophies helps build confidence and how it makes them feel good. We can compare this to lying. Telling a lie in the present will be good for right now but down the road it can ruin any situation. Giving the child a false sense of confidence is great right now. It makes them continue to want to play the sport and keeps the child happy. However, it kills their sense of drive and motivation. As an athlete, when I was told I was great or the best, I would slack up because why would I need to continue to practice hard if I’m the best? This is seen all the time with college football stars that make it to the NFL. In the beginning they get so much publicity and then fade away. They made it, why should they work hard. Giving the children a false sense of confidence leads to all of this. It leads to children feeling like they made it so why should they continue to be better. The children feel happy that they got acknowledged so they must have done the

best.
Adults need to look at the bigger picture aside from the present. Instead of ensuring that the children are happy and feel successful, we should make sure they are successful. This starts with the children understanding resiliency and understanding that working hard gets you want you desire, not just being a participant. Real life has winners and losers as should the child league sports. If you could give 5 year-old you something, would it be a trophy or life tools?