Argumentative Essay On Trophies For All

Improved Essays
What would life be like if everyone got an award for simply showing up to work, school, and sports? Based on the "Trophies for All" policy every youth athlete gets a trophy for simply coming to games and practices. Participation trophies do not prepare these future adults to live and work in the real world. These youth athletes also need to know that you have to work hard to get what you want. And finally, youth athletes need to know that not everyone is a winner. On the other hand, some parents and coaches might think that it is worth a few bucks to make their kids smile. However, instead of spending a lot of money on them, simple a thumbs up or a good job will do just fine. Trophies lose their meaning when people don't earn them. The "Trophies for All" policy does not prepare youth athletes for the real world. According to the SCOPE article, written by Lauren Tarshis, "In life, most people are not rewarding for simply doing what's required.” Clearly, proves that when these youth athletes become adults they are not going to know what to do at their job if they are being rewarded for participating right now. This sends the wrong message to these kids. In the work industry, you do not get a bonus or a raise just for doing what is expected of you. In conclusion, …show more content…
According to the article, "Pros and Cons: A Look at Participation Trophies for Youth Athletes," Travis Armideo states, " If you’re the best at what you do and work harder then your competitors, rewards will come." This evidence shows that you need to work really, really hard to succeed in life. If you work at an office building with 30 other people who have the same qualifications as you, but you work harder then everyone else then you will get that manager position or that bonus, not the other 30 competitors. To sum it up, if you don't work for it, then you shouldn't receive any special

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    In Vivian Diller’s article, “Do We All Deserve Gold? Setting Kids Up To Fail” and Lisa Heffernan’s article, “In defense of participation trophies: Why they really do teach the right values” both authors disagree on many different things about participation trophies. The one disagreement that drives these authors the furthest apart is kids being given trophies for just participating or giving trophies to those who only win and what the value of this holds for the kids. Lisa Heffernan states that giving “participation trophies remind young kids that they are part of something, and may help build enthusiasm to return for another season” in her article “In defense of participation trophies: Why they really do teach the right values” (In Defense).…

    • 405 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Corey Turner remembers collecting participation trophies from the YMCA soccer program he was involved in as a young athlete. These trophies are now sitting in a dusty box somewhere in his parent's basement. This leads him to question whether or not young athletes should receive trophies for just showing up. Corey Turner is not alone, people across the nation have debated this issue for as long as youth sports have been in existence. I believe that kids should not get trophies for participating because kids should learn life lessons from both wins and losses and participation trophies do more harm than good.…

    • 473 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Many people find themselves asking if participation trophies are even important or not, or if we should even have them in general. Well we should, for reasons that might have been overlooked. Participation trophies show a great significance consisting of commitment and dedication, they remind one of an experience or the friendships they made, and they give more meaning than you would think to a young child learning self-confidence. Commitment and and dedication show the growth of responsibility and a participation trophy shows just this. Richard Greenberg says this, “Participation trophies mark the fact that these kids kept a commitment and showed up to the games.”…

    • 490 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Each year one coach spends two to three thousand dollars a year on participation trophies. Why are we spending all this money on participation trophies? Yes, this gives the kids a smile but after a game you can simply just give them ice cream. On the other hand, people think it is worth a few bucks to give kids a big smile. Participation trophies motivated the kids that are not good at their sports.…

    • 402 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Participation Trophies The two differences that are driving these authors apart are their values and priorities. They both speak of the same argument of whether or not children should receive participation trophies. I agree with Lisa Heffernan’s argument because of the different effects a participation trophy can have on children. Can participation trophies make it hard for children to differentiate the accomplishments that deserve positive reinforcements or can the trophies teach a lesson about commitment?…

    • 618 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    There has been a long discussion in society on weather or not kids should receive participation trophies. The people that disagree with giving kids participation trophy's say that giving kids participation trophy's will hurt them later in life by not teaching them the values of hard work. However the people that agree with giving kids participation trophy's say that they can make kids feel good and raise there self esteem. I agree with not giving participation trophy's because the value of hard work is very important.…

    • 312 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Decent Essays

    There are so many reasons why Participation Trophies should be taken out of existence here are a few reasons why. Kids and teens should not receive participation trophies for a number of reasons. For starters may cause kids to think too highly of themselves because they get a reward for participating. It also might have the complete opposite effect and make kids think too lowly of themselves.…

    • 293 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Decent Essays

    I believe that participation rewards should not be handed out and kids should have to earn their trophies the right way, by winning. One of the big reasons children should not get these plastic trophies is because of a lack of effort. Let’s say a kid on a team never shows up to practice or training and does not contribute to their team league or club. Why should they get a trophy?…

    • 327 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Decent Essays

    In The Great Trophy Debate: Do We Need Participation Awards? by John O'Sullivan it says, "The $2000-$3000 we spent every year on awards could have put dozens of kids on the field, and/or dozens of coaches through some quality coaching education. " The few thousand dollars that is spent on making the awards could be spent on better and more useful things. Youth athletes might need better uniforms or more sports equipment to train with but the funds for these things are going towards awards. In life, if you don't earn something, you probably won't be rewarded.…

    • 524 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Priceman explains “They were taught that these awards were placeholders in life” (Priceman). Priceman is explaining that having trophy as a placeholder is Ok and nothing is wrong with that, and that is what kids should think of Trophies . Priceman believes when everyone grows up from their childhood and looks back at the Trophies they will remember what they did when they were a kid thanks to having that as a placeholder. However, “We must focus on process and progress, not results and rewards” (Merryman). With giving them Trophies they will not think they need to make progress and don’t care about the process.…

    • 561 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Should everyone get a trophy? According to the "Trophies for All" policy, youth athletes are being awarded with participation trophies. People don't get something in "real life" for showing up, participating, and "doing your best." Giving awards for showing up and doing what is required is meaningless and sends the wrong message. The more trophies you give out the less each one means.…

    • 570 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The majority of children participate In many extracurricular activities such as soccer, baseball, and dance. At the end of the season, every team has its annual awards night and where the star players would be recognized for their outstanding achievements. Everyone else on the team receives the “glad you tried but you aren 't good enough” trophy. Many children, including myself, fall into this category. As naive little children, many kids do not understand that this is the situation.…

    • 1486 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Some people may think without trophies kids won't be motivated to do different sports. But do we really want our kids motivated by trophies? Youth athletes should be rewarded for winning and trying their hardest, not doing what's required Youth athletes are getting trophies for just showing up. In life we don’t receive trophies for doing an average job. Youth athletes should receive trophies when they work…

    • 455 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In many youth sports, participation trophies are given to every child. Basically if the kid shows up they get a trophy even if they do nothing and put no effort into playing their game. In today’s society people give children too many trophies. When a child is given too many trophies when they do not actually earn it, it can actually lower their motivation and shield them from the realities of life. When a kid is given the same trophy as everyone else it lowers their motivation.…

    • 802 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    If everybody gets a trophy it can take away the pride of having a trophy. Rewarding every effort with trophies does not prepare children for adult life. In order to receive a trophy, an athlete should prepare and perform above average at an event or at the end of a season. When athletes receive awards for simply showing up at practice and participating in games it sends the wrong message that kids don’t have to try their best to receive a trophy.…

    • 755 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays