Day 89: Thank You For Not Giving My Tballer A Trophy

This might come off funny, after bitching about Calen's team last night. But to be clear, that was directed towards his coach, not the league. I love the league the boys play in. One coach won't ruin it for me. 

The season is over but we went to Camden's tball team party this evening at Mountain Mike's Pizza. It was the usual fare: pizza, drinks, 20 kids (including player siblings) being wild and crazy in the arcade room while the parents gossip. 

But then it came time for the "awards". You know the drill. The "every kid gets a huge trophy for picking dandelions in the outfield and hitting a ball off a tee" award that seems to be almost required in today's youth sports. Normally, I cringe. Call me crazy, but I am not on board with everyone getting a big trophy merely for "participation." As if we need another reason to fuel the fire of the era of the entitled generation, where kids expect a trophy just by showing up to their games and not being required to put in any more effort than kicking the dirt around. What does this teach these kids later in life? That they are expected to be given a raise in their job just by showing up, that the hard worker is rewarded no more than the lazy bum. 

I wish I could get a participation trophy just for showing up out of bed each day. 

So as I'm rolling my eyes waiting for the box of shiny gold humongous trophies of "participation" to come out, I was thrilled to see a manilla envelope full of small, adorable, medals. 

I found myself immediately nodding in approval. Okay, medals! I can do participation medals. Sure, to some people it might not seem any different than a trophy. They're still getting awarded for participation. But it felt different. It felt appropriate. You get medals for running marathons. You get trophies for winning the state tournament. Small, memorable, but not putting these kids on such a pedestal for playing tball in a daisy field where they don't even keep score. 

And you know what? Camden was thrilled. He's seen his brother's countless participation trophies, but he didn't feel like he needed one himself. Maybe because in his first season of sports, his league did it right and didn't create another entitled kid. He got a medal. And a cupcake. And he was on cloud nine. And really, what more does a 5 year old tballer need?

Cupcakes. Medals. Need they anything more at this level of play?

I'm crossing my fingers that when Calen's team party rolls around, he will also receive a medal in lieu of a trophy. If he wants a trophy, he needs to work hard enough to make the All-Star team. Then give the kid a trophy for actually going above and beyond the norm. Hard work=bigger reward. And in the end, everyone takes home something, but it doesn't get to be the biggest award available. In fact, it shouldn't be. If you want a trophy, earn it. 

So thank you, Rohnert Park Cal Ripken Youth Baseball League, for not giving my tballer a trophy. I hope that this is customary for not just your Peewee divisions, but for all your younger baseball divisions as well. 

2016 Rohnert Park Peewee Orioles at their team party

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