No Participation Trophies Policy
Why I Hate Participation Trophies
The Dilemma of Trophies
Trophies can be both a blessing and a curse—bringing happiness and tears, life lessons and also false expectations. At Fussbally, typically around 10% of participants in an average camp receive a trophy. So why not give every child a trophy to keep everyone happy? From a business perspective, it’s certainly not ideal when customers leave camp upset because they didn’t win. But at Fussbally, our No Participation Trophies Policy is intentional. Here’s why we believe in it—and how it helps kids grow.
The Risks of False Praise
“WE CAN NEVER SEE OUR CHILD STRUGGLE FOR 1 MINUTE! WE NEED TO SHELTER THEM FROM ALL BAD IN THE WORLD” – thinks the over protective parent
Constantly rewarding children for mere participation can harm their development. Participation trophies may inflate a child’s self-esteem without fostering real accomplishments, ultimately undermining their motivation to improve. If children are shielded from failure, they miss out on crucial lessons about resilience and perseverance.
Playing is the Real Reward
We need to shift our perspective: the true reward is the opportunity to play. Your child is lucky to participate in a high-quality soccer program thanks to your hard work and dedication. You invest time and resources to give them this chance, and the joy of playing should be celebrated as a significant achievement in itself. The expectation that you or anyone else owes them something because they got to play / practice is in my opinion just false.
Life's Realities: Winning and Losing
Not every child can win all the time, and that’s an essential life lesson. The rarity of victory makes it special, while the challenges of competition can drive improvement. Experiencing loss teaches valuable skills, such as coping with failure and overcoming obstacles. Participation trophies dilute these lessons and diminish the thrill of winning.
The Anticipation of Success
Like with eating out, receiving candy, going to the movies, getting new clothes or whatever reward you might think of the more you get it / the easier it is to get the less valuable it becomes in our minds. The anticipation and effort required to achieve that goal make the victory far more rewarding than a simple participation trophy ever could.
Conclusion: Embracing the Journey
Ultimately, we should celebrate effort and personal growth over mere participation. By fostering a mindset that values the experience of playing and learning, we can help children appreciate the journey. The thrill of competition, the lessons learned from both wins and losses, and the joy of achieving something meaningful are what truly shape well-rounded individuals.
Final remarks:
I have had mixed conversations with families on this topic. From Parents saying: “The fact that not everyone wins is one of our favorite things about Fussbally” to parents stating: “Not giving kids that are only 8 years old a prize while others get one is torture and a horrible thing to do”. For me I learn that Fussbally is not always for everyone. Our mission is to help your child develop soccer skills at the fastest rate possible. We are excited to keep improving our trainings games and more to help kids with our mission. Thank you for being part of Fussbally. We are truly blessed with our community.