[FrogIsAFrogIsAFr...]

When kids (from age 7 - 10) participate in club sports for a whole year, and go to a Presentation Dinner, do you think it's fair that all kids receive an encouragement award to thank them for a year of commitment and effort?

I have recently attended such a function and noticed that of the 16 kids who are in the club in this age group - the top 5 performers received a beautiful Award Cup, about 6 received smaller encouragement trophies, and the other 5 got diddly squat.

I'm not coming from a sour grapes perspective (it wasn't anything to do with my kids - they're not in this age bracket) - just my observation.

I was sitting by a boy who missed out though, and as soon as they moved on to the next age group, he turned to his mum and said "I didn't get anything", in a very matter of fact way. This kid, comes out to every event, and tries just as hard as everyone else and for one reason or another, doesn't do so well. However, when I was a kid playing club sport - every kid received at least a certificate at the end of the year (does anyone remember the Maccas ones with free cheesburger and small drink? Now THAT was some treat )

I'm of the opinion that yes, the world is a competitive place but for the love of Pete, how hard would it have been to buy 5 more little trophies, or pennants/ certificates to encourage a child and their family to keep doing what they love???

WDYT?

This post has been edited by FrogIsAFrogIsAFrog: 17/11/2012, 08:54 AM

[FrogIsAFrogIsAFr...]

That's where I'm coming from, Ferdinand. It's almost a no-brainer to me, that's why I was surprised to see a few kids miss out.

I'm actually thinking that I'll draft up a letter, outlining my concerns, and send it to the committee. Then it won't look like a sour parent. I'm hoping the vast majority of club members wouldn't mind all kids receiving an award!

[idignantlyright]

At every club the kids have played at, the entire team have gotten a trophy each at presentation night. There was also a Best & Fairest for each team.

At grassroots level(park/association) one of the younger ones also got a Macdonalds encouragment award after each game.

At PL/SL level each player got a trophy, then there was Coaches Player & Players Player.
Then in the club there was Senior & Junior Golden Boot, as well as Senior & Junior Player of the year.

The presentation method in the OP would never be allowed. Especially in Juniors.

ETA that the above awards are not encouragment awards, they acknowledge the participation etc.
The coaches player is for the player who shows dedication, is eager to learn etc.

This post has been edited by idignantlyright: 17/11/2012, 09:09 AM

[la di dah]

I would have thought you choose whether to only reward the top performers, or you have "party favour awards" where everyone gets at least a small one/ribbon/certificate, but you don't mix and match so that the number of kids without anything is smaller than the number with something?

That just seems odd to me from an outsider perspective?

[Therese]

If you're going to give encouragement awards, everyone needs to get one.

I agree with this.

[JRA]

This is an interesting one. We have found by about 8 or 9, kids are very aware of "real" awards and "nothing" awards. DS is nearly 10, a couple of years ago at school apparently the children were talking about this. They all knew which ones are real and which ones aren't.

At hockey for the under 9s we given "medals" to all children. For under 11 and up, we only do the best and fairest, team player and coaches award. If the team wins a premiership they all also get a plaque as well as their crappy Hockey Vic medal. Runners up get the Hockey Vic medal only. That is also driven by the fact that U9s don't have finals etc.

This is a good reminder for me, next year the age groups change and we need to rethink this, as they go to u10 and u12. The top u10 team will play a proper season with finals. We will need to rethink how we manage this next year. Great.

I have to say I think the OPs situation where 10 out of 15 got something is really pretty poor

[BadCat]

I think it does kids the world of good to participate in a season of sport with no reward other than personal enjoyment.

While the situation described in the OP is unusual it's not a big deal.

[FrogIsAFrogIsAFr...]

While the situation described in the OP is unusual it's not a big deal.

Badcat, I'm not proclaiming it's the end of the world, more kind of thinking out loud on the boards. I do acknowledge the parents were clearly more miffed than the kids.

I asked DS if he thought it was bad that some missed out, he replied "no, because the kids who came out to every event got an encouragement award". He thought it fair and reasonable.

Just food for thought.

[JRA]

I am now confused

This kid, comes out to every event, and tries just as hard as everyone else and for one reason or another, doesn't do so well

I asked DS if he thought it was bad that some missed out, he replied "no, because the kids who came out to every event got an encouragement award". He thought it fair and reasonable.

So the children who didn't get an award didn't come to everything?

[BadCat]

Badcat, I'm not proclaiming it's the end of the world, more kind of thinking out loud on the boards.

Sorry, I didn't mean you were making a big deal of it. Just that I don't see it as a big deal IYKWIM?

Fine, but then you don't give encouragement awards to half of the competitors and single out a small few by giving them nothing.

Depends what the encouragement awards were for. If they were for turning up at every game, paying attention to the coach at training, and actually making a real effort to improve your skills then I don't think it's unreasonable to leave some kids out. When I was coaching I would have given 3 or 4 kids an encouragment award based on those criteria and not given the others anything. Some of the kids were downright obnoxious week in, week out. Giving them an award seems counterproductive to me.

If they were throwaway awards then by all means give them to everyone.

This post has been edited by BadCat: 17/11/2012, 09:24 AM