Essay Sample: Do Participation Trophies Celebrate Mediocracy or Boost Self-Esteem?

In today's society, the importance of participation trophies is a pretty controversial topic. Whether it's academic awards at school or trophies in sports, these trophies are definitely important to give kids in today's world. These trophies are used as a symbol to congratulate children for their hard work regardless of whether they win or lose in a sports game. Some people believe that participation trophies can create confidence in children by showing them that their hard work has value and deserves to be rewarded. However, others feel that participation trophies only celebrate mediocrity and it can make kids too arrogant and that they need to learn the lesson of failure. Overall, Participation trophies can boost self-esteem by creating confidence in children, teaching kids about the importance of teamwork, and rewarding hard work.      

Growing up, kids always want to feel like they are good at something, however, even if a child enjoys an activity it doesn't mean they are good at it. For example, if a child loves playing basketball, but isn’t very good at it there is no need for people to discourage them. Instead, it is important to build up their confidence and make the children feel appreciated, and a participation trophy is a perfect way to do that. Research shows that kids who are congratulated for their hard work with trophies or medals are more likely to try and work harder in the future. Psychologist Steve Arcidiacono says, “You have got to ask yourself what is the point of giving someone a medal or a trophy, to me it is to highlight success, effort, overcoming a challenge. So the question of whether or not we should give people a trophy for participating kind of depends if participating in itself is a challenge (Are).” This quote makes a good point and asks the question of if participating in the challenge, which isn’t always the case. On a sports team, there will always be people that are more willing to play, however, if the majority of the team is motivated and working hard then, a participation trophy is deserved. Something as simple as an award or trophy can actually mean a lot to a kid because it's a token of achievement and is a sign of appreciation. Whether they are on a sports team and they win or lose, a participation trophy can make kids feel valued and boost their self-esteem. Many will argue that participation trophies don’t teach kids about failure, however, at a young age, children still deserve to feel rewarded for their effort.  In a young child’s case, most are playing sports because they enjoy doing it, obviously, it's a game and they want to win, however, with the involvement of participation trophies kids will learn that winning the game isn’t everything. Dr. Jack Lesyk says that research shows that when asking kids ages 6 and up why they are participating in a sport almost all will say because it's fun. Some kids even know that they are not very good at the sport by that doesn't mean they should stop playing it. By going to practices and giving their best effort, they will become a better player and continue to play the sport they love.

In life, eventually, there will be a situation where teamwork will become important. Whether it's a group project at school or being a part of a sports team, knowing how to be a team player is a very important skill to have. When kids are at a young age, they will join a sports team to try something new or continue playing a sport they already enjoy. When joining the team, they will learn a lot about the importance of teamwork. Kids will learn things like responsibility and how important it is to be reliable. Kids will also learn things like the importance of exercise and growing social skills by making new friends outside of school. Research shows that kids that play in team sports grow up to have higher fitness levels, better grades, and confidence in themselves. Teamwork means always trying your hardest because other people will be relying on that. Being on a team will give children confidence and they will feel valued by others depending on them.  Also, teamwork gives kids a sense of togetherness as they form a strong bond from being together often. With participation trophies involved, kids will be taught that the goal is not about winning or losing, but instead having fun and being proud by helping your team. They will see whether they win or lose, the entire team gave it their best effort and they all had fun together. As kids grow older, they will learn that working by themselves isn’t always the best scenario, and working as a team can sometimes lead to greater success. For example, if someone is doing a school project alone, they might do better in a group because they can bounce ideas off each other. Overall, especially when participation trophies are included, teamwork is extremely important and beneficial to a child's upbringing. 

When it comes to participation trophies, the main reason why people argue it should be allowed is to commend hard work. When it comes to children playing on a sports team it is no question that the majority of the kids are working hard. First, they have to try out, then, if they make the team, they have to constantly go to practices and games. Not only do these kids have to consistently practice and participate in the game, but they also have to balance all of it with the school. Being on a team can require a lot of hard work, even though they enjoy playing, it still takes a lot of effort, and can be incredibly exhausting at times. In the situation where they lose, it can be very frustrating to not receive anything after all the hard work they put in. As children get older, they start to understand the concept of failure and they will understand more, however, for a young kid, it can be very saddening. Eventually, kids will need to learn about failure, and how hard work will not always lead to success, but when they are young, that lesson isn’t as important. With participation trophies, children get an opportunity to look forward to something. Participation trophies can give kids a chance to play for something, rather than just when they lose and receive nothing. Also, these trophies can be used as a symbol for children to look back on. When these children get older, they can look at these trophies and be proud of themselves even if they didn’t win. Overall, probably the greatest reason for participation trophies is that it gives children a feeling of achievement for their good effort. 

While there is lots of evidence to prove that Participation trophies can boost self-esteem, many people will still argue that it only celebrates mediocrity. A big argument against participation trophies is that these trophies only stunt their motivation because they know that they are getting a trophy regardless. Parents especially are usually big supporters of participation trophies. Most parents want to believe that their child is special and everything they do is amazing, however, opponents of participation trophies believe that it can make kids too arrogant. Of course, parents need to be encouraging, but many feel too much encouragement will lead them to feel entitled. However, others will argue that they don’t want children to have low self-esteem. Another big argument is that children need to experience failure and need to learn that hard work will not always lead to success. However, supporters of these trophies argue that kids experience failure constantly in school with bad grades. Another argument against participation trophies is that even some kids don’t believe in them. For young kids, a participation trophy can make them feel proud of themselves and all of the hard efforts they put in. However, opponents argue that as children reach the age of eight, people argue that participation trophies become meaningless to them. As children grow older, many start to become extremely competitive, and only want to win and that they want a real trophy. Supporters will still argue that trophies can still mean a lot to young kids because not everyone is super competitive and that they can still have value. Overall, while participation trophies can be a very tricky subject, it is still important to young kids. 

Overall, while many will have different opinions, participation trophies should be allowed because it boosts children’s self-esteem much more than it celebrates mediocrity. Of course, many will argue that these trophies can be bad for kids, studies show that there are more benefits than negatives. Research shows that it can boost children's self-esteem, which is important for kids at a young age. Also, it can teach children how important it is to have a good work ethnic by being shown how to be a team player. Also, it can also teach children that, while not everything they do will be a success, their hard work is appreciated. In conclusion, boost self-esteem by creating confidence in kids, teaching children the value of teamwork, and showing them that their hard work is valued.