Pittsburgh Steeler Returns His Kids "Participation" Trophies

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is his Instagram post about this. Now this is a DAD:

I came home to find out that my boys received two trophies for nothing, participation trophies! While I am very proud of my boys for everything they do and will encourage them till the day I die, these trophies will be given back until they EARN a real trophy. I'm sorry I'm not sorry for believing that everything in life should be earned and I'm not about to raise two boys to be men by making them believe that they are entitled to something just because they tried their best...cause sometimes your best is not enough, and that should drive you to want to do better...not cry and whine until somebody gives you something to shut u up and keep you happy.

What this is, is a DAD who makes his kids do stuff to fit his own personal agenda.

You are wrong. It is a dad who is preparing his sons to face life.

How, exactly?

Coach: Here's a trophy for being on the team.
Son of DAD: My dad says that I have to give it back.

What is this preparation for?

[Anonymous]

I'm a coach. We don't do participation trophies. I do, however, give all my players something to commemorate their participation on the team -- a keepsake, if you will. But it's not a "trophy."

We have won a couple of trophies, however. Those they can keep.

[Anonymous]

He sounds like a major dick to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is his Instagram post about this. Now this is a DAD:

I came home to find out that my boys received two trophies for nothing, participation trophies! While I am very proud of my boys for everything they do and will encourage them till the day I die, these trophies will be given back until they EARN a real trophy. I'm sorry I'm not sorry for believing that everything in life should be earned and I'm not about to raise two boys to be men by making them believe that they are entitled to something just because they tried their best...cause sometimes your best is not enough, and that should drive you to want to do better...not cry and whine until somebody gives you something to shut u up and keep you happy.

What this is, is a DAD who makes his kids do stuff to fit his own personal agenda.

You are wrong. It is a dad who is preparing his sons to face life.

How, exactly?

Coach: Here's a trophy for being on the team.
Son of DAD: My dad says that I have to give it back.

What is this preparation for?

This kind of dad probably also believes in coaches that yell and humiliate their players into accomplishing more. Drop a pass? Get berated and humiliated.

[Anonymous]

People take this way too seriously. I just don't think it has much of an effect on kids, one way or the other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here is his Instagram post about this. Now this is a DAD:


I came home to find out that my boys received two trophies for nothing, participation trophies! While I am very proud of my boys for everything they do and will encourage them till the day I die, these trophies will be given back until they EARN a real trophy. I'm sorry I'm not sorry for believing that everything in life should be earned and I'm not about to raise two boys to be men by making them believe that they are entitled to something just because they tried their best...cause sometimes your best is not enough, and that should drive you to want to do better...not cry and whine until somebody gives you something to shut u up and keep you happy.

His kids are going to end up with serious issues anyway. When you tell a little kid - " your best isn't good enough " - you are defeating them over and over before they even start.

[Anonymous]

You know, I have mixed feelings about this. I do not like participation trophies, as it devalues hard work. But, as a kid, and into young adulthood I had never won an award. And other people had these trophy cases.

What I did when I coached was made a set of unique awards -- focused on the impact a player had on the team. For example, there were co MVP's, Best defended, best defensive play (adjusted at the last minute when, hours before our end of season party, a girl caught the pop fly, tagged the runner going from first to second, and stepped on on second for a season ending triple play). But, I digress.

The awards should mean something. I can be as simple as most hustle during practice. I even had best cheering (and yes, that girl is a cheerleader now). Or most focus during games. Because everyone has a contribution.

[Anonymous]

I think he is likely an asshole and doing his kids no favors- I can just imagine them telling the other kids they don't deserve a trophy or it is meaningless. How else would a kid cope?

These participation trophies are merely a memento of your season acknowledging that everyone has contributed. They are kids. It is fine. In this area it is so competitive that most of these kids won't even get to play a team sport in high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is his Instagram post about this. Now this is a DAD:

I came home to find out that my boys received two trophies for nothing, participation trophies! While I am very proud of my boys for everything they do and will encourage them till the day I die, these trophies will be given back until they EARN a real trophy. I'm sorry I'm not sorry for believing that everything in life should be earned and I'm not about to raise two boys to be men by making them believe that they are entitled to something just because they tried their best...cause sometimes your best is not enough, and that should drive you to want to do better...not cry and whine until somebody gives you something to shut u up and keep you happy.

What this is, is a DAD who makes his kids do stuff to fit his own personal agenda.

You are wrong. It is a dad who is preparing his sons to face life.

How, exactly?

Coach: Here's a trophy for being on the team.
Son of DAD: My dad says that I have to give it back.

What is this preparation for?

I guess it is preparation for getting used to handling awkward situations. Dude needs to unclench.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand what the problem is that he is dealing with? Too many trophies? This is a real problem? Wow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand what the problem is that he is dealing with? Too many trophies? This is a real problem? Wow.

The problem is that trophies for participation are somehow teaching his children to cry and whine until somebody gives you something to shut you and keep you happy, and that is unmanly -- or, well, something.

Now, I, personally, think that too many trophies is a real problem, because you have to find somewhere to put them, and you have to dust them, and what do you do with them when the kid leaves home and doesn't want them anymore? But those are not manly concerns.

[Anonymous]

Instructing your kid to reject a participation trophy is obnoxious and anti-social. And ironically just contributes to the sense that they are special snowflakes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of all the battles a parent could choose to fight. And he chose this one. Wow.

+1000! People who make a fuss about something like this need some real problems.

[Anonymous]

I have a tween with SN who will never earn a "real" trophy. He is proud of his participation trophies because they represent him trying his best.

Haters gotta hate on something benign all the damn time.

[Anonymous]

I agree with him.

But I'm having a hard time caring because he is a crazy, dirty player.