James Harrison won’t let his sons accept participation trophies

James Harrison won’t let his sons accept participation trophies

Posted by Michael David Smith on August 16, 2015, 9:19 AM EDT



Anyone who’s ever watched Steelers linebacker James Harrison play football knows that he’s an intense competitor who wants to win at all costs. So perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising that Harrison is passing along that intense competitiveness to his sons.

Harrison took to social media this weekend to lash out at the idea that his sons should receive participation trophies simply for playing sports, saying that when he found out his sons were given such trophies, he demanded that they be sent back. Harrison believes that a trophy should be something you earn by being the best, not something you receive just for trying.

“I came home to find out that my boys received two trophies for nothing, participation trophies!” Harrison wrote. “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.”

Harrison concluded with the hashtag, “Harrison Family Values.” In James Harrison’s household, there’s no credit given for just showing up. If you want a trophy, you’d better win.

Road Apples.

I think this is great. I hate the coddling of children culture.

I firmly support his anti-participation trophy stance.

You want a trophy, earn it.

It simply a symbolic jester for playing the sport much like giving a player a letter and jacket. It's not a declaration of anything other than participation IMO.

This is great.

Get those kids some of your PEDs and they'll soon be winning real trophies.

Good for him. Participation trophies only foster the stupid attitude that you don't have to work for what you get.

Is it a rec league or a competitive league? If it is just a rec league then it isn't that big a deal. It is just a memento. Heck, they usually just give out cheap medals anyway. Trophies are expensive. It is all in how you hand them out too. When I've coached my kid's teams I've always made sure to recognize each kid for something when I give them the awards: Most Improved, Best Defense, etc. If you are really invested in helping them get better it isn't hard to recognize each kid's contribution to the team. That sticks with them more than the trophy\medal anyway, imo

If it is a competitive league then it is a different situation.

To be fair if I was a kid and I got a participation trophy from say a baseball tournament that my team never placed in, I'm probably not displaying the thing anyway and it's a waste of money for whoever is paying for it. I don't think any kid is going to be proud about a participation trophy. I mean the whole point of a trophy is sort of a thing of pride about what you accomplished. Winning first place in a big tournament is a thing of pride. Signing up isn't really.

It's why a participation medal for running a marathon for example I'm ok with. Just finishing a marathon is a pretty big accomplishment.

If any of you guys lettered in high school or college and didn't win your conference give up the jacket and letter. It's strictly recognition for participating.

L.T. Fan said:

If any of you guys lettered in high school or college and didn't win your conference give up the jacket and letter. It's strictly recognition for participating.

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I think a letter is a little different then a trophy. To be honest I never got a letterman's jacket and I have no idea where the letters they gave me went but those are akin to having a jersey from the football team you played on. It's a symbol of solidarity with your teammates in the same sense that bikers getting matching jackets (Cuts?).

L.T. Fan said:

If any of you guys lettered in high school or college and didn't win your conference give up the jacket and letter. It's strictly recognition for participating.

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Some things are recognition for participating, some things aren't. Trophies historically don't go out to participants. Letters on a high school letter jacket have always been about participating. In my high school you added patches for winning shit. The guy who had just one letter on his jacket wasn't seen as successful as the one with multiple letters and patches for championships, etc.

L.T. Fan said:

If any of you guys lettered in high school or college and didn't win your conference give up the jacket and letter. It's strictly recognition for participating.

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Stupid comparison. A trophy/medal/ribbon should only be given for placing in an event. It is known before hand that a letter is for playing the sport. The pins and medals you can put on the letter that you EARN show just how well you done in that particular sport.

The pussification of America is getting out of control.

I'm still waiting on my trophy for posting here.

Rev said:

I'm still waiting on my trophy for posting here.

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I got a koozie once. I consider it my DCC championship trophy. Still use it...

Cowboysrock55 said:

I got a koozie once. I consider it my DCC championship trophy. Still use it...

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I thought those were for participating, didn't everyone get one?

NoDak said:

Stupid comparison. A trophy/medal/ribbon should only be given for placing in an event. It is known before hand that a letter is for playing the sport. The pins and medals you can put on the letter that you EARN show just how well you done in that particular sport.

The pussification of America is getting out of control.

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Oh you are dealing with kids for crying out loud. They don't know or care about the difference in a trophy or a letter or a box of cracker jacks. They are just glad to get something.

NoDak said:

Stupid comparison. A trophy/medal/ribbon should only be given for placing in an event. It is known before hand that a letter is for playing the sport. The pins and medals you can put on the letter that you EARN show just how well you done in that particular sport.

The pussification of America is getting out of control.

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And now it is known before hand that you get a medal. What difference does it make what the physical object is?

L.T. Fan said:

Oh you are dealing with kids for crying out loud. They don't know or care about the difference in a trophy or a letter or a box of cracker jacks. They are just glad to get something.

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In my experience the parents get way more worked up over this stuff than the kids. The kids just want to play a game. When it comes to awards they just want to get it over with and go get ice cream

dallen said:

In my experience the parents get way more worked up over this stuff than the kids. The kids just want to play a game. When it comes to awards they just want to get it over with and go get ice cream

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That has been my experience as well.