As I was leisurely scrolling down my Facebook timeline recently, I came across an article from CNN recounting an Instagram post from NFL linebacker James Harrison.
In his paragraph-long rant, he commented on the participation awards his sons received from their pee-wee sports team. He stated that no one is “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 you up and keep you happy.”
While I am in no way a parent, though my niece and nephew demand my time as though I am their father, I was a little ticked off by his comment. I had no idea why I felt this way. It was not until recently that I figured out why this comment resonated so deeply within my conscious.
During my fourth grade year, I played tennis for my elementary school in Chicago. I loved playing, and that was evident to my coach and teammates. I would practice for hours on my forearm and backhand before my mother called me from our basement to come eat or do my homework. I believed that I was destined for greatness. This dream came crashing down the day of the team’s award banquet. Instead of receiving the MVP award as I hoped, I was presented with a participation award. I was crushed to no end because I thought that my hard work warranted something more, but instead of giving up, I saw it as an opportunity to improve. I enhanced my game, cultivated new strategies and bought better shoes. The following season, I secured my team’s first place win with my victory in a set. I was thrilled beyond belief and every doubt that participation award produced was null and void.
So to Mr. Harrison, I applaud your effort to drag the name of the participation trophy through the mud, but it will not work. The fatal flaw in your argument is that you lacked a humanitarian spirit. You forgot about the child who sees every failure as an opportunity for greatness. You forgot about the child who never may never receive encouragement from their broken home but is able to be encouraged to do their best by mere participation.
Last, you most tragically forgot that motivation comes from within. Some children are naturally motivated to achieve greatness, and while some are not, it is through participation awards that we show students how success is obtained in steps. No one comes out of the womb ready to throw a winning touchdown. Success is a process, and sometimes that process starts by just showing up.
