Earlier today I heard about this story. It explains how a football little league in Texas will no longer give out participant trophies. Only the winners will get trophies.
It’s about time! Why should kids get a trophy for simply participating? Is that how life is? Simply show and get a prize? I don’t think so. Trophies are earned. They’re earned by triumphing over our opponents, by outlasting, outplaying, and outsmarting each and every team we come up against. Only the victors deserve a trophy, not the losers!
What’s that, you say? Oh, this big ol’ finisher medal around my neck. Did I win? Well, no, but I finished, you know, I participated.
I’ve got a number of medals in my bag, and not one of them was earned in the sense I stood on the podium, but dog gone it if I didn’t accept them anyways. What’s that say about me?
This medal I’m wearing below from the KC Marathon is the most impressive medal I’ve received yet. It actually has some heft to it. I came in about the middle of the pack at that race. I’d like to think they gave one that weighs a little bit less to the guy who came in last.
Pretend Triathlete 
I think there’s a difference here. Finishing a marathon or triathlon is an accomplishment in and of itself. You didn’t win, but you did finish. Showing up for every Pop Warner football game isn’t really in the same category.
Now that I have kids that I take to practices, games, tournaments, etc., I think the parents should get the trophy.
Amen to that! And now they want three or four sports a year! What the heck is that? We got one when I was a kid!
I’m agnostic about the finisher’s medal. I have several too but they no longer mean anything.