 |
|
|
|
|
Today, more than 30 million children participate in a wide range of organized youth sports
programs nationwide. According to Sue Castle, Executive Producer of PBS Sports: Get in the
Game, the evidence supporting involvement for young people is overwhelming; it has the
power to combat everything from racism to low self image, to the high school dropout rate.
Participation in sports also helps build teamwork, work ethic, responsibility,
sportsmanship, and respect. While it's important to recognize talent and strengths, it's
also important to acknowledge the value of these other attributes. According to the
National Alliance for Youth Sports, awarding any award that's going to devalue the
performance of other team players is not appropriate in youth sports. However, awards not
intended to recognize only high skilled players can be appropriate. Examples of these
types of awards include:
- Most Dedicated
- Best Sportsmanship
- Most Improved
- Hardest Worker
- Most Enthusiastic
- Model Teammate
Awards such as these can recognize a child's actions without necessarily singling out
"good" and "bad" players. Being recognized makes each player feel like a valued member of
the team; recognition adds confidence and spreads good will. It also makes the giver feel
good.
In addition to recognizing individuals, organizations and leagues deserve noteworthy
praise. In the past 10 years, organizations have been stepping up and improving the
quality of their programs to ensure safe and rewarding experiences for every child. The
National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS) recognizes individuals and organizations for
their efforts to make diverse athletic, fitness, and recreation a major priority for kids
while focusing on safe and positive experiences for all participants (including coaches,
parents, and officials). John Engh, chief operating officer of NAYS says since its
inception, 47 groups from around the world, including municipalities, military bases, boys
and girls clubs recipients have been honored as recipients of the Excellence in Youth
Sports Award. While the recipients have earned their recognition in different ways, what's
most important with regards to any recognition program is that they all recognize the
value of the work the recipients do.
|
|
|
|
|
