That’s funny and sad. I help out with youth stuff aplenty in my town and it always irks me how some parents want everyone to receive a trophy or medal, etc... My son has so many of these things they have become meaningless. Stupid. Our Scout Pack planning committee got into it one night because some thought our den, because it had 14 boys and was by far the largest den, should receive trophies all the way down to 5th or 6th place instead of the traditional 3rd place. Since there was more competition there should be more prizes to make more boys feel good. They said it was sad that most boys wouldn’t win anything. I said it was more sad that we have a den with only 3 boys and that they were all getting trophies no matter what. We really go back and forth on this issue in scouts because scouts are supposed to be being taught traditional values, survival skills, personal resposibility, etc... we want to make strong young men out of them not coddle them - at least that’s my take on it.
Stay strong—you are right.
In 1965, I tried out for the local Little League. I didn’t make it—they put me on a “junior” league team—which in kid codespeak means “team for losers”.
I still played my heart out and the coaches taught me much.
Next year, I made the LL team, and went on to be an All Star.
Nothing like a major disappointment to stir up the drive of a young boy.
In every life, a little rain must fall.
Life is like a box of Cracker Jacks—if everyone gets a prize, the prize is meaningless.