Trophies were forced upon us. I didn’t even like the idea of getting a trophy if I won. I won, neat, I don’t need a gold-colored plastic guy hitting a baseball to help me remember that 2-1 game against another collection of school children.
I certainly didn’t need a wood cutout of me posing on home plate. It was tee-ball, I stopped playing after six months.
It was tee-ball, I stopped playing after six months.
I played t-ball. I struck out in every at-bat … in t-ball. Fortunately I excelled at defense: coach put me in right field and the other teams were so scared of me they never hit the ball there.
I never got a trophy for anything, but I did like the medal I got for my first wrestling win… it wasn’t, like, any big thing, but we were against a specific school that has a good program, it was my first year, I was the only girl on the team… and I won by techfall.
It was definitely a participation trophy of sorts, but it actually felt ok to get. It was engraved to read “for beating your [school] opponent, and first win”
Getting a tech for your first win, especially in a match where your team got crushed is a big deal, especially for a new athlete. I wouldn’t call anything about that a participation trophy.
In fact, one of my proudest memories as a HS wrestler was losing by one in a dual meet against our rivals where the coaches asked me to wrestle up two weight classes and my goal was “don’t get teched or pinned.” I lost, but I did my part and the team won (so the inverse of your sitch). I would say that an individual win and team loss or an individual loss but team win are both worth celebrating. That’s one of my favorite things about wrestling is that you can have a good day regardless of who the team is facing or how everyone else does.
Thanks, that means a lot to me :) I’ve definitely always viewed it as a participation trophy of sorts, but you’re right; my team was absolutely over the moon for me.
I always liked wrestling for the same reason, it’s an individual sport with camaraderie. Two chances to feel like a winner! Did it for 6 years, was a good time.
Trophies were forced upon us. I didn’t even like the idea of getting a trophy if I won. I won, neat, I don’t need a gold-colored plastic guy hitting a baseball to help me remember that 2-1 game against another collection of school children.
I certainly didn’t need a wood cutout of me posing on home plate. It was tee-ball, I stopped playing after six months.
I played t-ball. I struck out in every at-bat … in t-ball. Fortunately I excelled at defense: coach put me in right field and the other teams were so scared of me they never hit the ball there.
I was the opposite. I could absolutely destroy the ball at bat, but I would literally sit in left field and pick grass.
I never got a trophy for anything, but I did like the medal I got for my first wrestling win… it wasn’t, like, any big thing, but we were against a specific school that has a good program, it was my first year, I was the only girl on the team… and I won by techfall.
It was definitely a participation trophy of sorts, but it actually felt ok to get. It was engraved to read “for beating your [school] opponent, and first win”
We, as a team, lost to them. Badly.
Getting a tech for your first win, especially in a match where your team got crushed is a big deal, especially for a new athlete. I wouldn’t call anything about that a participation trophy.
In fact, one of my proudest memories as a HS wrestler was losing by one in a dual meet against our rivals where the coaches asked me to wrestle up two weight classes and my goal was “don’t get teched or pinned.” I lost, but I did my part and the team won (so the inverse of your sitch). I would say that an individual win and team loss or an individual loss but team win are both worth celebrating. That’s one of my favorite things about wrestling is that you can have a good day regardless of who the team is facing or how everyone else does.
Thanks, that means a lot to me :) I’ve definitely always viewed it as a participation trophy of sorts, but you’re right; my team was absolutely over the moon for me.
I always liked wrestling for the same reason, it’s an individual sport with camaraderie. Two chances to feel like a winner! Did it for 6 years, was a good time.
They expected me to treasure that bullshit too. Kept my seventh-place ribbons in a box for ten years until I threw them the fuck out
…i got honorable mention in the history fair in fourth grade; i think i still have the ribbon in a box…