Good points Illy. It all boils down to not making the kids FEEL bad. Which to me is STUPID. Think about it........the losing times when you are young teaches you humility, and how to handle dissapointment. It also makes the winning times that much sweeter. If the difference between first and last place are blurred to the point where the first place trophy is only a half inch taller then last place, what is there to make the kids strive to be better? How does that prepare them for adult life after school, when the reality is that those that try harder usually do better? It doesn't.....not one bit. They LEARN through their training as youngsters that working hard for a goal doesn't matter, THEY are SPECIAL. THEY are all that matters, and their FEELINGS are all that matters. I wasn't a member of a championship team until i was out of high school. And i'll tell you what......i appreciated it alot! But i also knew the dissapointment of losing, and was a gracious winner as well. I repsected those that didn't win, and treated them well. That was how i was taught to be.
"Cheesey" wrote: