Nationals’ Bryce Harper Slams ‘Participation Trophy’ Culture in Youth Sports

Bryce Harper
AP Photo/Nick Wass

Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper is not very happy with the way kids are being raised today and he has a bit of advice: “No participation trophies.” he said.

The four time All-Star player is not interested in the way youth sports is run these days. He recently told a group of kids from the Northwest Washington (D.C.) Little League that they need to strive for excellence, not sit back and be satisfied with false awards, the Washington Post reported.

“As much as they might tell you, ‘Oh, it’s okay you guys lost,’ but no, Johnny, no,” Harper said to a crowd of youth ballplayers Saturday. “No participation trophies, okay. First place only.”

Harper is an National League MVP, and won the Silver Slugger Award as well as the Golden Spikes Award, is a Hank Aaron Award winner and is the National League home run leader. So, he just might know what he is talking about.

The Nationals player isn’t the first to denigrate the snowflake generation. As ForTheWin.com noted, Louisville’s women’s basketball coach Jeff Walz recently said, “Right now, the generation of kids that are coming through, everybody gets a damn trophy, okay? You finish last, you come home with a trophy. You kidding me? What’s that teaching kids? It’s okay to lose!”

Also, Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams said he took his daughter’s participation ribbon away from her and told her to go back out a win. Apparently, she did just that.

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.

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