End of Year Awards - 12u Rec

[AndyS]

The 12u rec team I have been helping with will be finishing up their year in about 3 weeks so some preliminary planning around the end of year party has begun. As part of that we want to do awards. I am pushing very hard to give a limited number of specific trophies versus one for everybody. I am causing more angst with my fellow coaches who just want to give everybody a trophy. I am curious as to what others do at this age and skill level?

My specific thoughts are:

Hand out a printed certificate with team name, team picture, player name etc. to all players. Say something about them as they come up. And then award something like 4 trophies Offensive MVP, Defensive MVP, Most Improved, and Best Sportsmanship (timely I know). Not sure of actual names but conceptually something like the above.

Again looking for feedback.

 

[CoachKevin]

I have bought candy in the past... Oh Henry for the highest BA.... Butterfinger for the most errors..... Take 5 for the slowest runner..... ect

 

[Eric F]

For my DD's 10U rec team this past spring, we had 6 award categories - MVP, Golden Glove, Silver Slugger, Most Improved, Rookie of the Year, Team Spirit. We had 2 "winners" in each category, presented them with a personalized certificate, and I talked about each of them as I handed out the awards. It was very well received by players and parents.

 

[Rocketech1]

I agree with your coaches. This is rec league, let every player get the same thing since its a team effort all season and when you call each player up, you say something personal and nice about each the players (e.g. one of the most improved players, our best power hitter, one of our team leaders, had one of the best catches all season, etc.) The team party should be a positive experience where one of the goals is to make sure the girls enjoy the sport so they sign up again next year. Also, in my experience in rec the coaches daughters are generally the better players and it may appear disingenuous if the 3 or 4 girls who get the MVP trophies are also the coaches DDs. Something to think about.

You might consider a small trophy, medal, or even a pink softball signed by the coaches to hand out to all players. BTW, every rec league that my kids have played in soccer, basketball, softball, baseball, roller hockey etc. have had some kind of team participation trophy that was part of the rec fees for the season, so I am a little surprised your league doesn't do this?

Lastly, some don't like the participation trophy but the kids know the difference between a 1st place trophy, MVP trophy and a participation trophy so I don't have a problem with them.

 

[quandofloo]

I take a picture with each of the players and print them on card stock at Walgreens with 1 Peter 3:3-4, "It is not fancy hair, gold jewelry, or fine clothes that should make you beautiful. No, your beauty should come from inside you—the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. That beauty will never disappear and it is worth very much to God.", inside and then a handwritten note from me about each girl and what they brought to the team. The girls all really appreciate having something personal from you that expresses what you are proud of them for doing during the year.

 

[Eric F]

So we want to change how kids are and make them work hard but we give out 12 awards? Wow. The kids know it is phony. That is why the certificate or ribbon is for all. What you can do is state in objective terms (BA went up the most of any player, etc.) why the player is MVP or MIP and leave it at that. And if you let the kids pick the third one, then someone who is not the coach's kid can get something.

Just curious, OILF...How long has it been since you have coached a 12U or younger rec team?

Especially for rec - which is a home for every player, regardless of ability - I think it's appropriate to give all the kids an award. If it can be related to how they contributed to the success of the team, that's even better. You want the awards to be sincere? Be sincere about the awards you give out. Giving out the same award to everyone? Great. It's a team sport. Every kid is a part of the that team. Even the player who sits on the bench the whole time gets a World Series ring if they are on the roster of the winning team.

 

[Rocketech1]

So we want to change how kids are and make them work hard but we give out 12 awards? Wow. The kids know it is phony. That is why the certificate or ribbon is for all. What you can do is state in objective terms (BA went up the most of any player, etc.) why the player is MVP or MIP and leave it at that. And if you let the kids pick the third one, then someone who is not the coach's kid can get something.

Look, its rec league and the talent of the players is extreme. Some kids may have never played before and can barely catch and throw the ball and others have been playing for 6 years and are dominant. It's an end of the season party for the team. Say something nice about each kid and save the MVP awards for the all-star & travel ball tournaments.

Like I said before, every rec league that I know if the area give out some kind of award for all players, some include the league yearbook as well. If there was playoffs, the top two teams get an extra medal for 1st and 2nd place. Everyone knows the difference between a participation (thank you for playing) trophy and a trophy for winning something. Not really a big deal. Keep it fun for these rec players and save the competitive environment for travel ball, school ball, college.

 

[AndyS]

Excellent feedback from everybody. I have to admit my thoughts are with OLIF but Rocket you make a great point around the awards mostly going to the coaches DDs. It would likely be 2 of the 4 I proposed. I do not have a DD on the team but still your point is very valid.

Quand, love your idea! Both the verse and handwritten note. That is the big thing we want to say and give personalized tributes to each girl versus a generic here you go. I know nobody is proposing that here and all the suggestions are really good. I do appreciate the input. It has been 6 years since I coached 12u and that was travel so I do not have the best frame of reference.

 

[Mom_Coach_Fan]

When my DD was in rec (and she did play a season of 12 u rec) the coaches tried to come up with some stat for each girl that was significantly positive! During the presentation of awards (not always trophies - one season we created a look book for each girl), the coach would talk about the player and the stat. Mind you - even some of the weaker players had stats like - highest number of walks, highest contact percentage, most fly ball catches (infield vs outfield) - so that we could talk about how each girl contributed to the team.

 

[Eric F]

When my DD was in rec (and she did play a season of 12 u rec) the coaches tried to come up with some stat for each girl that was significantly positive! During the presentation of awards (not always trophies - one season we created a look book for each girl), the coach would talk about the player and the stat. Mind you - even some of the weaker players had stats like - highest number of walks, highest contact percentage, most fly ball catches (infield vs outfield) - so that we could talk about how each girl contributed to the team.

In that vein, I always mention my "thunk" award - most HBPs (batter, not pitcher).