There’s a debate over how you should treat child athletics. You don’t want to be too harsh on young children, but you also want to breed winners that go out and try hard. Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison leans more towards the latter and took away his kids’ participation trophies because he wants them to “EARN a real trophy.”
Harrison took to his Instagram account and posted a picture of the participation trophies his sons received and explained that although he’s proud of them, he wants them earn a real trophy and not develop a sense of entitlement.
Harrison’s football background might provide insight into why he feels this way. Harrison was a Kent State walk-on who went undrafted in 2002, played a season in NFL Europe and was cut by the Baltimore Ravens before latching on with the Steelers and becoming a force. That all drove him to “do better.”
*photo in gallery above*
h/t ESPN
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I am not one who usually condones the Incredible Super Steeler’s Actions, but, what about the Kindergartener who wants to beat who’s a High School Senior this Fall and his ilk’s School Records vs. the Company Kids who couldn’t do Middle School Choir if it was to get them out of trouble?
I am not one who plays the morality card, especially if it was even less public than James Harrison, but, getting to even the 6th Grade Level , records trump participation trophies or being neurotic for a living, which are what todays pros do for a living.