This isn’t a time to debate whether or not every kid should get a trophy just for showing up. Frankly, when it comes to t-ball and other youth leagues, showing up is more than half the battle. In fact, the trophy might be the only reason kids play. While my 5-year-old enjoys playing baseball, he definitely asks before and throughout the season “Do I get a trophy.”
For coaches, there are a few ways you can go about the trophy ceremony.
One, you can simply have your end of year party, bust out that big baseball team mom tote and then distribute trophies to each kid as they depart. Not super exciting, some might be let down, but you also avoid any hurt feeling that might stem from assigning an “award” to each child, which we will get to in a minute.
Your second option is to be a little more formal with it, and instead of simply handing out trophies like parting gifts, gather the attendees around, and call each kid up one by one for you to say a short little something about them and their season. It’s at this point you can give them their trophy, but it’s still just a trophy for being on the team, and doesn’t have any individual significance.
The third option is to do the same thing described above but take it a step further by assigning individual awards to each child. Meaning, something like, “Next up is Ryan, and he gets our mr. hustle award for always hustling around the diamond.” It’s short and sweet, but kids might like having some aspect of the game attached to their performance.
So with that said, what are some different types of awards you can give out? Before jumping into the ideas, keep these things in mind:
Try to keep all of the awards on the same level of significance. Meaning, stay away from extremes if you can, and avoid something like “most valuable player” for the best player on one end and the “keep your head up” award for the one who might have struggled throughout the year.
Of course, this is going to depend on the age and level of play. For instance, when young, hitting a home run might be a huge deal, and only one kid on the team might have done so. At that point, I’d personally say it’s OK to award that child with a homereun-themed award becuase on paper, it can’t be argued.
Second, I’d say try and keep them all in the same bucket, as in, if you’re going to applaud one child for what they’ve accomplished on the field, try to do the same for each player, and not have some with on-field recognition and others with things like “loudest cheerer,” etc.
And last, one thing that keeps these awards fun is assigning them nicknames. So, instead of “always dirty” award it could be something like the “Pigpen” award or the “human dirt stain” etc.
All that said, let’s take a look at some ideas:
Hustle: As mentioned above, this is always a fun one and should go to the player who was always hustling down the line, in the field, etc. It’s not so much skill but determination, and something every player can strive toward and achieve.
- “Mr. Hustle”
- “Hair on Fire” Award
- “Run Forrest Run” Award
General Fielding: For the player who seems to just gobble up every ball through the year no matter which position they played or what the situation called for.
- “Ball Magnet”
- “Right Place Right Time” Award
Scoops & Picks: Usually for first basemen or catchers and their ability to scoop and pick bad throws or pitches throughout the year. (Catcher is one of the more difficult baseball positions, right!)
- “Hoover”
- “Velcro Glove”
- “Baskin Robbins” Award
Strong Arm: Again, maybe a catcher who throws out a lot of runners, or an outfielder with a lot of assists. You’re not saying they’re going to be the best defensive outfielder or all time, but they have a rocket arm and the team benefitted from their unique abilities throughout the season.
- “Rocket Arm” Award
- “Sniper”
- “Dare You to Run” Award
Highlight Plays: Then there is the player that makes the improbably look easily with their dives, slides, catches, and more!
- “Human Highlight Reel”
- “Sportscenter” Award
Accuracy: On the flip side, a consistently accurate pitcher is a gem of a find in youth baseball, and should be given more credit than what they probably receive during the year!
- “Dart Thrower” Award
- “In the Zone” Award
Homerun: For that one player that hit a home run during the year! It probably was a monumental event when it happened, so it’s only right it stands out as a key memory most kids will walk away with.
- “Big Bopper”
- “Lone Long Ball” Award
Bat to Ball: There might be that one player who always seems to put the ball in play and rarely strikes out. Perhaps they are the prime example of the two-strike approach and found success with it.
- “Mr. Put-it-in-play”
- “Make the Defense Work” Award
Clutch: Some players seem to always be put in pressure situations, and if they come through, it’s a thing to celebrate!
- “Mr. Clutch”
- “Showtime”
- “Spotlight” Award
Game-Changer: Likewise, when times are tough and the team is down, who is the player who comes up in a big moment to get the team right back in the game?
- “Mr. Game-Changer”
- “Not Over Till It’s Over” Award
Toughness: There always seems to be the one kid who gets hurt more than others from their style of play. Maybe they dive or slide more than others, or stay in the box to take one for the team on inside pitches, etc.
- “Man of Steel”
- “Tough as Nails” Award
Speed: Similar to hustle, but the one that is flat-out fast, and shows it on the diamond.
- “Flash”
- “Speed Demon”
- “Blur”
Teammate: Some kids are great teammates who just have a knack for picking up others when they have their heads downs, being the first to congratulate a special event, or the one who knows the right time for a pep talk.
- “Mr. Motivation”
- “Mr. Pick-Me-Up”
Sportsmanship: For the kid who understands that sportsmanship is a key piece of the game, especially at a young age by picking up opposing players off the dirt, extending a handshake, and more.
- “Arm Around the Shoulder” Award
- “Mr. Right Way”
