Children should be helped to understand that they have obligations to their parents and to the coach when they become part of the Little League team. They are responsible for cooperating with coaches and teammates, for being prompt to practice and games, and for managing their own conduct. When children misbehave, the coach has some right and responsibility to discipline them. Ultimately, however, the responsibility to discipline belongs to you, you must fulfill it wisely. Little league encourages awards of honor certificates, team pictures, and inexpensive medals or pins at the end of the season.
Children wish to be recognized for their accomplishments just as adults do.
Giving children recognition for their achievements is fine as long as the rewards are not extravagant and they are awarded fairly. The danger in these practices occurs when children lose perspective about the significance of such recognition, wanting to play only when tangible rewards are at stake. You need to help your child see these rewards merely as recognition for past accomplishments, not guarantees of future success. Your child needs to realize that these extrinsic rewards are only one benefit of sport participation and that the more important outcomes are the intrinsic rewards of fun and satisfaction. Copyright 1993, Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc. 2000, Little League Baseball Incorporated Click here for more Little League copyright or trademark information.