Too Young To Have To Win?

A firestorm ripped through New Canaan last week when it was discovered that  , allegedly told their players to toss the third place trophies they received into a bonfire at a public park. The team finished with a winning record but failed to defend its league championship. The heat of the controversy is being felt all the way in Norwalk where coaches, mentors, and athletic directors try to keep the importance of winning in perspective.

"Those coaches should be banned from youth football for good," said Joe Madaffari, athletic director at . "What is the message they were trying to send? If you don't win you should go burn something? Life is filled with failure and it's how you bounce back from it that's important. It's not about winning trophies."

The coaches associated with the scandal in New Canaan submitted their resignations but the controversy has yet to die down. Gene Horne, commissioner of says that coaches in his league are urged not to make winning the most important thing for kids.

"Our job as youth coaches is to get our kids to the next step in life," said Horne, who was also president of the league for six years. "We teach them to respect their opponents and to really respect the game. We also stress the fundamentals and prepare them for high school. If we win, that's great. But the important thing is to do the best you can and try to focus on the positive."

Many coaches at the youth level throughout the country, have seemingly grown obsessed with trophies, division titles, and league championships. Wayne Mones, athletic director at Norwalk High School and former soccer coach at , believes the emphasis should be placed on development rather than finishing atop the standings.

"When kids are young, they should be learning the skills of the game and have the opportunity to enjoy it," said Mones. "They should be playing for the love of the game. The emphasis shouldn't be on results. I've seen way too many kids get turned off because they've had coaches who were more concerned about winning rather than really coaching and helping them get better."

Wayne Randazzo, an American Legion coach and former standout baseball player at Norwalk High School, feels that all coaches should keep the proper perspective when it comes to those they are coaching.

"We have to let kids be kids," said Randazzo. "It's not about winning awards. Athletes in youth sports should be able to just play the games and not have all the pressure they're under. I sometimes think it's really gotten out of control. It's ridiculous"

But what about setting a goal and working hard to achieve it? Shouldn't children be rewarded if they are successful? "Yes, I think kids should be rewarded," said Mones. "But kids shouldn't think they failed because they didn't get a trophy. It's about doing the best that you can. Results don't determine who you are."