[saskflames69]

I think it gives kids a reason to play the game. I mean, at a hockey tournament filled with 6-7 year olds, they are still getting the game embedded into their lives and if you don't reward them for playing, they will see no reason to play. Kids always expect something. (And no, the mom who brings the kids orange segments for after the game doesn't count.) Giving a kid a medal or miniature trophy for playing the game will make him or her think "Oh wow this is kinda neat, I got a free shiny thing! I think I actually like hockey! I'll keep playing for as long as I can!" At around age 9 or so then you need to stop rewarding them for participation and start rewarding them for actually winning. And I know this because when I began my first year of atom hockey in (err never mind the year I'll just get beaked more about my age) they stopped giving out trophies for participating and began giving out stuff for player of the game, finishing first in the tournament, tourny MVP, leading scorer, etc. So about age 9 is when you should stop rewarding kids for participation. I'm not saying it's wrong, but if you're 12 years old and still expecting a trophy for playing in the game (like some kids on my team were when I was 12) then you're obviously not going to be prepared for the real world.