Our school (remember, we're relatively new and the sports programs are in their infancy) is awarding Varsity Letters for the first time this year. I'm all for it, and I was told I should come up with some standards for how the players can earn their letter.
I did a bunch of internet searches and found some interesting criteria other schools use. I took their ideas, adapted them to softball/our program. I was really proud of the work I put into it. It's a whole point system where every player can earn the letter, but only if they work hard, attend practice, etc.
And then I posted on my personal Facebook page asking my friends who were former varsity athletes if they had to earn the letter or if they were just given the letter for being on the varsity team. Almost all of them were just given the letter.
So how did your DD get her varsity letter? Was just being on the roster all season enough? Did she have to earn it in some way?
I want every player to earn one, but if it's just essentially a participation award for being on the team, I don't see much value in it. They already get little participation awards at the end-of-year banquet, and we're a small school so we don't cut anybody. "Making the team" isn't the accomplishment it is at larger schools.
I did a bunch of internet searches and found some interesting criteria other schools use. I took their ideas, adapted them to softball/our program. I was really proud of the work I put into it. It's a whole point system where every player can earn the letter, but only if they work hard, attend practice, etc.
And then I posted on my personal Facebook page asking my friends who were former varsity athletes if they had to earn the letter or if they were just given the letter for being on the varsity team. Almost all of them were just given the letter.
So how did your DD get her varsity letter? Was just being on the roster all season enough? Did she have to earn it in some way?
I want every player to earn one, but if it's just essentially a participation award for being on the team, I don't see much value in it. They already get little participation awards at the end-of-year banquet, and we're a small school so we don't cut anybody. "Making the team" isn't the accomplishment it is at larger schools.