Not everyone got a trophy and we somehow survived.
Sorry could only like this once...
Short story. hopefully. When my oldest son began playing rec baseball the director of such had just made it mandatory that all players received "participation" trophies. My son has two in his case. I say two because I was elected to be director of rec ball after those two years. There is one year, around age 7, when he did not receive a trophy of any kind as the new director put an end to such shenanigans. From then until 12 years of age his case is full of first and second place trophies that somehow are in front of those "participation" things.
My response to those who objected to abolishment of "unearned" bangles being given out? I offered each parent who complained that year $3 so they could go buy their children plastic gold figures for their little ones. No one took me up on it.
Many ended up playing for me. I doubled as a coach, sometimes for three different age groups.
I had 27 players from those 5 years go on to play high school ball and almost every one of them told me they appreciated the lesson of earning what you get.
OK was not that short was it?