For the love of the game: Flagler County Basketball Program doesn't hand out trophies to its champs

Teams win championships but don’t get trophies.

By Jeff Dawsey
| 5:56 p.m. June 13, 2016

Palm Coast Observer
Sports

The Flagler County Basketball league concluded its spring season with two division champions Saturday, June 11, at Carver Gym. No one took a trophy home—it was planned that way.

Fitzgerald Belgrave and league Commissioner Lloyd Finley decided not to have trophies present as a way to make sure players would simply play for the love of the game and for them to learn how to play hard even

Jordan Turner shoots over Rysiar Jefferson

when there isn't a shiny trophy sitting in front of them.

“We wanted to teach them a life lesson to always give 100%, and that in life you don't always get rewarded for everything,” Belgrave said. “The feeling that knowing you've done your best and developed the best you can should come before anything else. I know as a teacher myself that acknowledgement and accolades would be great, but we do it for the love of developing our youth.”

Wilbert Schivers makes a heavily contested layup.

The players seemed content to win the game while not holding up a trophy. They celebrated on the floor, hugged one another and ran off with joy.

Flagler County Basketball has already begun its registration for the fall season, which will feature a second grade clinic, 3rd-5th grade division, 6th-8th grade division and a 9th-12th grade division, starting in October.

Call 627-0262 or email Belgrave at [email protected] for more information.