How about giving out end of the season awards? It'll bring a sense of pride and accomplishment to your team/players. Also having inductees to the hall of fame. I used to play a game where the game would decide after your player retired if they were inducted, so we had some teams playing some over the hill players to try to get them that last push into the hall. It adds a bit of fun and attachment, knowing that you helped develop, grow, and inevitably watch the decline of your home grown player.
Oh also, if you do go along with this idea, it'd be fun to see the team they are inducted with. Have teams competing to see who has the most hall of fame inductees.