Sports Awards

At Trophies2Go, a common question we get  from new team parents and coaches is what engraving to put on their kids’ participation trophies.  Here are some general pointers on what’s commonly engraved on sports trophies.

The Basics

Three different engraving layouts on our 3 common metal plate colors - gold with gold letters, black with gold letters, and black with silver letters.

1. Engraving is free.  First and most important, engraving is included in the price of your trophy.  You can put as few or as many characters of text as you want and it’s still free.  Some teams even add a logo.

2. Max of 3 lines of text. Most  plates for basic trophies are around 1” tall by 2.5” wide.  Our engraver Paul can fit three lines of text in that space.

3. Fonts.  Depending on the amount of text, Paul uses the best looking font to fill the space.  Customers do not choose the fonts.  However, if you would like to see how the engraving looks before going to production, request a Proof.  It’s free for orders over $50.  Paul will email you the engraving layout so you can see how it looks and approve it before the etching begins.

What Should I Put On My Awards?

Here are the most common pieces of information that are engraved on sports trophies:

Line 1: Team Name (and Year if you are only using 2 lines of engraving)

Line 2: Player’s Name - This can be first and last name, or first name with last initial.

Line 3: League Name, Award (such as MVP), or Year (this line of text is optional)

What Layout Choices Do I Have?

We commonly see 3 different types of layouts for engraving on trophies.

Layout #1:  2 Lines of Engraving  - Team Name and Year on line 1, Player's Name on line 2

Layout #2:  2 Lines of Engraving with Curve - same as above, except the top line is curved

Layout #3:  3 Lines of Engraving - This has more variety.  One line usually has the player's name, another line the team name, and the third line the year or league name, for example.

I hope these examples help you determine the best engraving for your sports trophy.  With so many choices, you're sure to find the perfect award with a special message for your favorite player!

Cheers!

Jessica

Last weekend I attended my 10-year-old daughter’s basketball game. I am so impressed with our team's two volunteer coaches.  Not only do they teach the girls drills, plays, and other skills for the game,  but they also show great sportsmanship as humble, calm leaders of the team.  Coach Bryce and Coach Michael are outstanding examples of positive parents in youth sports.

Take the Sports Parent Pledge!

The National Alliance for Youth Sports is encouraging parents to be role models for their kids through their Sports Parent Pledge.  New series like HBO’s Trophy Kids and Esquire’s Friday Night Tykes bring attention to the roles adults – and especially parents – play in youth sports. And while we do hear about the negative incidences each day in the news, there is a lot of good being done in sports, too, that we don’t hear about.

The Sports Parent Pledge gives parents the opportunity to ban together and make a statement that not all sports parents are like what’s depicted on TV and in the news, while also getting a six-part email series packed with useful information and resources they can use to enrich their families youth sports experience.

Since Trophies2Go is a sponsor of the National Alliance for Youth Sports, I encourage you to take their pledge, like their Facebook page or share your parent pledge on twitter @NAYS_edu.

As engaged, caring and involved parents, let’s take the pledge to keep youth sports positive!

Cheers,
Jessica

Superbowl 2014

Seahawk players Marshawn Lynch and Golden Tate with a classic Jeff pose - Crazy & Toothless!

The countdown is on!  The game of the year, Superbowl XLVIII, is only a few days away.  The Seattle Seahawks face the Denver Broncos this Sunday, February 2nd,  in New Jersey.  The hawks are  making their second appearance in the championship, hopefully bringing home their first Lombardi Trophy.  For a city that has never won a Superbowl, this is epic to say the least.

What an amazing NFL football season it’s been!  The Seahawks have been HOT all year, with 13 wins, 3 losses, clinching the NFC Championship game vs. San Fransisco.  Our city and fans have responded.  Yes, the Hawks have been to the Superbowl before in the recent past, but the hype this time is much stronger. Not only are the Seahawks players local heroes, but the Pacific Northwest is seriously sick with 12^th Man Fever!!!!  12^th Man signs, flags, and jerseys are everywhere you look.  It's super exciting!

Our Lombardi-style trophies in our showroom are ready for a Seahawks win!

Check out this ESPN blog post for a quick take of the game:

http://espn.go.com/blog/seattle-seahawks/post/_/id/3806/quick-take-broncos-vs-seahawks

My family will be spending Sunday with many friends, plenty of food and beverages, kids running a muck, dressed in our Blue and Green 12th Man finery.  We are thrilled to be living in the PNW, cheering our team on to victory!  Enjoy the game and GO SEAHAWKS!

Cheers,

Jessica

The Honey Badger Trophy

This crazy nasty creature is our 2013 Product of the Year!

Eewww… what is that nasty thing? Why it’s the Honey Badger, the fiercest trophy on the Trophies2Go website! Honey Badger don’t care, he’ll just eat that cobra!

Pop culture icon, the Honey Badger was popularized by the YouTube video sensation. Click here to view the video (warning: contains profanity, not for young ears). This tenacious critter is a symbol for overcoming adversity and just going for what you want in life.

As part of our year-end recognition, we award a Product of the Year. This year our fierce honey badger wins the honor! Designed by our staff and created by JDS Industries, this little critter is full of color and personality.

Chosen by companies for a variety of office awards and by sports team for participation awards along with coaches’ gifts, the honey badger is an extremely popular and versatile trophy that can be used for any recognition. Funny and edgy, he brings smiles and laughter to any event. Made of resin, this spunky guy is hand painted in full color. Our customers give him 4.8 out of 5 stars – read the reviews to find out what others think.

We offer a honey badger alone, or as a perpetual trophy that can be passed around from person to person. Check them out!

Congrats Honey badger! You  rock!

Cheers,
Jessica

Fall sports are in full swing.  As a parent, what can you do to help keep your child injury-free this sports season?  Below are some ideas from Swedish Hospital in Seattle.

Keep your student athlete ready for action by following the tips below!

Acute Sprains and Broken Bones: Breaking a bone is more a matter of chance than fitness level.  If your child breaks a bone, the most important thing is to make sure it heals correctly with the help of a health professional.  That will help prevent it from happening again.

Overuse Injuries: These types of injuries, including muscle or tendon strain, often happens when kids aren't in shape and first begin their season. They overuse an area of the body by doing repetitive motions.  Having your child get in shape before the season starts can help prevent these types of injuries.

Soreness: If your child is sore after practice, it should get better within 3-4 days especially if using RICE:

R - Rest

I - Ice

C - Compression

E - Elevation

Injury: If pain lasts more than a week, a doctor's visit is the best course of action.

Tips to Keep Kids Healthy

Hydrate.  Drinking water replaces liquid lost, minimizes cramps, and keeps kids healthy. Hydration is important not only during the event, but also earlier in the day before the practice or game even begins!

Stay Active.  Keep in shape over the summer, or step up your activity level before the season starts to prevent overuse injuries. Maintain proper conditioning throughout the year.  Cross training can help with this, as it contains cardio, strength training and flexibility.

Pre-Season Physical.  Schedule a check up with your doctor to make sure your student is healthy and able to participate in sports.  My daughter's middle school requires this for participation in any school sports.

Equipment.  Make sure the child has the proper equipment with the correct fit (such as pads, helmet, shoes, mouth guard, etc.).   Remember kids tend to grow a lot over the summer, and last season's equipment might not fit properly.

Warm Up.  Schedule adequate time to warm up before every practice and game.  This includes stretching to increase flexibility and cardio to increase blood flow to the muscles.

Cool Down.  After the practice or game, have the students cool down and stretch before leaving.

Wishing you a fun and safe fall sports season!

Cheers,
Jessica