With all the athletic awards and trophies types and styles available, you are sure to find one that suits your needs. Whether you’re looking for an individual athletic award to reward individual performance or athletic trophies to commemorate a team victory, the awards industry has something for just about every sport imaginable. While athletic trophies have long been the standard awards for a sports championship, athletic plaques are also popular today, because they generally take less room to display.

Athletic awards and trophies have some pieces that are similar to both styles. There is usually an emblem to represent the sport on the athletic trophy or athletic plaque. There is also an engraved plate that gives the name of the event and its date. From that point athletic awards and trophies types and styles vary greatly. As you look at athletic trophies, the first thing to consider is the kind of material you want. The three main types of materials include the following:

1. Wooden athletic plaques.

2. Metal athletic trophies.

3. Acrylic or plastic athletic awards and trophies.

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Pick athletic trophies

Standard athletic trophies come in all colors, sizes and shapes. You can also find athletic trophies in all sorts of materials. Generally speaking, the more natural materials you choose in your trophy, the more expensive it is.

I recommend: To understand the inner components of athletic trophies, view the diagram at Dinn Brothers Trophy. Once you understand the construction of a trophy, it’s easier to find an athletic trophy that meets your specifications. You can custom order athletic awards and trophies from Frazier Trophies and Awards by using its online catalog. As you choose the type of athletic trophy you want, you customize it with the base, the riser or columns and the sport emblem, as well as the engraving that commemorates the event.

Choose athletic plaques

Athletic plaques may have a wooden base or they may have a base constructed of composite material. You often have a selection in the type of wood used in the plaques. Typically a plaque is rectangular, but newer plaques sometimes have more rounded edges.

I recommend: Choose one of the many types of athletic plaques from Quicktrophy. As you work through the ordering process, you choose the plaque’s finish and specify the style and size of engraving plate. You can choose an athletic plaque that has a different look from the Chicago Trophy. Instead of a traditional rectangular shape, its sports award plaques come in a variety of shapes.

Select acrylic athletic awards and trophies

Acrylic and crystal awards and trophies have a more modern look to them, and they come in all shapes and sizes. Since this type of trophy costs a bit more, it might be worth considering as a company team trophy rather than a youth award.

I recommend: A crystal or acrylic trophy from Crystal Art USA is a different type of sports trophy. You can have team names engraved on the trophies or the trophies can be sports awards for individuals. You can buy athletic trophies made of acrylic materials from Delps Awards. It has a large selection of trophy shapes that you can customize, including golf, softball or basketball trophies.

Athletic awards are an ideal way to commemorate achievements on the field or court. Whether for a youth basketball tournament or summer softball league, athletic awards and trophies present a great way to mark athletic achievements. Like trophies, athletic plaques also offer commemoration of sports victories. For sporting events that occur yearly, athletic plaques are a great way to track winners from years past as well as honoring the success of current individuals or teams.

Athletic trophies can be customized to fit any type of sporting event. Find your sports awards online for any specific sport or event, including basketball trophies, football trophies, or company team trophies. Look for vendors that cater to any specific needs you may have, including:

1. Rush orders for athletic awards you need immediately.

2. Personalized trophies.

3. High quality awards and trophies.

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Buy athletic trophies online and have them shipped to you immediately

If you're in a rush to receive trophies, or haven't yet found the perfect prize for your sporting event, go online to find an athletic awards supplier who promises quick shipping with every order. Wait until the athletic event is over so you can have the winner's name engraved on the trophy before it is shipped to you posthaste.

I recommend: Shop K2 Trophies and Awards for the perfect athletic trophy. K2 offers athletic awards for all major sports as well as other events, including corporate awards. Most orders are shipped the day after they are placed. QuickTrophy advertises all orders shipped out within 24 hours. Use their shipping calculator to determine the shipping cost and delivery date. Get free engraving on all of trophies.

Customize your athletic awards and trophies

If you want an athletic award to be truly special, engrave it with the name and date of the winner, or even add the logo of the team or sporting event. Many websites allow you to enter your customized demands directly onto the web for a quick and efficient way to order your plaque or trophy.

I recommend: Awards International & Chicago Trophy Co. sell a unique variety of athletic awards. Purchase the standard metal and wood trophy or plaque or go with bobblehead trophies. Find anything from darts trophies to basketball trophies, and use their website tools to personalize the engraving. Add hundreds of characters of text or even upload an image to add to the trophy or plaque.

Find high quality athletic awards

For a trophy that looks particularly impressive and will be a certain shelf or desktop decoration for years to come, buy a marble or crystal award. High quality awards may cost more but are sure to denote particularly outstanding achievements.

I recommend: Wealthwood Gifts sells crystal trophies for a number of sports, including tennis, soccer, and baseball. GrayHawk Awards sells a variety of customizable corporate awards in glass, crystal and marble, as well as sculptured resin awards for most major sports.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Most companies offer free engraving with their sports awards. Take the extra time to place a personalized order so the athletic trophy retains that much more meaning for the recipient.

The only thing better than winning is recognition, and athletic trophies and athletic plaques are a memento of victory and a symbol of recognition. The trick is to honor the player and the team while still keeping an eye on athletic awards and trophies pricing and costs.

Whether you're handing out basketball trophies, soccer certificates or football awards, you want to tip your cap to the achievement without breaking the bank. An easy way to cut costs is to eliminate participation trophies given to every player on every team just for making it through the season. With athletic trophy prices on the rise, perhaps only championship teams and top players should receive sports awards. Consider the following when researching athletic awards and trophies pricing and costs.

1. Find a local trophy shop to service your entire league to get a volume discount on athletic trophy prices.

2. Set a precedent that a sports trophy is for achievement and not just for attendance.

3. Read about award philosophies from experts to make sure your athletic award program is achieving the objectives of your sports organization.

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Buy athletic trophies locally and online

The two most efficient approaches to football trophies, baseball plaques, and other sports awards is to find an online outlet without any brick and mortar overhead or a local shop that will cut you a volume discount for all your business or is willing to become a sponsor and make his or her discount the sponsorship fee.

I recommend: Awards for Anything is set up as a one-stop online shopping venue for any award for any accomplishment, including sports. They claim to ship in 24 hours, and shipping is free. A great example of a local shop is Award Mart in Phoenix, AZ. The locals love it and it has a great service history. A review of the Yellow Pages and some word-of-mouth among other sports league administrators should help you find the equivalent in your town.

Take a philosophical stance on your sports award philosophy

The fastest way to save money on sports awards is to limit their issuance to those who earn them, not just for those who make it to the games or whose parents paid for participation on a team. Eliminating league-wide participation awards can cut your trophy budget significantly.

I recommend: The Council on Contemporary Families posted an excellent article on the budget (and other) implications of eliminating participation awards. If you must offer participation awards, you can at least offer some that don't tax your budget. Jones Awards specializes in very inexpensive participation awards.

Seek out less expensive alternatives to athletic plaques and athletic trophies

There is no rule that says an athletic award must be a metal and wood trophy or plaque. There are alternatives to the sports trophy or athletic plaque. Many are much less expensive.

I recommend: Trophy Central offers medal awards that cost far less than trophies and plaques. For what could be the least-expensive possible solution, you can visit Microsoft online and use one of their award templates to make certificates for your entire league. That kind of savings might win you the company team trophy as most valuable saver!

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Save costs on awards as well as awards ceremonies by combining an end-of-season athletic game with the reward ceremony event. Ask participants to contribute - bringing a covered dish or drinks and make every aspect of the athletic event a team activity

Athletic awards are a positive way to give recognition to youth and adults who have participated and excelled in the sports arena. The majority of athletes, especially youth are given a boost of self-esteem and pride with the endowment of an individual or team award. Today, there are many types of awards to choose from besides the standard trophy. The athletic awards industry offers a multitude of honors and special pieces for coaches, teams and athletes.

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Plaques

A plaque is defined as a commemorative inscribed tablet made of wood, metal, crystal or porcelain that is used for recognition, a memorial or an award. Plaques are a popular choice for athletic and corporate awards.

I recommend: Streetdirectory.com talks about plaques, their importance and the various types used for awards. Mickey's Trophy Shop describes plaques and has visuals of various types of award plaques.

Medallions

A medallion is a large decorative medal that is disc shaped and can be worn around the neck. Medallions are used primarily as athletic awards.

I recommend: Wisegeek defines a medallion and discusses its uses and design. View medallions at Midwest Trophy.

Obelisks

An obelisk is an upright four sided usually monolithic pillar that tapers as it rises and terminates in a pyramid. This pyramid or triangular shape is often used for athletic awards made of crystal, jade, glass and marble.

I recommend: Infoplease gives you a detailed description and history of the obelisk. FineAwards.com gives you a visual of a crystal obelisk award. Sizing, artwork, details and features of the obelisk award are also provided.

Resin sculptures

Resin is a two-part material that when mixed together will harden into a plastic. When resin is poured into a mold, it will take the shape of the original molded object. Epoxy, Polyster and Poly-Urethane are the three main types of resin available. Resin can be used in the athletic awards industry by making the substance into a type of sculpture or figure given as a honorarium.

I recommend: The Resin Horse defines resin, its properties, durability and availability. Benton Trophy & Awards provides a description and glimpse of a variety of resin figures.

Acrylic awards

Acrylic is a clear plastic that resembles glass, but has properties that make it superior to glass in many ways. High-grade acrylic includes Plexiglass, Polycast and Lucite. Acrylic is a popular material used in making athletic awards due to its ability to be shaped and its clarity, lighter weight and inexpensive cost.

I recommend: Gold Coast Trading Co. gives an overview of acrylic, its properties, advantages and disadvantages. Acrylic Awards To You.com demonstrates and describes the versatility, elegance and affordability of acrylic awards.

Embedment awards

Embedments are created when liquefied acrylic is poured into a custom mold. The items to be embedded are placed into the mold while the liquid is pouring. Embedments are three dimensional and can be made into any shape or size desired. Objects frequently embedded into an athletic award are medallions, photos, ball shapes and other unique articles.

I recommend: Engraving, Awards & Gifts has a frequently asked questions section as well as a glossary for acrylic embedment awards. Awards On Top explains how embedments are created and gives suggestions for embedment pieces.