What it is and why it works
Every club team in your area hands out something at the end of the season: MVP, most improved, coach's award, a plaque for the sponsor, a gift for the volunteer who ran the snack bar. Most of those come from a catalog. The team parent who orders them usually wants something that looks less generic, but does not know who in town can make it.
You want to be that person. One league tends to mean a dozen or more teams, each with a banquet, each with a volunteer who has to buy awards on a deadline. Once one board member has seen your work in person, it is easy for them to pass your name to the next team parent. And awards come back every season, so one good relationship can turn into a standing order.
Who to contact
| Group | Who to ask for | Why them |
|---|---|---|
| Club and youth hockey associations | League president, equipment manager, team manager | Hockey families love custom awards; many need to be made from scratch |
| Youth soccer, baseball, softball leagues | League board (president or treasurer), head coaches, team parents | Board approves league-wide awards; team parents buy for their own team |
| Bowling leagues | League secretary, alley manager | Season-end awards, high game and high series, sanctioned events |
| School booster clubs | Booster club president, athletic director, head coach | Senior night, sports banquets, hall of fame, coach retirement gifts |
Start with one sport you already know. If your kid plays softball, you already know the team parents, the field, and the language. That is worth more than any cold call.
Award ideas by sport
| Sport | Ideas (router, laser, 3D print, machining) |
|---|---|
| Hockey | Real puck set into a carved or engraved plaque; cut-down stick blade mounted on a walnut board; engraved puck with player number; team logo cut from aluminum on a wood base |
| Soccer | Engraved medals on custom ribbons; wood plaque with a carved ball and team crest; 3D-printed cleat or ball topper on a base |
| Baseball and softball | Engraved bat (full size or mini); home plate-shaped plaque; ball display cube with engraved base; "Golden Glove" 3D print painted gold |
| Bowling | Plaque shaped like a pin; engraved scoreboard plaque showing the actual high game; small machined pin trophies |
| Booster clubs, any sport | Senior night name signs, locker nameplates, engraved tumblers for coaches, a team perpetual plaque with room to add names each year |
What to make as a sample
Make one sample plaque for a season banquet in the sport you are targeting. Use a made-up player name and "Most Valuable Player" or "Coach's Award." Put a small engraved line on the back: your shop name, phone number, and website. That back label goes home with every award you ever sell, so do it on the sample too.
- One plaque you would be proud to see on a wall (not your cheapest option)
- One lower-cost item, like an engraved medal or keychain
- A printed one-page menu with three to five options and example prices
- Photos of both on your phone, plus the finished items on Facebook and your Google profile
Step by step
- List the leagues. Search Facebook and Google for "youth hockey," "soccer club," "little league," "bowling league," and "booster club" plus your town and the towns around you. Write down each league's website, Facebook page, and board contact.
- Make your sample in the sport of the first league you plan to approach.
- Show up where they already are. Games, tournaments, and board meetings (many post their meeting dates). Bring the sample in hand.
- Ask one question: who handles the end-of-season awards? Get that person's name and best contact method.
- Follow up within two days with the email or Facebook message below and a photo of the sample.
- Quote clearly and early. Give a price per piece, a price for the whole team, the order deadline, and the delivery date.
- Deliver early, packed neatly, with each award labeled by player name so the team parent is not sorting at the banquet.
- Ask for a photo from the banquet and permission to post it (no kids' faces unless a parent says yes).
Scripts
In person, at a game or tournament
Hi, I'm [your name]. I run [shop name] here in [town]. We make custom awards, like this one. [Hand them the sample.] Do you know who handles the end-of-season awards for the league? I'd love to show them what we can do. We can build the team logo right into it.
Phone
Hi, this is [your name] with [shop name] in [town]. I make custom trophies and plaques for local teams, things like a real puck built into a plaque or engraved bats. I'm calling to find out who orders the season awards for [league name]. Could I drop off a sample, or send you a picture?
Subject: Custom season awards for [league name]
Hi [role or name],
I'm [your name], owner of [shop name] in [town]. We make custom awards for local teams: plaques with the team logo, engraved medals, and sport-specific pieces like [example for their sport].
I've attached a photo of a sample banquet plaque. I'm happy to bring it by so you can see it in person.
If your banquet is coming up, the main thing I need is a rough count and the date. I'll send back a simple quote with an order deadline so there's no last-minute rush.
Thanks,
[your name]
[phone] · [website]
Facebook message to a team parent or league page
Hi! I'm [name] with [shop name] here in [town]. I make custom awards for local teams (photo attached). If you're the one handling awards for the banquet this year, I'd be glad to put together a quick quote. Just send me the number of players and your banquet date.
How to price the follow-on orders
Price per piece, with a lower per-piece price for a full team order. Always add a charge for a custom logo setup the first time, then waive it on reorders since you already have the file.
| Item | Example price (example only) |
|---|---|
| Engraved medal with ribbon | Example: $8 each, $6.50 each for 12 or more |
| Standard team plaque, 6 x 8 in | Example: $28 each |
| Puck or bat display plaque | Example: $55 each |
| Logo setup (first order only) | Example: $25, free on reorders |
| Rush (under 7 days) | Example: add 20% |
These are illustrations. Work out your own numbers from material, machine time, your labor, and packaging, and check them against what the catalog trophy shops charge in your area.
Seasonal calendar
| When to reach out | For which season |
|---|---|
| January to February | Hockey and winter bowling banquets (March to April); spring booster events |
| April to May | Spring soccer, baseball, softball banquets (May to July); senior night gifts |
| August | Fall sports kickoff: sell perpetual plaques and senior night signs early |
| October to November | Fall soccer and football banquets; coach gifts before the holidays |
Contact a league about six to eight weeks before its banquet. Earlier than that it is not on their mind; later than that they have already ordered from a catalog.
Checklist
- List of leagues and their award contacts
- Sample plaque with your shop info engraved on the back
- One-page menu with example prices and a lead-time note
- Order form: player names spelled out, award titles, team logo file
- Written deadline and delivery date on every quote
- Photo permission asked before posting
- Reminder on your calendar to contact the league next season
Mistakes to avoid
- Misspelled names. Have the team parent send names in writing and sign off on a proof. Never type names from a phone call.
- Using a league or pro logo you do not have permission for. Use the club's own logo, with their OK. Do not copy NHL, MLB, or college logos.
- Missing the banquet date. Set your order deadline far enough ahead to recut a mistake.
- Posting photos of kids without a parent's permission.
- Pricing a one-off custom piece like a catalog trophy. Custom takes longer; price it that way.
Turning one order into repeat business
- Keep the files. Save the logo, the layout, and the roster. Next season, send a note: "Want the same design with this year's names?"
- Sell a perpetual plaque. A big board with room for each year's champion brings the team back every year to add a plate.
- Ask for the next contact. "Is there another team in the league I should talk to?" Team parents know each other.
- Offer the league a sponsor spot. A banner or program ad in exchange for being the league's award maker can be a fair trade.
- Thank the buyer publicly on Facebook, tagging the team page, with the banquet photo.
Want Annie's to do this for you? We can build your team-awards page, find the leagues near you, and run Facebook posts timed to each banquet season.