The end-of-season banquet is where a team decides what it valued. The awards a coach hands out tell players which things mattered: scoring, yes, but also showing up early, picking up a teammate, getting better week by week. A thoughtful list of awards with a sentence about why each player earned one does more for a program than a stack of identical participation trophies. Here are award names to choose from, what each one recognizes and how to word it.
Traditional awards
- Most Valuable Player: the player the team could least afford to lose. Wording: "For carrying this team on the nights we needed it most."
- Offensive Player of the Year / Defensive Player of the Year: the best on each side of the ball. Wording: "For 14 takeaways and a lot of sleepless nights for opposing coaches."
- Most Improved: the biggest jump from the first practice to the last. Wording: "For becoming a different player between August and November."
- Rookie of the Year: the best first-year varsity player.
- Coach's Award: the player who embodies what the coach is trying to build. Let the coach write this line personally.
- Captain's Award: chosen by the captains for the teammate who made their job easier.
- Scholar-Athlete: the highest grades on the roster, or every player above a GPA line.
Effort and character awards
- Hustle Award: first to every loose ball. Wording: "For never once jogging."
- Iron Player: never missed a practice or a game.
- Heart of the Team: the player whose attitude set the tone.
- Unsung Hero: the work that never made the stat sheet.
- Teammate of the Year: voted by players.
- Sportsmanship Award: the player officials and opponents respected.
- Leadership Award: for a non-captain who led anyway.
- Comeback Award: for returning from an injury or a hard season.
- Work Ethic Award: first in the weight room, last to leave.
- Spirit Award: the loudest voice on the bench.
Skill and position awards
- Golden Glove (baseball, softball): best defender.
- Silver Slugger or Top Bat: best hitter.
- Ace Award (volleyball, tennis, pitching): most aces or best on the mound.
- Brick Wall (soccer, hockey, lacrosse goalies): most saves.
- Trench Award (football): best lineman, voted by the line.
- Floor General (basketball, volleyball setters): the player who ran the offense.
- Lockdown Defender: the assignment nobody else wanted.
- Sharpshooter: best shooting percentage.
- Special Teams Player of the Year (football).
- Most Assists, Most Digs, Most Rebounds: simple stat leaders.
Light-hearted awards, kept kind
Fun awards can be the best part of the night if every one of them is something the player would be glad to hear read aloud in front of their grandparents. A good test: would the player tell this story about themselves?
- Bus DJ: controlled the music on every road trip.
- Human Alarm Clock: woke everyone up on early bus rides.
- Snack Captain: always had extra.
- Weather Champion: played through the rain game without complaint.
- Most Likely to Coach Someday: knew everyone's assignment.
- Locker Room Comedian: kept things loose before big games.
Avoid anything about mistakes, size, grades or anything a player might be sensitive about. When in doubt, leave it out.
Awards for the people around the team
- Team Mom or Team Dad of the Year
- Booster of the Year
- Athletic Trainer, Team Manager, Statistician, Bus Driver
- Assistant Coach Appreciation
Writing the line on the certificate
The single sentence under the player's name is what families keep. Make it specific: a moment, a number or a habit. "For the block in the regional final" is stronger than "For great defense." Have the coach who knows the player best draft it, and keep each line short enough to read aloud in one breath.
Running the awards
- Decide early whether every player receives something. Many coaches pair a few major awards with one personal award for each player.
- Present the light awards first and the major ones last.
- Double-check the spelling of every name with the roster and with families.
- Order certificates and boards at least two weeks before the banquet.
Certificates and gifts for the banquet
The Banquet Award Certificate sets the award big (Most Valuable Player, Most Improved, Coach's Award, Hustle, Rookie of the Year, or any name from this list), then PRESENTED TO and the player, their number and position, your line about why they earned it, and signature lines for the coaches. From $24.
For the coach, Thank You, Coach shows the season's record, finish and every result, with every player's number and name and a line beside each to sign. Pass it around the locker room before the banquet. From $59. The Thank You Board does the same for the team mom, trainer, manager, bus driver or booster of the year. From $59.
For every family, The Season lists every game and score, the record set huge, the finish and the roster with their own player highlighted. From $45.
Shop this guide
Banquet Award CertificateFrom $24
Thank You, Coach Sign BoardFrom $59
Thank You Board for the Team Mom, Trainer, Manager or Bus DriverFrom $59
The SeasonFrom $45
Ordering
Personalize each certificate or board on its product page, one order per award. Every order is checked by hand, and a proof comes to you before printing. Allow about two weeks before the banquet. Teams and booster clubs ordering five or more prints get team pricing; see team orders.