Participation Awards: When They Work and How to Do Them Well

Participation awards have a reputation problem, mostly because of how they are sometimes used: an identical trophy for everyone, with no difference between first place and last. Used well, they are something else entirely: the finisher medal from a first half marathon, the plaque for a six-year-old’s first race, the piece that reminds a volunteer crew they were part of something.

This guide covers where participation awards work, where they do not, and how to design them so they add to the podium rather than taking away from it.

Where participation awards work

• Youth sport and beginner classes. For young children, finishing is the achievement. Many local motocross tracks give an award to every rider in the youngest classes, and it is often what brings a family back to the next round.
• Endurance events and fun runs. A finisher medal marks completing a distance, which for most entrants is the whole point. It is earned, not handed out.
• First-time competitors. A first race, a first show or a first tournament is worth marking whatever the result.
• Charity and community events. A walk, a ride or a fundraiser where everyone taking part is the goal.
• Volunteers and crews. The people who made the event happen and will never be on a podium.

Where they do not

In competitive classes past the beginner level, an award that looks the same as the podium award takes something away from the people who earned the podium. Competitors notice, and so do their parents. The fix is not to drop participation awards but to make them clearly different.

Keep them distinct from the podium

The simplest rule: a participation award should belong to the same design family as the podium set, but never be confused with it.

• Different format. A medallion for finishers and a trophy for the podium is the clearest split.
• Different size. If both are trophies, the participation piece should be clearly smaller.
• No placing. Say “Finisher” or “Participant,” or nothing, but never a number.
• Same event identity. The event name, logo and year should match the podium awards, so it is still a keepsake of that event.

See medallion awards for finisher and participation medallions, and the trophy size guide for how size signals rank.

Finisher medals

A finisher medal is the participation award that nobody argues about, because the finish line is the qualification. The photograph above is one: a shaped, layered acrylic medal for a 17K run, with the distance as the largest element.

• Make the distance or the course the hero of the design; it is what the finisher is proud of.
• Put the year on it. A finisher medal is collected, and undated medals get mixed up.
• Use the event’s own colors and landmarks rather than a generic runner or rider.
• A custom neck ribbon with the event name completes it.

How many to order

Order to registrations, then add a margin for late entries and the ones that go astray. Participation counts are less predictable than podium counts, which are fixed by the number of classes and placings.

1. Start from the registration number, or last year’s turnout.
2. Add a margin for late or day-of entries.
3. Add a few for volunteers, officials and sponsors if they are included.
4. Decide in advance what happens to any left over. Undated pieces can carry into the next event; dated ones cannot.

The bulk ordering guide covers the full worksheet for podium, specials and participation tiers together.

Alternatives to a medal or trophy

A participation award does not have to be an award. Trading pins are collected and swapped, which suits youth events and multi-round series. Event items like key chains, stickers and decals give every entrant something with the event identity on it at a lower cost per piece.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a participation award?

An award given to everyone who takes part, rather than only to the winners. Finisher medals, youth participation trophies and volunteer awards are the most common kinds.

What is the difference between a participation medal and a finisher medal?

A finisher medal is given for completing a distance or course, so it is earned by finishing. A participation medal is given for taking part at all. In practice the design principles are the same.

Should participation awards look different from podium awards?

Yes. Use a different format (a medallion instead of a trophy) or a clearly smaller size, and never show a placing. Keep the event name, logo and year the same so it is still a keepsake.

How many participation awards should I order?

Start from registrations or last year’s turnout, add a margin for late entries, and add pieces for volunteers or officials if they are included.

Can participation medals be custom shaped?

Yes. Acrylic medallions can be laser cut to any shape and printed in full color with a neck ribbon, as in the finisher medal shown on this page.