Every season ends with the same job landing on a coach, a team parent or a league director: decide what awards to give and what to call them. The usual answer is MVP, most improved and a coach’s award, chosen the week of the banquet. That works, but it recognizes three players on a roster of fifteen and leaves the rest clapping.
This guide lists the categories teams and leagues use, in seven groups. Each comes with possible names and a one-line criterion you can adapt. After the lists there is advice on how many to give, how to keep them earned, and what changes for the youngest age groups.
How to choose from this list
Treat it as a menu. Pick one or two from each group that fits your team, then look at the set as a whole. A good set makes it possible for a starter, a reserve and a first-year player each to win something for a real reason.
Write the criterion down before the season ends, and decide who chooses: the coaches, a player vote, or the statistics. Players accept almost any result when they know how it was reached.
Performance awards
| Category | Possible names | Criterion |
|---|---|---|
| Most valuable player | MVP, Player of the Year, Most Outstanding Player | The player whose absence would have changed the season most |
| Offense | Offensive Player of the Year, Top Scorer, Scoring Champion | Leads the team in the scoring measure your sport uses |
| Defense | Defensive Player of the Year, Iron Wall Award, Lockdown Award | The player opponents had the hardest time getting past |
| Single performance | Performance of the Year, Clutch Award, Game Changer | One game, match or race that stood above the rest |
| Newcomer | Rookie of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Breakout Player | Best season by a first-year player on the team |
Where a statistic decides the award, say which one. “Top scorer” is clear. “Best offensive player” is an opinion, and it should be presented as the coaches’ choice.
Improvement and effort awards
| Category | Possible names | Criterion |
|---|---|---|
| Most improved | Most Improved Player, Biggest Leap, Progress Award | Greatest gain in skill from the first practice to the last |
| Work rate | Hardest Worker, Hustle Award, Extra Mile Award | Gives full effort in every drill, whether or not anyone is watching |
| Practice | Practice Player of the Year, First In Last Out Award | Makes practice better for everyone, regardless of game time |
| Comeback | Comeback Award, Resilience Award | Returned from injury or a setback and contributed |
These are the awards reserves win, and for many players they mean more than MVP. Give the reason when you present it. “Most improved” lands differently when the coach says what improved.
Character awards
| Category | Possible names | Criterion |
|---|---|---|
| Sportsmanship | Sportsmanship Award, Fair Play Award, Respect Award | Treats opponents, officials and teammates well, win or lose |
| Team spirit | Spirit Award, Heart of the Team, Best Teammate | Lifts the bench and the locker room |
| Coach’s choice | Coach’s Award, Coaches’ Award | The player who best represents what the coaches ask for |
| Scholar-athlete | Scholar-Athlete Award, Academic Excellence Award | Highest academic standing among players who met a participation standard |
| Community | Community Award, Service Award | Represents the team well off the field |
A player-voted “best teammate” award is worth having alongside the coaches’ choices. The same idea in a workplace is covered in peer-to-peer recognition.
Leadership awards
| Category | Possible names | Criterion |
|---|---|---|
| Captain | Captain’s Award, Team Captain Recognition | Recognizes the captains for a season of responsibility |
| Leadership | Leadership Award, Leader by Example | Sets the standard without needing the armband |
| Mentor | Mentor Award, Big Sister or Big Brother Award | An older player who brought a younger one along |
| Senior | Senior Award, Career Achievement Award | Marks a graduating player’s full time in the program |
Graduating players are often recognized on a night of their own. Senior night gift ideas covers what to give them.
Role and position awards
Position awards give every part of the team a name. The list depends on the sport, and a few examples show the pattern.
- Volleyball: best setter, best libero, best hitter, best server. See volleyball trophies.
- Basketball: best defender, best rebounder, sixth player award, free-throw award. See basketball trophies.
- Football: offensive and defensive lineman of the year, special teams player, scout team award. See football trophies.
- Baseball and softball: batting award, pitcher of the year, fielding award. See baseball trophies and softball trophies.
- Hockey: best forward, best defender, goaltender award, playmaker award. See hockey trophies.
- Wrestling: most pins, most team points, outstanding wrestler. See wrestling trophies.
- Cheer: best flyer, best base, best tumbler, spirit award. See cheer trophies.
- Tennis: singles and doubles player of the year, ladder champion. See tennis trophies.
- Soccer: top scorer, goalkeeper of the year, midfielder of the year. See soccer trophies.
Give your awards your own names. Famous award names from professional and college sport are trademarks, and a name that belongs to your program, perhaps after a founder or a longtime coach, will mean more in ten years anyway.
Fun awards
One or two light awards change the mood of a banquet. They work when they are about something the whole team recognizes and the winner would happily repeat to a grandparent.
- Best pregame playlist: for the player in charge of the speaker.
- Snack captain: never arrives at a bus without supplies.
- Loudest on the bench: heard from the parking lot.
- Best celebration: voted by the team.
- Equipment magnet: somehow always has the spare everyone needs.
Avoid anything about a mistake, a body or a bad game. Funny award ideas has a hundred more, with the same rule applied throughout.
Whole-team, coach and volunteer awards
| Category | Possible names | Criterion or use |
|---|---|---|
| Team piece | Season award, team medal, championship award | One for every rostered player, with the team and the season |
| League honors | League Champions, Tournament Champions, Regular Season Champions | A team award for the club to display, plus one each for the players |
| All-league | All-League Team, All-Tournament Team | Selected by coaches or officials across teams |
| Coach | Coach of the Year, With Thanks | From the league, or from the team and families |
| Volunteers | Volunteer of the Year, Team Parent Award | The people who ran the scorer’s table, the snack bar and the carpool |
A piece for every player is the base that makes individual awards fair: team awards covers matching awards with each name on its own piece, and participation awards covers when an award for everyone is the right call. For the adults, see coach gift ideas and volunteer awards.
How many to give, and keeping them earned
- Fewer than you think. As a rough guide, once more than about a third of the roster wins an individual award, the awards start to feel assigned.
- One award per player. If the MVP is also the top scorer and the captain, give the MVP and let the others go to someone else.
- Keep the list stable. The same awards each year let players aim for them, and let a design be reordered so each year’s set matches the last.
- Do not invent an award to avoid leaving someone out. That is what the team piece is for.
- Say why. Two sentences from the coach about what the player did are worth more than the award itself.
Youth teams and the youngest age groups
For young children, most coaches skip MVP and scoring awards entirely. The differences at that age are mostly about birthdays, and the players who are not chosen remember it. What works is the same piece for every child plus a specific sentence about each one, said out loud.
From about middle school, individual awards make sense, starting with effort and character awards and adding performance awards as the level becomes competitive. Leagues should set one policy for every team in an age group, so one team’s banquet does not look very different from another’s.
Races and tournaments for young entrants often give every finisher a medal; custom race medals covers how those are ordered. Awards for end-of-year events are in end-of-season awards.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common sports team awards?
Most valuable player, most improved player, a coach’s award and a sportsmanship award. Many teams add offensive and defensive player of the year, a captain’s award and a newcomer award.
How many awards should a team give out?
Enough that different kinds of players can win, but few enough that each still means something. For a competitive team, a rough upper limit is individual awards for about a third of the roster, with a team piece for everyone.
What can I call an award instead of MVP?
Player of the Year, Most Outstanding Player, or a name that belongs to your program, such as an award named after a founder or longtime coach.
Should young children get individual awards?
Most coaches of the youngest age groups give every child the same award and say something specific about each one. Individual awards usually start around middle school.
Who should decide the awards?
Coaches for performance and effort awards, statistics where a clear measure exists, and a player vote for awards such as best teammate. Decide and announce the method before the season ends.
Awards for the team as well?
Send us the team name, your list of awards and how many of each, and we will design the set and send a proof before anything is produced.
See custom awards
