Wrestling is an individual sport scored as a team, and a wrestling banquet has to honor both. The varsity starter with a winning record and the freshman who spent every practice as that starter’s partner both made the season, and only one of them shows up in the results.
These awards come from the mat and from the practice room: records and statistics from the bout sheets, the habits that win close matches, and the work nobody outside the room sees. There is also a short section on weight, because a few traditional wrestling awards should be retired.
Top honors
- Outstanding Wrestler: the season’s best wrestler, voted by the coaches.
- Most Wins: the best season record on the team.
- Most Team Points: the most points scored for the team in duals, counting falls, majors and techs.
- Postseason Placer Award: for every wrestler who qualified or placed in the postseason.
- Freshman of the Year: the best first-year wrestler on the roster.
From the bout sheets
- Most Pins: the most falls.
- Fastest Pin: the quickest fall of the season, with the time said aloud at the banquet.
- Takedown Leader: the most takedowns, the stat most coaches value most.
- Escape Artist Award: the most escapes and reversals from bottom.
- Mat Return Award: rode opponents out and returned them to the mat.
- Near Fall Award: the most back points.
- Third Period Award: won the most matches in the final period.
The practice room
The awards that mean most to wrestlers are often the ones from the room. Give them the same weight as the record awards.
- Practice Partner Award: the wrestler who made a starter better every day.
- Room Leader Award: set the pace in drills and conditioning.
- Iron Man Award: wrestled in every dual and tournament on the schedule.
- Bounce Back Award: the best response after a hard loss.
- Technician Award: learned and used the most new moves this season.
- Mat Crew Award: rolled out and cleaned the mats without being asked.
- Most Improved: the biggest change in record or skill since the first practice.
A word on weight
Some older banquet traditions handed out awards for the biggest weight cut or for sweating off the most before weigh-ins. Leave those out. They reward the habit coaches and health guidance are trying to move wrestlers away from, and a younger wrestler in the room hears the message.
If you want to recognize discipline, recognize the things the coaches teach: showing up prepared every week, the best attendance, the most consistent effort in conditioning. The Iron Man Award above does that without mentioning a scale.
Fun wrestling awards
Keep fun awards about the team’s habits, never about a loss, an injury or a weigh-in.
- Mat-Side Voice Award: the loudest teammate in the corner during every match.
- Tournament Day Survivor: for the longest tournament day of the season.
- Headgear Strap Award: always had the headgear on crooked and still won.
- Best Pre-Match Ritual, if the wrestler is happy to explain it.
- Bleacher Nap Award: could sleep anywhere between rounds.
- Singlet Tug Award: adjusted the singlet more than anyone, every single whistle.
The general list is funny award ideas.
Captains, seniors and the people in the corner
Wrestling seniors often have the longest story on the team: four seasons, several weight classes and a record that grew a little every year. Give each senior a moment of their own before the top honors, and read the weight they wrestled each season if you have it.
- Captain’s Award: for each team captain, named by the wrestlers.
- Senior Recognition: a piece for every senior, with the career record if the family wants it read.
- Hundred Wins Club: for a wrestler who reached a career milestone in wins this season.
- Manager Award: the team manager who ran the clock, the bout sheets and the water.
- Volunteer Award: for the parents who worked the home tournament table.
Corner coaches and assistants deserve a line of thanks too. If the room has one coach who drove every van and taped every ankle, say so.
How many to give
| Kind of team | Earned awards | Everyone receives |
|---|---|---|
| Youth club | Most improved, practice partner, hardest worker | The same award for every wrestler |
| Middle school | Most pins, takedowns, most improved, outstanding wrestler | A team piece |
| High school varsity and JV | Top honors, two or three bout-sheet awards, two room awards | Senior recognition |
| Girls’ team | Its own full set, not a single shared award | As for the boys’ team |
When a program has separate boys’ and girls’ teams, give each its own outstanding wrestler. Leadership and character awards that are not specific to wrestling are in sports award categories.
Presenting them
Present by weight class, lightest to heaviest, the way a dual is wrestled. Call each wrestler’s name with the weight, so the room hears the lineup one last time. Then present the room awards, then postseason qualifiers and placers, then outstanding wrestler.
A program with history can keep a board of all-time records, most pins, most wins, fastest fall, and add names each year. See perpetual trophies. For a plaque from the team to the coach, see coach awards.
Wording and ordering
Takedown Leader
Eli Brandt · 132
Eastside Wrestling
2026–27 Season
We build wrestling awards from the team logo in acrylic, wood and metal, from medallions and plaques to fully custom pieces for outstanding wrestler. There is no minimum order, design is free and a proof is approved before production. Tournament and team sets are on wrestling trophies, and banquet planning is on end-of-season awards. Count back from the banquet and see how far in advance to order.
Frequently Asked Questions
What awards are given at a wrestling banquet?
Outstanding wrestler, most wins, most pins, takedown leader, most team points and most improved are common, along with practice room awards, captains and postseason qualifiers.
What is an iron man award in wrestling?
An award for the wrestler who competed in every dual and tournament on the schedule. It recognizes consistency without mentioning weight.
Should a wrestling team give an award for cutting weight?
No. Awards for weight cutting reward a habit coaches work to discourage. Recognize preparation, attendance and effort instead.
In what order should wrestling awards be presented?
By weight class from lightest to heaviest, as in a dual, followed by room awards, postseason honors and outstanding wrestler last.
What are good awards for wrestlers who did not win many matches?
Practice room awards: practice partner, room leader, most improved and bounce back. They recognize the work that made the lineup better, which every wrestler in the room has seen.
Should the weight class go on a wrestling award?
For season awards, yes. A short line with the weight under the name tells the story of where the wrestler competed that year.
Awards for the whole team?
Send the team name, logo and award list. We design the set and send a proof before anything is made.
See team awards
