Trophies and Medals for a Baseball or Softball Tournament: The Organizer's Guide

From May to September, Quebec's baseball and softball diamonds are buzzing. Whether you are organizing a weekend tournament in Châteauguay, a league final in the Montérégie or a friendly ball festival, great awards add prestige to the event and leave players with a lasting memory. Step one: define your categories. By age group (atom, mosquito, peewee, bantam, midget), by skill level, or in a mixed or recreational format. Plan at least one award for the champion and one for the runner-up in each category. This makes your budget easier to calculate and avoids last-minute oversights on final day. Next, choose the right type of award. The team trophy remains the classic choice for champions: it sits proudly in the club's clubhouse or the youth center. For younger players, a medal given to each player is affordable and much appreciated. You can also add individual awards: best hitter, best pitcher, most valuable player (MVP), rookie of the year or sportsmanship award. Don't forget thank-you plaques for your sponsors, scorekeepers and volunteers. When it comes to personalization, include the tournament name, the year, the category and the placement. Add your association's logo and colors. Laser engraving gives crisp, durable text on plaques, while color printing makes logos stand out on medals and inserts. For a traveling trophy, plan a base with extra plates so the winner's name can be added year after year. As for quantities, count 12 to 15 players per team, plus coaches and managers. Order a few extra medals: a last-minute player, a spelling mistake or an unexpected team in the final happens often. Watch out for the weather! Avoid putting the exact date of the game on the award: the tournament year is plenty if rain forces a postponement. To stay stress-free, place your order three to four weeks before the event, leaving time to confirm the text and make corrections if needed. At Mr Trophée, we engrave and print your trophies, medals and plaques in our Léry workshop, with the best price guaranteed in Canada. You can pick them up at the workshop or have them delivered. Contact us with your list of categories and we will offer a quote that fits your budget.