Our year end show is coming up and I somehow got put in charge of giving awards out to skaters who have done something special this year. Of course we have our established trophies but we have other categories too, like Personal Best (for skaters that have achieved a personal hurdle, um like maybe finally getting a test after 10 tries) and last year we gave out flowers to these skaters. Flowers might be okay again, but we do have some boy skaters, and I just don't know about flowers, heh. I've got a budget of oh about $5 per skater and have been wracking my brain trying to think of something that is cool and related to skating.

Although a bit more work, back in my "Scouting" days we would find someone with a router (I eventually bought my own) and have them edge some dressed poplar wood into small plaques. We'd varnish the plaques and add a small name plate from a local trophy shop.

Unfinished plaques can sometimes be bought at craft shops fairly cheap.

If you want to get fancy, you can also mount something appropriate for the award on the plaque. For the one that passed the test after 10 tries, you could mount a big embroideried "10". For the one that drives the farthest to practice, mount a Hot Wheels race car.

Hey, I didn't have that one as an award :::adding to list::::

Thanks

Why not make cute t-shirts for each of the awards. HP and others make iron on transfers you can run through your printer, and you can get tee shirts from Michaels, Joanns or even Walmart. You can find lots of skating "art" on the internet to jazz up your designs. Then they have something they can wear to skate in that reminds them of what they've accomplished so far. Especially good for frustrating skating days!