How to Earn Team Spirit Awards

While the entire team works hard, there are always a few whose work is outstanding. But athletic prowess is not the only quality worthy of reward. The guy who is always ready to help inexperienced players, the girl with a smile and good word for everyone and your hard-pressed, hardworking manager all deserve some kind of recognition. Tell your team how they can earn team spirit awards.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Decide who will be eligible to earn team spirit awards. You may wish to divide the awards into sections--those who play on sports teams or do cheerleading, those who support the teams with publicity, managing and other service as well as a general category--that is, anyone who has shown unusually strong school spirit.

2. Notify students early in the year that team spirit awards will be given out at the end of the term or year. Tell how they can be earned. However, don't get into what the individual awards are, yet.

3. Keep a private tally of merit marks for each student. Notice when he has been especially helpful or when she has voluntarily gone out her way to support a school event or project. All teachers and coaches should do this.

4. Give interim rewards--a special privilege, a weekly or monthly drawing for a pizza lunch or other prize, whatever students at your school value.

5. Towards the end of the year, ask teachers and staff to submit students' names for the team spirit awards, including what the student did to earn it.

6. Confer with teachers and coaches about what awards should be given. Consider things like most committed, most energetic or most athletic. For cheerleaders, best smile or most animated might be appropriate.

7. Check out a trophy, plaque and certificate catalog to see what the price is for items engraved with the titles of your awards. There may or may not be time to have the student's name engraved as well.

8. Give out the awards at a school assembly or end-of-year party.

Tips & Warnings

• Make all the awards worthwhile and genuine, rather making something up just so that everyone will get one. Even young people know when they're being patronized.
• The reason you do not identify the awards before they are given is that you might not know in advance exactly what you want to reward. A student might surprise you.
• If the school finances don't include buying trophies or awards, you can make your own with document and greeting card software. Use heavy paper stock in a cream or vellum color to make them look authentic.
• If you are ordering trophies or plaques, allow plenty of time for delivery. Any number of glitches, including out-of-stock designs and late shipping, could cause a delay.

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