Kelly World

The awarding of trophies dates back to the beginning of recorded time and beyond. The first trophies were given long before sports were organized. The concept of a trophy is attached to the taking of a piece of an opponents’ armor after the battle was one. As time progressed trophies were connected to money and were given rank and importance as would be attached to precious and semi precious metals. Hence in the Olympics and other sorting events we have gold, silver and bronze finishes. These represent first, second and third place sports trophies.

Of course modern trophies, plaques and awards are far grander than a piece of polished armor. Today’s sports trophy is a brilliantly shining metallic column mounted on a marble base with a golden figure affixed to its top. This is the standard format for a trophy in any sport. Depending on the size of the event the trophy may be just a simple molded resin trophy or a massive multi-tiered award standing several feet tall. Every sport has its own figures and styles for its trophy design and every level of that sport has it variation on that theme.

Trophies are designed and built in hundreds of colors with emphasis on shooting stars, patriotic themes and designs tailored to times in the year. For holiday timed events there are holiday themed trophies.

Every season has its sports and in all of those sports trophies are awarded. The sports year begins with Winter sports such Ice skating and skiing. Ice skating trophies are given in both amateur and professional events. Skiing has come to include such avant-garde divisions as snowboarding. Snowboarding trophies usually depict a brave mono-skier flying through the air.

February marks not the start of a popular sports season but the end of one as Basketball leagues complete a season of play. College basketball teams scramble for placement in the annual NCAA basketball tournament colloquially titled “March Madness”. Is some ways, the first place basketball trophy awarded for the college finals is the most prized in the entire sport. But as we enter April and the NBA playoffs launch pro players have their eyes on the basketball trophies awarded for both the division and league championships.

Outdoor sports are definitely affected by climate for when a season ends in the South it might just as easily be starting in cooler areas. Soccer in youth leagues is played all through the winter months on the South. It is especially popular in the second semester of the school year as temperatures for vigorous activities are perfect during the winter. In any climate soccer trophies are awarded for both winners and participants as Soccer promotes great exercise and good sportsmanship. Participation awards allow everyone who plans to receive a glistening soccer trophy.

Traditionally the spring thaw marks the beginning of baseball season. Once again climate is at issue with Southern school leagues quickly awarding their baseball trophies as the school year ends. Pro baseball players are called the boys of summer and indeed this is true as fans flood through turnstiles to see the Yankees and Red Sox slug it out to see who will win the pennant and who emerge as the winner of the world series. That’s right the ultimate baseball trophy is not a trophy at all but a large flag that can fly over the stadium wall proclaiming recent and past victories.

As summer ends and autumn leaves begin to fall, the brisk weather creates the perfect temperatures for the hard hitting game of football. During summer practices football players at every level of play come to near exhaustion. Preseason games often result in injuries due to exhaustion. But the prize they are after is either the BCS championship football trophy or the Vince Lombardi football trophy. Both of these football trophies are actually awarded in the New Year but the fight to garner them begins in the fall. Players in youth leagues and high school athletics face a much lighter schedule of just eight to ten games spread over a very short ten-week season. Football trophies for these younger divisions are awarded at both district and statewide levels.

For every season there is a sport and for every sport there is a sports trophy. Whether it is tennis trophies in May, auto racing trophies in February, or the baseball trophies awarded in October, there is a sport ending its season in every month of the year. When that season ends a fabulous sports trophy is sure to be the prize.

Of course working people need their hard fought after awards as well and for those in the corporate world the trophy is supplanted by any number of beautiful wooden engraved plaques. Surely the salesman of the year deserves his personal version of the Heisman Trophy.