Cheerleading demands a level of precision and stamina that most sports never touch. Full out routines, stunt sequences that cannot afford a hand out of place, and competition floors where a single point separates first from fourth. The awards that follow that work need to match. A generic trophy off the shelf will not do it. Cheer programs, all star gyms, and competition directors need pieces that reflect the sparkle and energy of the sport, hold up to being packed in duffel bags and hauled across the country, and arrive at the venue on time even when the competition schedule shifts. This guide covers the top providers for cheerleading trophies and awards in the United States, what to look for in a cheer specific piece, and how to make sure your competition or end of season banquet delivers recognition that actually matters to the athletes.
WHY CHEERLEADING RECOGNITION MATTERS
Cheer athletes train year round. All star teams run practices four or five nights a week, and school squads add football and basketball sidelines to their competition schedule. That workload deserves recognition that reflects the sport’s culture. When a bid to a major national competition is on the line, a well designed placement trophy becomes part of the team’s story. Coaches use awards to reinforce what the program values. Cheerleader of the year, hardest worker, best base, best flyer, most improved tumbler. Each category tells athletes what the coaching staff sees and rewards. Recognition drives retention too, especially at the all star level where families spend thousands on team fees, uniforms, and travel. A program that ends the season with a real awards banquet and thoughtful individual pieces sees more athletes return. It also matters for coach and staff awards. The coaches who run these teams put in unpaid hours, and end of season recognition tells them the work is seen. For competition directors, bulk trophies and medals for placement and specialty categories are how the event feels legitimate. Cheap awards make a competition feel small. Well made pieces make it feel like a destination event worth traveling to.
TOP PROVIDERS FOR CHEERLEADING TROPHIES AND AWARDS
- VIKING AWARDS (WESTCHESTER, IL)
Viking Awards has been serving Chicagoland sports and recognition needs since 1973, and cheer programs across the Chicago area have used the shop for competition trophies, all star team awards, and end of season banquet pieces. The shop is located at 10405 W Cermak Rd in Westchester, IL, which puts it in easy driving distance for competition directors staging events at suburban convention centers and hotel ballrooms. Everything is engraved in house on laser and rotary equipment, and the family owned shop runs a standard one to two week turnaround with rush service available. That in house capability is a big deal for cheer specifically. Competition schedules change, entry counts shift, and a shop that can turn around an extra fifteen third place trophies on Thursday for a Saturday event is worth its weight in glitter.
For cheer competitions, Viking’s medal collection is a strong starting point. The Shooting Star Medal (https://viking-awards.com/product-category/medals/shooting-star-medal/) fits the sport visually and works well for placement recognition across divisions, while the BriteLazer Medal (https://viking-awards.com/product-category/medals/britelazer-medal/) is a good pick for programs that want a laser engraved custom look with a modern finish. Add ribbons in event colors and the presentation reads as intentional. For grand champion, best in show, and premier tier awards, the Viking crystal awards (https://viking-awards.com/product-category/awards/crystal-awards/) and completed metal cup trophies (https://viking-awards.com/product-category/trophies/completed-metal-cup-trophy/) give the top pieces the weight and presence the moment deserves. All star gyms running end of season banquets can use Viking’s plaques (https://viking-awards.com/product-category/plaques/) for coach recognition and cheerleader of the year, and perpetual plaques (https://viking-awards.com/product-category/plaques/perpetual-plaque/) work well for gym walls that track annual champions across seasons. Viking’s full sports awards catalog (https://viking-awards.com/product-category/sports-awards/) covers the breadth of what a cheer program needs across the year.
>>> Get Started with Viking Awards
>>> Call (630) 833-1733 or visit viking-awards.com to request a quote, discuss custom designs, or place a rush order.
- CROWN AWARDS
Crown Awards is one of the largest awards suppliers in the country and carries a deep cheer specific catalog including resin figures with cheer poses, spirit trophies, medals, and championship cups. They offer free engraving up to forty characters and work with both individual coaches and large competition directors. Their online configurator handles bulk orders reasonably well, and their cheer figures are widely recognizable. Turnaround is generally fast, and they can produce large quantities for national events.
Website: crownawards.com
Phone: (800) 227-1557
- TROPHY CENTRAL
Trophy Central operates out of Marquette, Michigan and has more than twenty five years serving school and youth sports programs including cheer. Their catalog covers youth squad awards, middle school and high school program pieces, competitive all star trophies, and personalized medals with free engraving on many items. They emphasize customization and personalization with cheerleader names, team names, and season details included at no extra charge on most standard pieces.
Website: trophycentral.com
Phone: (888) 809-8800
- K2 AWARDS
K2 Awards, based in Richmond, Virginia, carries more than one hundred cheer trophies and awards including custom pieces designed specifically for cheer programs. They handle single squad orders as well as full competition volume, and their site supports easy configuration. Their focus on customization makes them a good fit for gyms that want a distinct look for their end of season awards rather than a stock piece.
Website: k2awards.com
Phone: (804) 784-7298
- DINN TROPHY
Dinn Trophy has been in the awards business since 1956 and works with cheer programs of all sizes from West Springfield, Massachusetts. Their cheer catalog covers resin trophies, medals with neck ribbons, plaques, and personalized awards for competition placement and individual recognition. They have a strong customer service reputation and handle both small squad orders and larger competition volume.
Website: dinntrophy.com
Phone: (800) 628-3466
>>> Disclaimer: The rankings and opinions in this article reflect editorial opinion only. Companies are not ranked in any particular order of preference or quality beyond the first position. This list is independent and should not be taken as an official endorsement or paid ranking. Readers are encouraged to do their own due diligence when selecting a provider. No company mentioned is intended to be disparaged; all listed providers are respected participants in the industry.
HOW TO CHOOSE A CHEERLEADING AWARDS PROVIDER
Start with volume and pricing tiers. Cheer competitions run through dozens of divisions in a single day and produce awards in bulk. First, second, third, sometimes fourth and fifth across youth, junior, senior, novice, prep, and elite. That is a lot of trophies. A provider who quotes competitive per unit pricing at bulk quantities and holds that price without surprise engraving fees is worth more than one that offers a low headline number.
Next look at visual tiering. Placement awards for the same event should share a design language so first, second, and third look like a set. Grand champion and premier tier awards should be visibly larger or made of a different material like crystal or a completed metal cup. Athletes and coaches read that hierarchy instantly, and it makes the presentation flow.
Turnaround and reliability matter enormously in cheer. Competition entry numbers change up to the week of the event as teams add or drop divisions. A shop with in house engraving that can add or subtract from an order on short notice is a huge advantage over a national supplier that requires two week lead times.
For all star gym end of season banquets, think about the individual awards separately from the team piece. Cheerleader of the year, most improved, and coach’s award should feel personal. That is where plaques with room for a longer engraving or crystal with a photo etch shine. And ask about proofing. Names get misspelled all the time in cheer because rosters change late. A shop that sends a digital proof before engraving saves the banquet.
COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID
The first mistake is ordering competition awards too late. Directors underestimate lead time and end up paying premium rush fees or handing out generic pieces at the awards ceremony. Build in three to four weeks before the event for standard turnaround, more if the event is large.
The second is choosing awards that do not travel well. Cheer athletes stuff trophies into duffel bags and haul them through airports. Delicate resin figures with thin arms or elevated poses break in transit and become a disappointment rather than a keepsake. Look for pieces with lower profile designs or solid metal cups that survive the drive home.
The third is undervaluing the ribbon. On a medal, the ribbon is what the athlete wears around their neck for the rest of the day. A cheap thin ribbon in a generic color signals the event was a formality. A wide ribbon in event colors with the event name printed on it signals that the day mattered.
The fourth is ignoring divisional tiering. Handing the same trophy to the youth novice champion and the senior elite champion cheapens both. Tier the awards so top divisions feel distinct.
The fifth is skipping the sample order. For any large competition or bulk gym order, request a single sample before committing to the full run. Confirm color, engraving depth, and assembly before you approve production.
CONCLUSION
Cheer awards done well tell athletes and coaches that the sport they train year round for is taken seriously. Match the tier of the award to the moment. Bulk medals for placement, weighted crystal or completed metal cups for grand champion, plaques and personalized crystal for end of season banquet awards. Look for a provider with real experience, in house engraving, and the responsiveness to handle the last minute changes that cheer competition inevitably brings. Viking Awards has been supporting Chicagoland cheer programs and competition directors for more than fifty years, and their in house shop turns around rush orders that national suppliers cannot always match. To get started, call Viking Awards at (630) 833-1733 or visit viking-awards.com to request a quote, work through a custom design, or place an order for the next competition or banquet.