Engraved glass crystal trophies are a great way to mark sporting achievements and recognise the hard work that goes into winning sporting events.
The tradition
The winners of Ancient Greek games did not receive a trophy. They competed for the glory of winning.
By the 1600s, it was common to receive a chalice as a trophy for winning. Traditionally chalices or cups are made by silversmiths and are expensive to manufacture. This is probably why many high profile cups such as the FA Cup and the Davis Cup are not kept, but passed on to the new winner each year.
Today cheaper nickel cast cups are available that can be kept by their recipients, but many sporting organisations want a trophy that is more special and choose engraved crystal trophies. These are a little more expensive, but look more stylish.
Crystal trophies can be simple but elegant shapes or more complex ones, such as star-shaped and octagonal. They can be flat or shaped in a three-dimensional curve.
Why are trophies given?
Like the Ancient Greek athletes, modern sportsmen and women get much pleasure from winning or doing well in a sports event. There is a great sense of achievement and a boost in self-confidence. Often, winning a sports event comes after long periods of hard training, getting up early every morning, sacrificing social life. There is immense relief on doing well, and a feeling that all that hard work was worth it.
Winning is not just about one’s internal feelings, athletes and sports people need to know that their efforts are appreciated by others. A trophy is a reminder of achievements. Whether for an individual or a team win, a trophy is prominently displayed to show the person or team of their sporting achievements.
A trophy is a motivation to achieve more. Sportspeople, unless they reach retirement age, are ambitious and want to achieve more and more. They do not want an isolated trophy, but a display cabinet full of them.
People have fond memories of their sporting achievements, but also like the physical reminder that a trophy provides.
Engraved crystal trophies for fun events
Giving engraved crystal trophies does not have to be restricted to official sporting events. Businesses hold sports events for teams of employees for team building purposes.
Families of groups of friends can hold informal sports events and award a crystal trophy to the winner. Not all of these events have to be for serious athletes. Egg and spoon races, sack races, pancake tossing races and similar fun events can have engraved crystal trophies as prizes.
Personalising the trophy
Crystal trophies can be engraved with any lettering to mark the sporting event. After the trophy has been presented, the name of the winner can be added to the trophy.
Engraving is not restricted to text, because images can be etched into the glass. Engraved crystal trophies are stylish looking, top quality awards that recognise sporting brilliance at all levels of competing.
