Letter Jackets

[crescent&pearls]

How about taking your idea to your school's PTA. PTO or booster club? They might be interested in selling jackets as a fundraiser. That way, all the kids who want one would have a chance to purchase one, and your kid wouldn't be the stand out.

It could be a sweatshirt or something less expensive than a traditional high school letter jacket. As srmom said..those things are incredibly expensive! Somewhere around $500 in my neighborhood. I was surprised that our high school doesn't award JV letters. At least when you could get one with a JV letter, the kid could wear it throughout HS. At this school only the seniors have them...so it's a pricey high school fashion statement IMO.

[dekeguy]

At my US school, team letters were awarded under specific criteria and jealously garded against unauthorized use. Sweaters (with sleeve rings for multiple awards in the same sport) were for lettermen. Jackets were reserved for state championship team members and were provided by the school). No one would dare wear a school letter that had not been earned and awarded by the rector. Academic letters were so hard to earn that they were highly respected as well. Sweaters only, no jackets for academics. Sports letters were block capitols. Academic letters were Old English Script.

At my UK school one could win colours which could take the form of a cap or a tie in sporting colours. During normal school days one wore the usual school uniform but could wear coloured rings woven into the top of one's socks to show your team/organization affiliation.

I agree with the comments that wear of a school jacket with a team letter might not go down too well. Your school's letter is something you should earn. It really should not be a fashion statement but a reward of recognition for participation, skill, and effort.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by dekeguy

At my US school, team letters were awarded under specific criteria and jealously garded against unauthorized use. Sweaters (with sleeve rings for multiple awards in the same sport) were for lettermen. Jackets were reserved for state championship team members and were provided by the school). No one would dare wear a school letter that had not been earned and awarded by the rector. Academic letters were so hard to earn that they were highly respected as well. Sweaters only, no jackets for academics. Sports letters were block capitols. Academic letters were Old English Script.

At my UK school one could win colours which could take the form of a cap or a tie in sporting colours. During normal school days one wore the usual school uniform but could wear coloured rings woven into the top of one's socks to show your team/organization affiliation.

I agree with the comments that wear of a school jacket with a team letter might not go down too well. Your school's letter is something you should earn. It really should not be a fashion statement but a reward of recognition for participation, skill, and effort.

That's interesting. For a number of years, my high school gave out letterman sweaters to athletes who had attained a certain number of varsity letters (I think 6 or 8 was the cut-off). When I started in athletics, though, they had changed it, so that someone with that many letters was given a watch. I only got two letters, so I was a long way off from that, haha.

Still, though, there was an unofficial rule that you only got a jacket if you had more than one letter.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by dekeguy

At my US school, team letters were awarded under specific criteria and jealously garded against unauthorized use. Sweaters (with sleeve rings for multiple awards in the same sport) were for lettermen. Jackets were reserved for state championship team members and were provided by the school). No one would dare wear a school letter that had not been earned and awarded by the rector. Academic letters were so hard to earn that they were highly respected as well. Sweaters only, no jackets for academics. Sports letters were block capitols. Academic letters were Old English Script.

At my UK school one could win colours which could take the form of a cap or a tie in sporting colours. During normal school days one wore the usual school uniform but could wear coloured rings woven into the top of one's socks to show your team/organization affiliation.

I agree with the comments that wear of a school jacket with a team letter might not go down too well. Your school's letter is something you should earn. It really should not be a fashion statement but a reward of recognition for participation, skill, and effort.

I went to a college prep magnet school in Baton Rouge. We had athletic and academic letters, too. The academic letters were highly prized. You had to earn two letters to get a jacket. Students paid for everything, but you could only buy them if you qualified. Ours were navy blue with blue nawgahide sleeves. We had our names on the back and our class year on the sleeve. An SM (for Scotlandville Magnet) was on the front and each of our letters were sewn onto the SM. I had four or so letters, but all I remember are my journalism, science and Mock Trial letters.

[AGDee]

At my daughter's school, only the kids who have earned a varsity letter get the jackets and some of them don't even get them since they are so expensive. The jacket itself (with leather sleeves) was about $200. Add on her name, shorten the sleeves (she's short), the school name and Marching Band on the back, school emblem on the one sleeve, chevron on the other, very cool staff with music notes on the back under the school name... plus tax was $340.00! She got her varsity letter for marching band in 8th grade because she was in the high school competitive marching band. I'm glad she got it early and I got her the coat NOW so she can wear it for the full four years. If my camera battery ever finishes charging, I'm going to post a pic of the design on the back because we really like it

ETA: Honestly, I think we're giving younger kids more and more and I just see this as a special thing for high schoolers. If it's tradition in your area to get them for middle school, fine, but I wouldn't push the issue, honestly. Besides, our 6th grade sports are "all play", no try outs or anything, so I would see giving a letter for that would be sort of like giving a trophy to every kid.