The Recognition Minute

Never Too Young for a Medal or Too Old for a Trophy March 10 2017, 0 Comments

There are some sports that are clearly not for the young of age.  Running over hurdles, weight lifting and possibly gymnastics need some height and some power and height but hockey is different.   Start whenever you want to!

If you are young and you want to play, find a stick your size and begin.  If you are at varsity, choose a stick and boots that fit and play.  Now, this is where it gets interesting.  If you are a veteran, young or old, it is never too late.  Just start to play.

Starting something new is challenging at times but before you decide that the challenge may be beyond you, think first of the benefits.  One does not have to be a hockey star or living legend, earning all the trophies and weighted down with gold medals.  Nor does one need risk becoming a late legend with no trophies and medals left for the mantelpiece. 

There are many reason to play hockey, such as social, health and some good networking, too.

Hockey can be a strenuous game, so start out slow, at your own pace.  Be prepared to leave the shore or familiarity (and the couch, also often too familiar) and begin.

For those young players who dream of winning in their varsity years, it is advisable to start no later than during the first year of high school.  Even better would be to start during their first years of junior school, between ages four and seven.  To become familiar with the game and develop the skills takes a little time.  Starting early may give one the edge but nevertheless, it is always the right time to start.  It is also good to become known among the hockey fraternity if you want to be noticed for selection for regional or provincial teams.

Learning is a process, so the sooner one starts, the better.  Even a toddler can begin by being involved in the sporting activities and watching the game, for just a few minutes every week to develop interest in the game.  If Mom, Dad or older sibling play hockey, even better.  Parents who know just a little about the game can start teaching their children in the back yard!

One way of encouraging hockey is for kids to attend camps. This allows them to try out a stick, hit some balls and learn a few tricks from enthusiasts in an unpressured environment while having great fun.  Playing around with a sport as well as playing the sport is how it all starts, which is why football and rugby seem to come so naturally to many kids in SA, and sometimes cricket and tennis as well.  It also why people may wait until later in life before playing hockey!

So remember, if road-running medals are not your thing, squash trophies are a piece of old tacky, you can always play for a hockey award.  And if medals and trophies are for someone else, then I say again, just start.  It’s a fantastic, racy sport that will keep you fit for as long as you can run upright and hold a stick.

One day, when you throw in the stick, don’t throw in the towel because hockey would be so much less without you.  Become a spectator. 

Trophies help add spirit to any game.   All trophies can be customised for the occasion.  http://www.prestigeawards.co.za/products/hockey-player-female-miniature-award

Resin trophies are molded according to a three-dimensional design then cast. The resin is given and antique gold look, which brings with it a sense of tradition.  http://www.prestigeawards.co.za/products/hockey-goal-resin-trophy

Aluminium trophies can be mounted on a smart wooden base. These trophies were designed by Prestige Awards and are unique in their class.  These trophies are also customisable to reflect the name of the club, school or event.  We would love to discuss with you and ideas that you have for different designs and bring them to life in  our factory.  http://www.prestigeawards.co.za/products/hockey-m-ring-floating-trophy-t0425

 

 


No Trophy Without a Stick March 08 2017, 0 Comments

It is said that the hockey stick is the most important piece of equipment used in the game.  Well, put another way, a game of hockey without sticks just isn’t hockey.

The stick is no ordinary branch from a tree.  It undergoes a lot of punishment in the hands of the player, which means careful crafting from the right materials is essential. 

Sticks can be made from a variety of materials, traditionally from hard wood such as ash.  As technology developed, other materials with equally strong, flexible properties were used.  These include composites such fiberglass, graphite, carbon and Kevlar.  Kevlar is a trade name for a very durable, spun fibre, used originally as a replacement for steel in racing car tyres.

Right-handed players may have an advantage when it comes to hockey since only right-handed sticks are manufactured. 

The stick becomes a natural extension of the player, who skillfully maneuvers it to either gently coax the plastic ball in a dribble, or send it scooting as a 100km/h towards the goal.  Length and weight vary and can be chosen to suite each player’s needs.  The weight of a hockey stick ranges between about 500gm and 750gm.

Composite materials may have some advantages over wood in strength and flexibility of design. Wood is also water absorbent and should be kept dry.  However, water can be attracted from both the field and the players, which is why the grip is importantly made of water-proof materials, such as suede, secured with plastic tape.

A stick is always a potential weapon. In a fast-moving game like hockey, sticks can get in the way of players, either to trip or injure.  A referee is always on the look out for rough play as competitive teams strive for their trophies and medals.

The trophies at Prestige Awards are also not all alike. Some are cast from resins, with fine detail and colouring.  Trophy cups could be made from metals, such a nickel, silver or pewter.  Certain designs also lend themselves to aluminium, a nice, slick option, representing the speed of play.  Shields are traditionally made of wood with brass or silver plaques that display winners' names.  Trophies in the form of mini-statuettes of male and female players are available in plastic, coated in gleaming gold and are ideal as memorabilia for each player in the team.

Trophies help add spirit to any game and can all be suitably customised for the occasion.  http://www.prestigeawards.co.za/products/hockey-player-female-miniature-award

Resin trophies are molded according to a three-dimensional design then cast. The resin is given an antique gold look, which brings with it a sense of tradition.  http://www.prestigeawards.co.za/products/hockey-goal-resin-trophy

Aluminium cut-out trophies can be mounted on a smart wooden base. These trophies were designed by Prestige Awards and are unique in their class.  We would love to help you with your unique design, to bring it to life for your event.  http://www.prestigeawards.co.za/products/hockey-m-ring-floating-trophy-t0425

 

 


With a Ball and a Stick March 01 2017, 0 Comments

 

Watching a game of field hockey is an exercise in itself. Spectators have to keep their eyes on a fast-moving plastic of fiberglass composite ball, which is hit and flicked across the field at high speed.  The players always seem to be on the move.  It is fast.

Typically in South Africa, Hockey is considered a winter sport, usually played outdoors on grass or turf. Two teams of eleven players each compete, their aim: to get the ball past the opposing goalkeeper.

The ball is propelled by hitting it with a wooden or fiber stick which is curved and flattened at one end.  The goalie also carries a stick, which may be shaped slightly differently to give it more surface area.  As in soccer, the goalie is the only one who may touch the ball with other parts of his body other than the stick.

The history of field hockey can be traced back to early civilizations but the modern game was developed in the British Isles circa 1860, with the first formal hockey club formed in 1861.

Field Hockey is now the second biggest team sport, world-wide, played by men and women, in over 100 countries.   Hockey is played by many sports clubs and offered widely in schools, who play competitively for trophies and cups.

Socially, hockey is a sport that is played by men and women of all ages, as long as they can wield a stick! The trophy and the medal my not be the object of the game when played merely for fun but the game is usually just as fast.

At Prestige Awards, we carry a range of trophies that help add spirit to any hockey game.   Traditional silver cups, which can be customised for the occasions and miniature statuettes for male and female players for the whole team.  http://www.prestigeawards.co.za/products/hockey-player-female-miniature-award

A special trophy made from resin and hard wood may be an option for a floating trophy. The trophy is molded according to a three-dimensional design then cast in resin.  The resin is given an antique gold look, which brings with it a sense of tradition.  http://www.prestigeawards.co.za/products/hockey-goal-resin-trophy

Something more modern perhaps?  We have trophies that are constructed from aluminium and mounted on a smart wooden base. These trophies were designed by Prestige Awards and are unique in their class.  These trophies are also customisable to reflect the name of a club or event.  We are open to discussing your design and bringing it to life in our factory.  http://www.prestigeawards.co.za/products/hockey-m-ring-floating-trophy-t0425

Enjoy your game of hockey!

 

 


Trophies for Djokovic - Commitment and Hard Work Pays Off February 22 2017, 0 Comments

How often does a starry-eyed child sit at the sidelines of a champion playing a great game of tennis and dream of being a champion one day? It has been said before that if you don’t have a dream, how can you make a dream come true?  So, I suppose dreaming about trohpy’s, medals and badges of honour are a good start.

In the tennis world, currently we have the Big Four – Djokovic, Murray, Nadal and Federer.  No one has won more men’s singles grand slam tournaments than Federer’s seventeen and amongst is awards you will find four Indian Wells trophies.

Nadal claimed the French open nine times, a record so far unbeaten.  Djokovic captured the Australian Open for the fifth time in February, matching Federer’s Open Era haul.  And Murray?  No more need be said.  He's a champion and his mantelpiece is cluttered with all sorts of medals and trophies. 

Each of these men were little dreamers once and they dreamed big.  But what were the realities that they faced in order to reach such heights and raise so many trophies?    

I suppose one could say that Djokovic did not just dream.   "Talent, hard work, commitment to the sport and having Federer, Nadal and Murray around," was his answer when asked by a CNN reported recently.  Earning trophies all starts with the individual.  “You have to be able to put in the hours of practice and make many sacrifices,” said Djokovic. 

Clearly, the promise competing in the final, of having a record marked against your name and magnificent trophy or golden medal is part of the incentive.  Without trohphies and awards, perhaps tennis would have remained a family game for the back garden.

What is interesting is that Djokovic attributes his success partly to having excellent competition along the way.  All said and done, he emphasized that hard work is what did it in the end.

Any worthwhile trophy will attract talent. The winner will raise his award and think back on months of thankless training, interrupted social life and dogged commitment to the sport, all for the sake of a win.  And in the case of Novak Djokovic, what a winner!

Super trophies for winners are found here:  http://www.prestigeawards.co.za/collections/types?q=Trophies%20-%20Premium

 Leave nothing to chance.  Dream, practice, play hard, commit, learn from your rivals and WIN, with Prestige Awards at your side.  http://www.prestigeawards.co.za/


Williams, Federer and Nadal January 29 2017, 0 Comments

Yesterday was a family affair, where two blood sister fought to win the ladies Australian Open championships.  It is not the first time they have faced off in professional tennis.  This was a record-breaking event, with Serena taking full honours.  She was heard to have said, "Its a win for the family".  Such was the spirit of her achievement, shared with the whole family, and no less with Venus and their fans.

Today, two more champions battle it out, providing enthralling tennis at it's best.  What is it within a man when two games down, fights to win back his position and a whole lot of respect to boot.  Such stamina, character, fortitude and grit is supported by the prospect of winning, raising trophies, wearing medals and many people from teachers, coaches and family giving their all for the reward, alongside.  The duce!  And now, 14:15 SA time - Federer wins the men's singles, Australian open, 2017.  What champions!


TENNIS AND TROPHIES January 19 2017, 0 Comments

TENNIS TROPHIES

It is Australian Open time again, the first on the annual calendar of four grand slam tournaments.  Each year, about this time, tennis fans gather to watch the drama of hard-won tennis matches.  Who will lift the final trophy is always top of mind but that is only a small part of this major competition.  It is also who will get the medals along the way to victory and who might upset the cart by stealing a match from a favourite, right under their noses. 

Lifting the winning trophy, a weighty, silver, perpetual cup is a dream most of us won’t realise in a lifetime but we can be part of the glory of victory it all when these awards are presented. 

The Men’s Singles trophy, called the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup after a former Australian tennis champion, has a history.  It bears hallmarks of London, dated 1906, making it 111 years old this year.  Standing proudly at 43cm high, including the plinth, it bulges to an overall width of 39cm, including the impressive handles.  The design was based on a large marble vase, dated second century AD, found in 1770 in what was the gardens of Emperor Hadrian’s villa.  The original vase would have been of the best that Rome had to offer to satisfy the emperor and, therefore, represents the excellence that is dished up on the court today! 

The trophy is what we see and applaud.  What else awaits the winner?  This year, the singles winners (both mens’ and women’s) can look forward to a cool $3.7 million, which translates into a neat 50 Million Rand. If you feel that a win is out of reach, you could bow out with 5 Million at the Quarter finals, which would at least buy you a new pair of shoes and a ticket home with a suite case full of change. 

If you play tennis, coach tennis or are in charge of selecting the trophies for you club or school, have a look here:

http://www.prestigeawards.co.za/search?q=tennis&x=0&y=0  for a wide variety of options, and make your event a grand slam to remember.