Medals

The local special olympics here will take anything but bowling trophies. Give your special olympics a call, describe what you have, and see what they say.

I keep most of mine in a box. They are sorted in ziploc bags according to meet and/or year. I try to keep them in order most of the time, and these days I don't pick up awards as often. If it's a big meet or if I've done a good time, I'm more likely to pick up the award. But usually not. I kept one trophy, the first one I ever won when I swam on the summer team as a six year old. I also have all the summer league ribbons from age 12 to age 18. For some reason, I don't have the heart to toss those. A few of the medals from my best meets are framed and displayed with pictures of the pools and any other memorabilia like patches. They are displayed on a small wall in a remote hallway leading to my home office, along with college degrees and a couple other awards / framed certificates. I'm usually the only one who sees them, and I think I prefer it that way. June Krauser gives her medals away on Halloween, but I think she keeps the World Championship and some of the Nationals medals. I've seen display quilts made out of old ribbons. That would probably be tricky to do, but it's possible. Some people use medals as keychains or paperweights. Others drape them in various places around the house. But my all-time favorite answer to the question of what to do with awards came from Billie Ann Burrill. The quote was published with a picture on the "Parting Shot" page in SWIM magazine a few years ago. Billie said she used the neck ribbons from her medals to tie up her tomatoes in the summertime. Then she paused, looked at me slyly and said "I call it my victory garden." ;)

I've heard of swimmers constructing end tables or coffee tables and sealing their medals on the table surface under a coat of clear acrylic plastic. One of my projects will be to take some of mine and create a mobile with them, using driftwood sticks and sea shells as the cross sticks for suspending the individual medals. I've also thought about creating other mobiles that resemble various constellations, with the medals positioned like the stars, and thin metal rods linking the "stars" together in a way that suggests the constellation. I admire and respect those who give their medals away to children or things like Special Olympics. I still have a bit too much "medal envy" to want to do that myself. (As one of my college teammates perceptively pointed out, "mediocre" swimmers seem to be the ones who don't grow up, and keep pursuing that which they could not win as an age group or college swimmer. He really "bingoed" me with that one.) One of my regrets is that when I gave away a box of books to a local library, I did not check what else was in the box and unintentionally gave away my age group, HS, and college medals. Fortunately, I still have team photos.

I know a 4th grade teacher who uses her sons medals and ribbons as incentive for the kids. I also think the Special olympics is a great idea. I had the opportunity to help with their swim meet, and what a great experience. I am sure they would appreciate it.

At most New England meets, getting a medal is optional.... so I just don't take one. -Rick

I’ve given awards to kids I know (of family and friends). They are usually excited to get them and seem eager to hear stories associated with them. I reckon they forget all about it soon enough, but I figure the seed has been planted, and maybe someday my actions will encourage them to participate in sports. Older family members and friends are usually tickled to get the same routine. Life is a circle.

Medals add money to the cost of a meet. If you want medals, you should pay for them. Ask people on the entry form if they want them, and charge accordingly. Anthony Ervin sold his Olympic gold on eaby. Josh Davis carries Olympic medals in his back pocket. Gary Hall Jr. says he doesn't even know where his medals are (Gary irreverent to the establishment, wow?).

I've chucked 'em all, including 3rd in world champs & 1st usms lcnats. maybe shouldn't have, but i'm big on the memories, not the possessions.

I have many kind of medals all around the house, and I have never thought before on doing something with them, but I guess I could put them in the kind of books that people use to collect coins, although for many of them I would not know if the medals are my children´s, my wife´s or mine. :confused:

I want to put in a little sidewalk in my side yard at home and have thought about pressing leftover meet medals into the concrete as decoration. They were customized with meet name and year and my team has about 400 of them. I contacted the local Special Olympics folks about donating them but never heard back.