Medals

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 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." ;)