Athletics · Most Improved
Athletics Most Improved Award
An athletics most improved award is easier to measure than in almost any other sport, because every performance has a time or a distance. That does not make it simple, though. Age groups change, implements get heavier and hurdles get higher, so a raw comparison of personal bests can mislead. This page explains how clubs judge improvement properly.
A few ways to make it yours
The designer
Design yours
Upload your club crest, type up to four lines and see it on the glass.
Simple pricing
End of season award prices: £8.99 small · £13.99 large
Mix sizes and designs freely. One delivery charge per order.
Minimum 5 awards. Delivery £10.00 per order.
Athletics end of season awards: measuring improvement fairly
The obvious measure is percentage improvement on a personal best, compared from the start of the season to the end. It rewards athletes in any event and at any level, from a first-year under-13 to a long-serving veteran.
The catch is the move up an age group. A thrower moving from under-15 to under-17 switches to a heavier shot, and hurdlers face higher barriers and sometimes longer races. Compare like with like, or use points scoring tables that reflect each age group's standard.
Who decides
Coaches usually nominate, since they see training as well as results. A committee or awards panel then looks at the numbers and makes the final choice, ideally using criteria agreed in advance.
Some clubs look beyond times entirely. An athlete who started the season unable to finish a cross-country race and ended it scoring for the team has improved as much as anyone, even without a dramatic PB.
Wording ideas
MOST IMPROVED ATHLETE is the most common line 1. If the award is linked to a discipline, MOST IMPROVED SPRINTER or MOST IMPROVED THROWER makes it more personal.
Put the category on the last line, such as U13 GIRLS or SENIOR MEN, so the award records the level it was won at. Clubs giving one per age group may drop the club name and keep line 2 for the event group.
Most improved in a club's awards evening
Clubs with big junior sections often give a most improved award to every age group, which can mean ten or more. The bulk option lets you paste all the names into one design, then change the category for each.
Most clubs use the Small square block at £8.99 for these, saving the Large block at £13.99 for athlete of the year. Sizes and designs mix freely in one order.
Keeping good records through the season
The easiest way to judge most improved is to have the numbers ready. Ask coaches or a team manager to note each athlete's best marks at the start and end of the season, along with the age group they competed in. Public results databases and league results help fill gaps. With that in place, the committee can agree the winners in one meeting, and the order can go in well before the awards evening.
It also means athletes and parents can see why the award was given, which makes it easier to explain a close decision between two improving athletes.
Good to know
Questions
How do we compare improvement across different events?
Percentage improvement on a personal best works across events, as long as the athlete stayed in the same age group or used the same implement. Points scoring tables help where the conditions changed.
What about athletes who moved up an age group?
Their marks may drop simply because the hurdles are higher or the shot is heavier. Compare their new marks against age group standards, or look at ranking position within the age group rather than raw times.
Can we give one most improved award per age group?
Yes. Design the award once, then paste the list of names and change the category line for each. The club crest stays the same on every award without uploading it again.
Is there a minimum order?
The minimum order is 5 awards, mixed across sizes and designs. Small awards are £8.99, Large awards £13.99, and delivery is a flat £10.00 per order.
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Club secretaries
Ordering for the whole club?
Finish one design, then reuse the same crest with a new name. Or paste a list of names and add every award in one go. Whatever the number of awards, there is one delivery charge per order.
Ordering for a club