When Schools Need More Than Sports Uniforms

Thursday 08th of October 2009 04:33:20 PM

High schools and middle schools provide sports teams with uniforms. The school football team, the school basketball team, the cheerleaders, and other school athletic groups all receive uniforms provided by the school for each sports season.

But, you may find that school athletes, students, faculty, staff, and parents need logo apparel to wear in support of their school or their school teams. The school does not provide these items but promotional clothing distributers can work with booster clubs, PTAs, PTOs, and other fundraising organizations within the school to provide school pride t-shirts, sweatshirts, and jackets.

“Every year we hold a t-shirt and sweatshirt fundraiser to raise money for our programs,” says Suzie Everett, a PTA secretary in Coronado, California. The fall fundraiser is one of her PTA’s most anticipated of the year and raises over $5,000 that is spent on fifth grade graduation, DARE, and field trips for all grades. “It is our biggest fundraiser of the year,” stated Everett.

How do Everett and others like her make a t-shirt fundraiser work? It is all about getting expert advice. Everett works closely with the same promotional clothing distributer who provides her school’s athletic wear and school uniforms.

The key to making a school pride t-shirt or sweatshirt fundraiser successful is to keep it new. Everett said the number one lesson she learned from her promotional clothing distributor was sales. “I would have created one t-shirt and sold it year after year. I learned that to be successful we had to design a new t-shirt each year…a must have shirt for students and teachers,” explained Everett.

The school turned down the idea saying they had no funds in the budget for clothing. Undeterred, the students went to the school PTA and presented their case. The PTA immediately agreed with students and funded sweats for all student athletes and academic clubs!

Promotional salespersons take note. There is a new market emerging in your market niche. School spirit is increasing and with it the desire for anything with a school logo – and not just at the college level. Check in with the local PTA’s and student council connected to schools in your area.