Letterman
Encyclopedia
A letterman, in U.S.
sports, performing arts
or academics, is a high school
or college
student who has met a specified level of participation or performance on a varsity athletic team
, marching band
, or in other performance school-sponsored activities.
", which is usually the school's initial or initials, for placement on a "letter sweater" or "letter jacket" intended for the display of such an award. In some instances, the sweater or jacket itself may also be awarded, especially for the initial award to a given individual.
Traditionally the athletic letter is associated with elite athletes, though in the last few decades there has been movement to make the letter award more accessible to all students by removing performance requirements.
Today, in order to distinguish "lettermen" from other team participants, schools often establish a minimum level of participation in a team's events or a minimum level of performance in order for a letter to be awarded.
A common threshold in American football
and basketball
is participation in a set level, often half, of all quarters in a season.
In individual sports such as tennis
and golf
, the threshold for lettering is generally participation in one half or sometimes two-thirds of all matches contested. Frequently, other members of the team who fail to meet requirements for a letter are awarded a certificate of participation or other award considered to be of lesser value than a letter.
Some schools continue to base the awarding of letters according to performance, in team sports requiring a certain number of scores, steals, baskets or tackles, according to position and sport. In individual sports letters are often determined according to qualification for state meets or tournaments.
In the performing arts letters are awarded according to performance. Students who are selected for state choir or receive high scores at major instrumental competition may receive letters, or musicians who achieve first or second seat in their instrumental section.
Students participating in academic clubs can also be given this award if the requirements are met, what academic clubs this award can be received from are at the discretion of the school. In some schools general "academic letters" are awarded on the basis of GPA, usually students with a GPA at or above 3.8.
This term is not gender-specific; a qualifying participant in women's basketball or other women's sports is properly referred to as a letterman, as would be a qualifying female participant on a co-educational sports team.
traditionally worn by high school and college students in the United States to represent school and team pride as well as to display personal awards earned in athletics, academics or activities. Letterman jackets are also known as "varsity jackets" in some places.
and the sleeves of leather with banded wrists and waistband. Letter jackets are usually produced in the school colors with the body of the jacket in the school's primary color and sleeves in the secondary color.
They usually feature a banded collar for men or a hood for women.
chenille patch on its left breast, which is almost always the first letter or initials of the high school or college the jacket came from.
The name of the owner usually appears either in chenille (matching the letter) or is embroidered on the jacket itself. The owner's graduation year usually appears in matching chenille, Placement of the name and year of graduation depends on school tradition. The year is most often sewn on the right sleeve or just above the right pocket.
Lettermen who play on a championship team often receive a large patch commemorating their championship that is worn on the back of the jacket.
Lettermen who participate in a sport in which medals are awarded often sew the medals onto their jackets to display their accomplishments.
s were a predecessor to letter jackets. The letter was usually quite large and centered (if the sweater was a pullover
); stripes on one sleeve designated the number of letters won, with a star indicating a team captain.
Some schools may award letterman jackets to letter winners at the award ceremony, but more often the school only provides the letter.
While it is commonly done, removing one's letter from the letterman jacket upon graduation is not firmly held in the protocol. Many graduates keep the letter on the jacket after graduation as a symbol of accomplishment.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sports, performing arts
Performing arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
or academics, is a high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
or college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
student who has met a specified level of participation or performance on a varsity athletic team
Varsity team
In the United States and Canada, varsity sports teams are the principal athletic teams representing a college, university, high school or other secondary school. Such teams compete against the principal athletic teams at other colleges/universities, or in the case of secondary schools, against...
, marching band
Marching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
, or in other performance school-sponsored activities.
Overview
The term comes from the practice of awarding each such participant a cloth "letterVarsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
", which is usually the school's initial or initials, for placement on a "letter sweater" or "letter jacket" intended for the display of such an award. In some instances, the sweater or jacket itself may also be awarded, especially for the initial award to a given individual.
Traditionally the athletic letter is associated with elite athletes, though in the last few decades there has been movement to make the letter award more accessible to all students by removing performance requirements.
Today, in order to distinguish "lettermen" from other team participants, schools often establish a minimum level of participation in a team's events or a minimum level of performance in order for a letter to be awarded.
A common threshold in American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
is participation in a set level, often half, of all quarters in a season.
In individual sports such as tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
and golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, the threshold for lettering is generally participation in one half or sometimes two-thirds of all matches contested. Frequently, other members of the team who fail to meet requirements for a letter are awarded a certificate of participation or other award considered to be of lesser value than a letter.
Some schools continue to base the awarding of letters according to performance, in team sports requiring a certain number of scores, steals, baskets or tackles, according to position and sport. In individual sports letters are often determined according to qualification for state meets or tournaments.
In the performing arts letters are awarded according to performance. Students who are selected for state choir or receive high scores at major instrumental competition may receive letters, or musicians who achieve first or second seat in their instrumental section.
Students participating in academic clubs can also be given this award if the requirements are met, what academic clubs this award can be received from are at the discretion of the school. In some schools general "academic letters" are awarded on the basis of GPA, usually students with a GPA at or above 3.8.
This term is not gender-specific; a qualifying participant in women's basketball or other women's sports is properly referred to as a letterman, as would be a qualifying female participant on a co-educational sports team.
Letterman jacket
A letterman jacket is a jacketJacket
A jacket is a hip- or waist-length garment for the upper body. A jacket typically has sleeves, and fastens in the front. A jacket is generally lighter, tighter-fitting, and less insulating than a coat, which is outerwear...
traditionally worn by high school and college students in the United States to represent school and team pride as well as to display personal awards earned in athletics, academics or activities. Letterman jackets are also known as "varsity jackets" in some places.
Appearance and style
The body (i.e., torso) is usually of boiled woolBoiled wool
Boiled wool is a special type of fabric primarily used in berets, scarves, vests, cardigans, coats and jackets. It is created using a mechanical knitting process which involves a set pattern that is then shrunk...
and the sleeves of leather with banded wrists and waistband. Letter jackets are usually produced in the school colors with the body of the jacket in the school's primary color and sleeves in the secondary color.
They usually feature a banded collar for men or a hood for women.
Decorations
The letter jacket derives its name from the varsity letterVarsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
chenille patch on its left breast, which is almost always the first letter or initials of the high school or college the jacket came from.
The name of the owner usually appears either in chenille (matching the letter) or is embroidered on the jacket itself. The owner's graduation year usually appears in matching chenille, Placement of the name and year of graduation depends on school tradition. The year is most often sewn on the right sleeve or just above the right pocket.
Lettermen who play on a championship team often receive a large patch commemorating their championship that is worn on the back of the jacket.
Lettermen who participate in a sport in which medals are awarded often sew the medals onto their jackets to display their accomplishments.
History
Letter sweaterSweater
A sweater, jumper, pullover, sweatshirt, jersey or guernsey is a garment intended to cover the torso and arms. It is often worn over a shirt, blouse, T-shirt, or other top, but may also be worn alone as a top...
s were a predecessor to letter jackets. The letter was usually quite large and centered (if the sweater was a pullover
Pullover
Pullover may refer to:* Pullover Productions, UK producer of the children's television programme Pullover in the early 1980s* Sweater or hoodie, a piece of clothing "pulled over" the head instead of buttoned or zipped-up...
); stripes on one sleeve designated the number of letters won, with a star indicating a team captain.
Traditions
Letterman jackets are almost never purchased before a student has earned a letter. In schools where only varsity letters are awarded this is usually in a students' junior or senior year. In schools where junior varsity letters are awarded, the jacket may also be purchased by junior varsity letter recipients, though the letter is placed just above the left pocket, leaving space for a (hopefully) future varsity letter.Some schools may award letterman jackets to letter winners at the award ceremony, but more often the school only provides the letter.
While it is commonly done, removing one's letter from the letterman jacket upon graduation is not firmly held in the protocol. Many graduates keep the letter on the jacket after graduation as a symbol of accomplishment.
See also
- Custom Letterman Jackets
- Varsity letterVarsity letterA varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
- Blue (university sport)