At All Star Cheer competitions, you may notice something different from many other sports.

Instead of handing out large trophies, event producers often award banners.

To someone new to the sport, this can feel surprising.

Trophies seem more traditional. But banners actually make a lot of sense for how All Star Cheer functions.

One big reason is that cheer is built around teams, not individuals.

A banner represents the entire group equally. It is something everyone helped earn together.

While trophies can be displayed in a case, banners are designed to be hung on a wall or from the rafters where the whole program can see them every day.

Walk into most All Star Cheer gyms and you will quickly understand. Banners cover the walls from floor to ceiling. Each one marks a moment in the program’s history.

They show years, divisions, and titles.

Together they tell a visual story of growth, effort, and achievement. It becomes a source of pride for athletes, coaches, and families.

Another reason banners are popular is size and visibility.

Cheer gyms are large, open spaces.

Athletes practice stunts that often go high into the air.

A small trophy can disappear in a big room. A banner, however, can be seen from across the floor. It reminds everyone what is possible.

Travel is also an important factor.

All Star teams compete often and sometimes far from home.

Large trophies are heavy and awkward to carry.

Banners can be rolled, folded, or packed easily. That makes them simpler to transport after competitions, especially when teams travel by plane.

Cost plays a role too. Competitions give awards to many divisions and levels.

Producing tall, detailed trophies for every placement would be expensive.

Banners are easier to create in large numbers while still looking impressive and meaningful.

There is also a strong tradition behind banners.

Over time, they have become a symbol of achievement in the cheer world.

Athletes grow up touring gyms and seeing rows of championship banners hanging high.

They imagine earning one of their own. That shared expectation helps make banners feel special.

Banners also support team identity. Programs often display them grouped by season or level.

New athletes can look up and see what older teams accomplished. It creates motivation and a sense of belonging. The banner is not just an award. It is a reminder that each team becomes part of something bigger than one season.

Banners last in a very visible way.

Trophies can be stored on shelves or tucked away when space runs out.

Banners keep hanging year after year. They continue inspiring new athletes long after the original team has moved on.

While trophies may feel more traditional in some sports, banners fit the spirit of All Star Cheer.

In a sport built on shared effort and lasting pride, banners simply make more sense.

Because of all these reasons, banners have become part of the sport’s identity.

When athletes win, they are not just earning recognition. They are adding to their gym’s history.

Every new banner joins the others overhead and around us, showing future teams what dedication can achieve.

That lasting reminder is something the majority of single trophies (with the exception of an NCA or Worlds trophy of course!) could never fully replace.