When the Winter Olympics are underway, there’s something inspiring about watching athletes compete for Gold, Silver, and Bronze. That spirit of competition isn’t limited to the global stage. It’s alive in local leagues, community events, and recreational tournaments all across Nebraska.

That’s what made this recent project for RecDay especially timely and fun. I had the opportunity to engrave six tumblers — two Owala and four Yeti — along with six custom pickleball medals. With Olympic medals being awarded on TV, I was engraving Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals right here in the shop.

While the scale may be different, the excitement and pride behind these awards are very real.

Elevating Local Events with Professional Engraving

Community sports and recreation events deserve quality recognition. Whether it’s a youth tournament, corporate league, or adult recreational competition, engraved awards add a professional touch that makes the event feel polished and memorable.

For RecDay, the pickleball medals were a key part of that experience. Medals symbolize achievement, hard work, and a little healthy competition. Laser engraving ensures those medals are personalized, durable, and designed to last.

Unlike printed stickers or surface decals, laser engraving creates a permanent mark that won’t peel or fade. That means years from now, recipients can still look at their medal and remember the event clearly.

You can view similar engraved awards and custom projects in my portfolio.

Custom Tumblers as Award Pieces

In addition to the medals, RecDay also had me engrave six tumblers — two Owala and four Yeti. Tumblers have become one of the most popular award and gift items for tournaments and leagues because they combine practicality with personalization.

Here’s why engraved tumblers work so well for events:

• Daily Use: Winners can actually use their award.

• Brand Visibility: Logos or event names stay visible long after the tournament.

• Professional Finish: Engraving provides a clean, high-end look.

• Durability: Yeti and Owala tumblers are built to last, making the engraving even more meaningful.

Pairing tumblers with medals creates a well-rounded recognition package — something functional and something symbolic.

The Olympic Connection

With the Winter Olympics taking place, the timing of this project couldn’t have been better. Watching elite athletes compete for medals reminds us why recognition matters. Even at a local level, awards represent effort, dedication, and accomplishment.

Gold, Silver, and Bronze may symbolize podium finishes on the world stage, but they also represent personal wins in local tournaments. Whether it’s pickleball, volleyball, golf, or any other sport, engraved medals give participants something tangible to celebrate.

Projects like this are a great reminder that you don’t need an international event to create meaningful recognition.

Precision That Matches the Competition

For both the tumblers and medals, I used professional laser engraving to ensure crisp detail and consistent results. Laser engraving allows for:

• Clean text and logo reproduction

• Consistent marking across multiple items

• Permanent durability

• Professional presentation

Each tumbler and medal was carefully aligned and engraved to maintain quality across the full batch. The finished pieces looked cohesive and ready to be handed out at a championship-level event.

The Finished Project

The final set of engraved tumblers and pickleball medals turned out fantastic. The tumblers featured sharp, clean engravings, while the medals captured that Gold, Silver, and Bronze championship feel — perfectly fitting during Olympic season.

The featured image for this post highlights the completed items, showcasing how professional engraving can elevate even small-scale events into something that feels truly special.

Ready to Upgrade Your Next Event?

Whether you’re organizing a tournament, league night, corporate competition, or community event, custom engraved medals and drinkware add a professional, lasting touch. Recognition matters — and the right engraving makes that recognition feel earned and celebrated.

If you’re planning an upcoming event and want to incorporate custom medals, tumblers, or award pieces, I’d be happy to help.

👉 Ready to get started?

View my engraving work and request a quote!