Trading Pins

[aggie1983]

I have seen some questions about trading pins and wanted to offer some info. NCA/NDA started promoting this last year. The Varsity.com pro shop has different types of pins you can buy. Apparently, there will also be new pins every year that cannot be bought, only traded for with NCA/NDA staff at competitions. At Dallas All Stars last year there were 3 special pins: NDA glittery logo, NCA Trophy and a male cheerleader doing a herkie. You purchase the official varsity pins either on line or at the pro shop at the competitions. You then approach the staff and ask to trade. This seems to be catching on with individual gyms as well. Gyms are having pins created that reflect their gym name or mascot or whatever. The teams then take their gym pins to competitions and trade with other gyms that have created pins. This is similar t0 what Dizzy Dean baseball has done for many years. Boys would come back from the DD World Series with pins representing dozens of other teams. It is a wonderful way to get people from different teams talking to each other.

 

[aggie1983]

I have seen some questions about trading pins and wanted to offer some info. NCA/NDA started promoting this last year. The Varsity.com pro shop has different types of pins you can buy. Apparently, there will also be new pins every year that cannot be bought, only traded for with NCA/NDA staff at competitions. At Dallas All Stars last year there were 3 special pins: NDA glittery logo, NCA Trophy and a male cheerleader doing a herkie. You purchase the official varsity pins either on line or at the pro shop at the competitions. You then approach the staff and ask to trade. This seems to be catching on with individual gyms as well. Gyms are having pins created that reflect their gym name or mascot or whatever. The teams then take their gym pins to competitions and trade with other gyms that have created pins. This is similar t0 what Dizzy Dean baseball has done for many years. Boys would come back from the DD World Series with pins representing dozens of other teams. It is a wonderful way to get people from different teams talking to each other.

 

[aggie1983]

Additional info: useful websites
varsitypintrading.com - this is the "Official" website I guess and it has a short video about trading

Websites to get your own customized pins: If you google Trading Pins you will get a host of websites and the process is very easy. Typically, you send your gym's logo or mascot or whatever. The company creates a proof of the pin for your approval, you email back any changes, they give you a quote based on size and quantity, you pay and in a few weeks you have your pins. Typical prices for a 1.75 inch to 2 inch pin run from $1.50 to $2.50 based on a quantity of 200 or 300. Most pins I see are soft enamel. Our gym used
lapelpinsrus.com and we werevery satisfied with the results, but I'm sure there are many good companies out there. I think another one that advertises itself specifically for cheerleaders is cheerpins.com. I hope you will talk to your gyms about this. The more gyms that get involved the more fun it will be.

 

[EAtSlEEPChEER<3]

maryland twisters will have these pins.

 

[aggie1983]

maryland twisters will have these pins.

By an interesting coincidence I looked at y'alls website just yesterday. Someone from your gym had a posting (on facebook I think) about pins. I love the "NCA Trailer", very impressive. I will definitely be looking for y'all. My daughter is a Devilray from Georgia. Unfortunately her squad will probably be the only one from our gym with pins - Small Senior Level 3. With the owner's permission last year I ordered some pins just because I thought it would be fun for the parents to wear at competitions and didn't hear about gym trading until this weekend. Consequently, our number of pins is limited and I am offering them to my daughter's squad first. Good luck at NCA.

 

[aggie1983]

For those new to pin trading, the best way to let people know you are trading is to have a lanyard around your neck and place pins on it. Nobody wants to keep walking up to complete strangers to ask if they want to trade pins and have them look at you like you're a creeper. The lanyard lets you know who is trading and let's others know you are. Hopefully, the NCA staff will be more aware this year. Last year I would estimate half the NCA staff people I asked about pins were not aware of them.
If anyone sees this who is going to NCA Dallas and will be trading gym pins would you please post your team's name here. That way those who are interested will know what teams to be on the look out for.
As I stated in an earlier posting - Devilray Allstars Small Senior 3 will have them, but in limited number. And good luck in Dallas.

 

[KingCobra]

We have gone through www.cheerpins.com for our pins and love them!! At Worlds and at All Level I know Cali will have pins. In the past World Cup, Cheer Athletics, GymTyme, Cali, East Elite and others ordered pins through cheerpins.com for Worlds and it was fun to get each of them. They were way better quality than the 1 Spirit of Texas pin I saw at Dallas. I just went to the website and they are offering 10% discount if ordering before April 1st. Tell all of your coaches and parents to buy these so I can get some pins from other teams!

 

[KingCobra]

Additional info: useful websites
varsitypintrading.com - this is the "Official" website I guess and it has a short video about trading

Websites to get your own customized pins: If you google Trading Pins you will get a host of websites and the process is very easy. Typically, you send your gym's logo or mascot or whatever. The company creates a proof of the pin for your approval, you email back any changes, they give you a quote based on size and quantity, you pay and in a few weeks you have your pins. Typical prices for a 1.75 inch to 2 inch pin run from $1.50 to $2.50 based on a quantity of 200 or 300. Most pins I see are soft enamel. Our gym used
lapelpinsrus.com and we werevery satisfied with the results, but I'm sure there are many good companies out there. I think another one that advertises itself specifically for cheerleaders is cheerpins.com. I hope you will talk to your gyms about this. The more gyms that get involved the more fun it will be.

Cheerpins.com were great!!

 

[MaKenzie Mabry]

Tribe has them!

 

[FCACoachesMom]

FCA is getting pins

 

[KingCobra]

Cheer Extreme has pins! So does Top Gun, Cali and Stingrays

 

[Triple B]

They've been doing this at Disney World for years...my little sister has a bunch of pins she traded with other kids on the park. It's very cute....I'm going to ask my gym about doing them.

 

[KingCobra]

I just heard that Desert Storm has pins for Worlds. Also, Kingston Elite.

 

[KingCobra]

Here's what I've heard as to teams that will have trading pins at Worlds:
Cali (3 different pin designs)
Top Gun
Cheer Extreme
World Cup
Stingrays
Cheer Athletics
Kingston Elite
Desert Storm
Spirit of Texas
Tribe
FCA Gems
Emerald All Stars
Maryland Twisters
Charlotte All Stars
Fierce
NEO

Any more?​

 

[aggie1983]

Not going to Worlds - but may I presume that all these gyms will be having pins next year for trading at comps? Our girls had a lot of fun at NCA with the teams they did find, but it was hard because not many seemed to have them. It would appear this is really catching on.