What Is A Varsity Letter And How Do You Get One In California?

A varsity letter is an award given to a student for their achievements in school athletic programs. 

It is most commonly associated with high school sports. And it recognizes an athlete’s participation, commitment, performance, or contribution to a varsity team.

Also, varsity letters aren’t just confined to sports today. Schools award them students for achievements outside athletics, including academics, music, arts, and community service. 

In this blog, I have explained everything about what is a varsity letter, including how you can get one in California as a student, and what to with it. 

So, let’s get into it. 

Key takeaways

• A varsity letter is an award recognizing a student’s achievement or contribution at the varsity level.
• The exact varsity letter requirements differ from one school and sport to another.
• In California, there is no single statewide norm about when a student earns a varsity letter. 
• Every school and athletic program has their own criteria such as participation, playing time, completing the season, and sportsmanship. 
• Once you earn your letter, you can display it on a varsity letterman jacket along with sport patches, your name, and graduation year. 

What is a varsity letter?

For starters, a varsity letter is a school award given to a student who meets certain recognition requirements at the varsity level. It is mostly awarded for sports such as football, basketball, baseball, soccer, volleyball, track and field, swimming, wrestling, and other high school athletic programs.

Here, the actual letter is a large chenille patch with the school’s initial, initials, mascot, or another school-specific design. This letter is traditionally displayed on the left chest of a varsity letterman jacket.

A varsity letter is more than just a patch

It shows that the student reached the standard set by their school or athletic program. This standard can include much more than being listed on the varsity roster.

For instance, a school might require an athlete to complete a season, participate in a number of competitions, maintain academic eligibility, attend practices, and have good standing with the team. Also, other schools might place more importance on performance or contribution instead of having multiple requirements. 

What does it mean to letter in a sport?

To letter in a sport means that you have met your school’s varsity letter criteria to receive a letter for that sport.

For instance, let’s say you play soccer at a California high school. You make it to the team, complete the season, attend practices and games, remain academically eligible, and meet the performance requirements set by your coach.

Now, if you satisfy all of these requirements, you can be awarded a varsity letter for soccer.

Note: Being on the school team does not guarantee that you will receive a letter

Some schools require athletes to play in a percentage of games or meets. Others have sport-specific requirements. Also, some have criteria that includes attendance, attitude, sportsmanship, academic standing, and contribution to the team.

So, if you hear a teammate saying, ‘I lettered in football,’ or ‘I lettered in basketball,’ it means that they have met the school’s varsity letter criteria for that sport. 

Bonus: Students can earn letters for activities outside traditional sports too 

Yes, that’s right!

Although the tradition of varsity letters started at Harvard University to recognize outstanding basketball players, it is no longer confined to sports alone. You can also earn one for academics, music, arts, or science olympiads. 

California’s CIF Southern Section, for instance, awards varsity letters for extracurricular activities such as band, drama, forensics, student council, and others in its academic awards program.

What is a varsity letterman?

A varsity letterman is a student who has earned a varsity letter. The term is traditionally attached to student-athletes. But depending on the school, the varsity-letter can also be awarded for other school activities.

So, if you earn a varsity letter in basketball, you can be called a basketball letterman. Similarly, if you earn one in football, you are a football letterman.

You can then display this varsity letter on a letterman jacket. Meaning your varsity letter is only the beginning. Once you have earned it, you can start adding the patches, pins, numbers, and other details on your jacket, telling the story of your high school career.

How do you get a varsity letter in California?

There isn’t one set of varsity letter criteria that applies to every high school in the state. It is your school, athletic department, and coach that determine what you need to do to earn your letter.

For instance, Oakland Technical High School requires varsity athletes to compete in at least 50 percent of varsity contests. Their criteria also includes attendance, academic standing, sportsmanship, and contribution to the team. Also, the school allows exceptions for things like an injury or exceptional leadership, but at the discretion of the coach and athletic director.

Other California schools have their own rules. For instance, at St. Paul High School in Santa Fe Springs, students need their varsity head coach to verify that they have completed sport requirements before requesting a varsity letter.

So, if you’re a California high school athlete, the best way to know your varsity letter requirements is to check with your school’s athletic department or your varsity coach.

Overall, here are some general varsity letter requirements that you can expect from your school 

Bonus: You don’t have to be the best player to earn a varsity letter.

At Oakland Tech, for instance, the varsity letter criteria include consistent contributions during practices and games. Also, special consideration can be given for leadership, commitment, injury, or overcoming other challenges.

So, even if you are not the best player, there is still a good chance you can become a varsity letterman if you make dedicated contributions to your team. 

FAQs about varsity letter requirements

Do you have to play in a certain number of games to get a varsity letter?

Sometimes, yes. This is the most common way schools check varsity participation.

The exact number can be very different from one program to another. For instance, one school might require an athlete to participate in half of the varsity contests. Another might set a specific number of games, quarters, matches, meets, or events as criteria.

You can ask your coach a simple question: What are the lettering requirements for my sport?

This will give you a much more accurate answer than anything you find online.

Can you get a varsity letter if you get injured?

Yes, you might be able to.

An injury doesn’t mean you lose your chance to earn a varsity letter, more so if you were already contributing to the team before the injury.

Some schools make clear exceptions for injured athletes. For instance, Oakland Tech allows exceptions for injury. Also, other schools have policies allowing an injured athlete to letter if they continue supporting the team and would otherwise have met the participation requirements.

But again, this doesn’t apply everywhere. Your coach and school’s athletic department will determine how the situation is handled.

Do grades matter for getting a varsity letter?

They can.

Schools have academic eligibility requirements that athletes should meet to participate in high school sports in the first place. California schools follow CIF rules and individual district or school policies for athletic eligibility. 

For instance, some California programs require students to maintain a minimum GPA and pass a specified number of classes.

But there’s a difference between being academically eligible to play and meeting your school’s requirements to earn a varsity letter.

Your school might require you to remain academically eligible throughout the season as part of its lettering policy. At the same time, you’ll also need to meet all the other varsity letter criteria in order to become a letterman. 

How do you know if you earned a varsity letter?

Your coach or athletic department will let you know at the end of the season or during the school’s athletic awards process.

Some schools have a formal varsity letter request or verification form. At St. Paul High School, for instance, the varsity head coach must sign the school’s varsity letter request after the athlete has completed the requirements for that sport.

If you’re unsure, simply ask your coach: Have I met the requirements to letter in this sport?

Once you’ve officially earned it, you’ll receive the chenille varsity letter from your school.

What to do with a varsity letter?

Once you’ve earned your varsity letter, you don’t have to leave it sitting in a drawer. The most traditional option is to put it on a varsity letterman jacket.

You can have the main school letter sewn onto the left chest and then customize the jacket with different types of embroidery stitches, representing your high school career. This can include your sport, jersey number, name, graduation year, team name, championship patches, or other achievements.

For instance, if you lettered in football and your team won a league championship, you can have your football details and championship patch added to your jacket.

And you don’t have to stop with just one letter. You can also represent other sports, awards, and milestones through patches, embroidery, pins, and other customization.

So, once you’ve earned your varsity letter, you can turn it into something much more personal than just an award sitting in a box.

Conclusion

I am sure that you now have a good understanding of what is a varsity letter and how you can earn one in California.

Simply put, a varsity letter is how a school recognizes the commitment, participation, achievement, and contribution of a student at the varsity level.

And the best thing is that you don’t have to be the team’s best player to earn one. Every school has its own varsity letter requirements, and things such as participation, playing time, attendance, academics, sportsmanship, and contribution to the team can all get you a letter.

Trying to earn your first varsity letter?

Well, the best thing you can do is speak with your coach or athletic department and find out exactly what your school’s requirements are.

And once you’ve earned your letter, don’t just put it away.

You can display it on a custom varsity letterman jacket and add your sport, name, number, graduation year, championship patches, and other achievements. 

At 5 Star Apparel, we can help you create a custom letterman jacket with your choice of colors, materials, chenille letters, patches, and embroidery.