Cheer and Dance Team Apparel: Hoodies, Tees and Spirit Wear
By The Velocity Wear Team
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Cheer and dance programs are apparel-heavy. Competition uniforms come from specialist suppliers, but teams also need practice shirts, competition hoodies, travel wear and plenty of spirit wear for proud parents.
Competition uniforms vs team apparel
Competition uniforms are specialized garments with their own suppliers and rules. We don't make those. Hoodies, tees, crewnecks and joggers for practice, travel and fans are where custom apparel fits.
What teams order
- Practice tees in team colors.
- Competition hoodies with athlete names on the back.
- Matching joggers for travel days.
- Parent and sibling shirts.
- Season or Worlds-bid commemorative shirts.
Names on the back
Athlete names on competition hoodies are a big deal. Collect names exactly as athletes want them. For younger athletes, many gyms use first names only.
Sizing
Programs span tiny cheer to adult teams. Offer youth and adult sizes, fitted and relaxed cuts. Our minimum is 50 per design with sizes mixed.
Parent shirts
Cheer and dance parents buy shirts with their athlete's name and team. Run a parent pre-order at the start of the season.
Design
Gym logo, team name and colors. Puff print lettering is popular. Glitter and rhinestone effects are specialist decorations, so ask before designing around them. Keep designs readable from the stands.
Timing
Production takes 10 to 15 working days after artwork approval, plus shipping. Order competition hoodies before the first competition, not after.
Mistakes to avoid
- 1Misspelled athlete names.
- 2Ordering after competition season starts.
- 3No youth sizes.
- 4Parent pre-orders opened too late.
Quick checklist
- Competition uniforms from a specialist?
- Hoodies with names?
- Youth and adult sizes?
- Parent pre-order?
- Ordered before the first competition?
Travel days and team identity
Competition weekends often involve hotels, airports and long days in convention centers. Matching hoodies and joggers on travel days make the team easy to keep together and look fantastic in team photos. Many gyms make travel sets a required part of team fees, ordered once at the start of the season.
Budgeting with team fees
Cheer and dance families already pay for uniforms, choreography and competition fees. Bundle apparel into a clear package, such as a practice tee, competition hoodie and travel joggers, and publish the cost early. Surprises mid-season frustrate parents; a clear package at registration doesn't.
School squads vs all-star gyms
School cheer squads usually need approval for school logos and follow the school's colors, while all-star gyms have their own brand and more design freedom. School squads also often sell spirit wear to the wider student body, which can be a useful fundraiser alongside team apparel.
Parent spirit wear designs
Popular parent designs include the gym logo with Cheer Mom or Dance Dad, the athlete's name and team, and a bow or pom graphic. Offer a crewneck as well as a tee, since competition venues can be cold and parents sit for hours.
Keep records for next season
Save size totals, name lists and designs. Athletes move up teams each year, and knowing how many hoodies each team ordered makes next season's planning faster and more accurate.
Coaches and staff
Coaches need to be identifiable backstage and in warm-up areas. A distinct color or a COACH print on the back of a quarter zip or hoodie helps event staff and parents know who's in charge. Include coaches and choreographers in the team order so everyone matches in photos.
Merch for the gym lobby
Gyms with busy lobbies can sell a small range of spirit wear year-round. Siblings, grandparents and younger athletes dreaming of making a team are enthusiastic buyers.
Get started
See custom hoodies, joggers and our puff print guide.
