If you have ever been the team parent who volunteered to "handle the shirts," you know the job is mostly spreadsheets and chasing people for sizes. The printing is the easy part. This guide is for the coaches and parents running rec, travel and town teams around Bergen County, whether that is a Little League division in Paramus, a soccer team in Saddle Brook, or a basketball team out of a town rec program.
Check what your league already provides
Before you order anything, find out what the league itself supplies. Many town leagues, like Paramus Little League, Bergenfield Little League or Saddle Brook Little League, organize their own uniforms through the league. Some towns run teams through the rec department, and in others, like Teaneck, youth sports groups are run independently of the recreation department. Either way, the official game jersey is often handled for you.
What leagues usually do not cover is the extra stuff, which is where most team orders actually come from:
- Practice shirts and warm-up tees
- Parent and fan shirts in team colors
- Coach shirts, polos and hats
- Tournament, championship and end-of-season shirts
- Travel team hoodies
- A banner for the dugout or a sign for the snack stand
If you are ordering anything with the league's name or logo, it is worth a quick check with the league board that it is fine to use. Most are happy to share the logo file, which also makes your shirts look better.
Collect the roster the right way
Most mistakes on team orders are roster mistakes, not printing mistakes. A few things help a lot:
- Use one sheet. A shared spreadsheet with columns for player name as it should print, number, shirt size and any extra parent shirts. Spell it exactly how it should look, including capital letters.
- Ask for sizes using the size chart. Youth and adult sizes are different garments. A youth XL is roughly an adult small, but not exactly. Our designer shows the size chart for each shirt.
- Double-check duplicate numbers. It happens more often than you would think.
- Set a hard deadline. Give families a date, then order with the sizes you have. Late add-ons can be a second small order later, since there is no minimum.
What team shirts cost
Prices below are from our current price list, per shirt, for a colored shirt.
| Shirt | 12 shirts, front only | 12 shirts, front + back | 24 shirts, front + back |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gildan 5000 cotton tee (youth or adult) | $22.00 | $28.50 | $27.00 |
| Team 365 Zone performance tee (youth or adult) | $26.00 | $32.50 | $31.00 |
| Gildan 18500 hoodie (adult) | $40.50 | $47.00 | $44.50 |
So a 12-player roster on cotton tees with a logo on the front and name and number on the back is 12 at $28.50, or $342.00 total. On performance shirts it is $390.00. Adult 2XL and 3XL add a couple of dollars each. A sleeve print, like the town name or a sponsor, is $3.00 more per shirt.
Cotton is comfortable and cheaper. Performance polyester is lighter, dries faster and is better for actual play in July. A lot of teams do performance for the players and cotton for the parents.
Names, numbers and sponsors
With DTF printing, each back can be different without any setup charge, so names and numbers do not change the price beyond the back print itself. A few layout tips from experience:
- Keep the name arched or straight across the shoulders and the number about 8 to 10 inches tall on adult shirts, a bit smaller on youth.
- For sponsors, a single row of logos across the lower back or one sponsor on a sleeve keeps it readable. Ten tiny logos turn into a blur from the bleachers.
- Get vector or high-resolution versions of sponsor logos from the businesses directly. Our artwork guide explains why a logo pulled from a website often prints fuzzy.
Timing around the season
Standard printed orders are ready 7 to 10 business days after the deposit. Rush is 5 business days for 25% more. Embroidered coach hats and polos take 10 to 15 business days. Build in a week for collecting sizes, and you are looking at about three weeks from "we should get shirts" to shirts in hand. If opening day or a tournament is closer than that, read our rush order guide first.
Pickup is contactless at our front door in Paramus, which is a short drive from most Bergen County fields, or we can ship the whole box to the coach.
Paying for it
A 50% deposit starts the order, and the balance is due when it is ready. Clothing is not subject to New Jersey sales tax, so the price you see is the price. If your league or PTO is a registered exempt organization, that matters more for signs and banners, which are taxable. Our PTO guide covers exempt certificates.
Coaches, volunteers and parents
The orders that get the most use are often not for the players. Coaches wear their shirts and hats every practice for a whole season. A few ideas that work well for Bergen County teams:
- Coach shirts in a different color from the players, so kids can find them at a crowded field.
- Embroidered caps for the coaching staff. They start at 6 pieces and take 10 to 15 business days.
- Parent shirts with "Proud Parent" or the player's number on the back. These are easy to add as a separate order with the same design.
- Volunteer shirts for snack stand and field day helpers, in a bright color.
- Hoodies for fall and early spring games, when it is 45 degrees at the 8 a.m. start.
Championship and end-of-season shirts
When a team wins, everyone wants shirts quickly. Have the design mostly ready before the final game, with the score or "Champions" added afterward, so you can order the next morning. With rush, printed shirts are ready in 5 business days.
Do not forget the field
A team banner on the fence or a "Go Team" yard sign at each player's house goes a long way, especially for seniors and championship runs. Banners start at $30.50 for a 2 by 4 foot vinyl banner and yard signs at $24.00 for one 18 by 24 inch sign, dropping to $11.50 each at 25. You can build those in the sign designer.
Ready to start?
Upload the team logo in the designer, add a name and number to see the back, and you will have a price in a couple of minutes. If you would rather hand us the roster and have us set it up, text 201-948-4433 or see our team uniforms page.