Where Does the Varsity Letter Go on the Varsity Jacket?

In United States high schools and colleges, academic and athletic achievement is marked by the award of a varsity letter. Varsity letters represent the first letter of the school name and generally represent the school colors.

  1. History

    • The varsity letter tradition began in 1865 when the Harvard baseball team began embroidering an 'H' on their gray flannel baseball uniforms. Harvard tradition allowed players who played in important games to keep the embroidered jerseys at the end of the season, while other players had to return theirs. It is not known when the tradition of lettering entered high school athletics. However, in the 1930s, the letter began to appear on wool-bodied jackets with leather sleeves, similar to modern letterman jackets.

    Placement

    • According to Varsity Sports Apparel, the varsity letter should be sewn on the left breast of the jacket. Depending on school tradition, other decoration may be added to the jacket such as owner's name, school name, and graduation year.

    Significance

    • The varsity letter is a mark of individual achievement as well as school spirit and pride.