If you’ve ever been part of a cheerleading team, you know the struggle: how do you keep track of everyone’s pom poms when they all look the same? With so many cheerleaders using identical poms, losing or mixing them up is almost inevitable. My daughter, who coached cheerleading for a couple years, asked for my help solving this problem after realizing her team needed a better way to label and transport their poms.
The initial attempt? Plan A—ribbon with HTV names and ponytail holders attached to one end. Unfortunately, after just one season, we discovered that the heat transfer vinyl wore off, and the ribbon didn’t hold up well, leaving the team still struggling to organize their poms.
Then came Plan B—this time, we used ribbon again but added a buttonhole at one end, allowing the team to loop it onto a hanger or attach it with a carabiner. We also sublimated the names onto the ribbon for extra durability. Although this was a slight improvement, the tags still didn’t hold up as well as we’d hoped.
Determined to find a lasting solution, we finally arrived at Plan C: polyester or nylon webbing with sublimated names and metal grommets. The idea was that each cheerleader could easily secure their pom tag using a zip tie or ponytail holder, while the grommet allowed for attachment to their bag with a carabiner. The sublimation process worked perfectly, but making the hole in the webbing for the grommet? Now that was a challenge.
I tried everything—from leather punches to handheld grommet presses—but none gave me the clean, smooth hole I needed without fraying the webbing. After a frustrating search, I finally found a specialized soldering iron with a custom tip that cut precise ¼” holes into the webbing. This tool was a game changer. It made punching holes in the webbing quick, efficient, and mess-free.
With the pom tags now complete, the team loved them! No more lost or forgotten poms. The custom webbing tags were durable enough to last through the season, and each girl could easily attach them to their bags. Plus, they added a fun, personalized touch that made the poms truly their own.
This project taught me that persistence (and the right tools) make all the difference. Creating the perfect pom tag wasn’t easy, but through trial and error, we found a solution that works—and it’s one I’m proud of! If your team struggles with keeping track of poms, these custom pom tags might just be the answer.
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