WHEELING — The West Virginia Sports Writers Association and the Bear Wood Company have announced a partnership to produce All-State High School Sports Award Plaques.

They will be West Virginia-shaped, wood plaques with the WVSWA insignia logo and engraving of Name, High School, Sport, Year and All-State notation.

Any all-state selection by the WVSWA from any sport and any year, including past years, can order the plaques in person or online at bearwoodcompany.com or wvswa.org. These first-of-a-kind plaques should be of interest to athletes, parents, coaches and schools who want to showcase their all-state honorees. They also would make great gifts, according to Doug Huff, secretary-treasurer of the 88-year-old W.Va. Sports Writers Association.

“This is the first time our organization has offically licensed a product to memorialize high school sports accomplishments,” Huff said, “and the state-based Bear Wood Company has a track record of producing first-class items for the public.”

Bear Wood Company owner Matt Snyder notes that “the West Virginia Sports Writers Association approached us with a great idea that we knew would mean so much to so many people living in our state. Playing sports ties you to a place and a community in so many ways…your school, your teammates, and the fans and families that support you…so for a small business like ours that is built on love of home, the partnership is a no-brainer.”

Bear Wood’s home office is in Hurricane with outlets in Charleston and Morgantown.

The WVSWA has selected All-State honors in eight sports–football, boys and girls basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, boys and girls soccer.

The Association started in 1934 and began all-state honors in boys basketball in 1937, baseball in 1947 and girls basketball in 1976, when the sport was sanctioned by the Secondary School Activities Commission. Honors in softball, volleyball, boys and girls soccer followed with statewide championship competition. The all-state football teams originated in 1917 and the WVSWA assumed sponsorship in 1956.