Knowing how to collect team sizes is one of the least glamorous parts of ordering custom kit, but it can decide whether your squad is race-ready or chasing missing rashies the week before an event. A well-organised size collection protects your delivery date, keeps the order accurate and gives every paddler confidence in their kit.
For dragon boat teams and paddling clubs, the challenge is rarely just gathering a list of names. You may be ordering racerback rashies for athletes, long-sleeve layers for steers, hoodies for supporters, board shorts, leggings and social shirts – all with different fits and different expectations. The answer is a simple, visible process that gives people enough information to choose well, while giving the order lead one reliable source of truth.
Start with the garment, not the spreadsheet
A size list only works when everyone knows exactly what they are sizing for. Before asking teammates to submit anything, confirm the garments, cuts and sizing charts involved. A unisex hoodie and a fitted racerback rashie cannot be treated as though they use the same measurements or fit preference.
Share the approved design or garment description alongside the relevant size chart. Be clear about whether a piece is designed for a close athletic fit, a regular fit or a relaxed outer layer. Paddlers often choose race kit differently from an off-water social shirt: one may be close-fitting for comfort in the boat, while the other is deliberately roomier for wearing over a base layer.
If possible, arrange a fitting session with physical samples before the final deadline. This is particularly useful for a first club order, a new garment style or a squad with a broad mix of body shapes. A ten-minute try-on after training can prevent a long chain of messages later. If samples are not available, encourage members to measure a garment they already own and like, then compare those measurements against the chart rather than relying on their usual high-street size.
Set one collection deadline before production deadlines become urgent
Work backwards from the date the kit needs to be in team hands, not simply the race date. Your club may need time for distribution, replacements, travel and the inevitable late question from someone who has just realised they selected the wrong sleeve length.
Finished designs generally need around 30 days for production, but design development, approvals and shipping need their own time as well. If artwork is still being created, build in time for feedback, revisions and a strike-off confirmation. A size deadline that falls after design approval is usually easier to manage, because members can see what they are actually ordering.
Give the team a deadline with a reason. “Sizes needed by Friday” is easy to ignore. “Sizes needed by Friday 12 April so we can approve the order in time for the May regatta” is much more likely to prompt action. Keep a small buffer between the member deadline and the supplier deadline. That buffer is where the order lead checks duplicates, follows up missing responses and resolves questions without putting production under pressure.
How to collect team sizes in one clean process
Use one form or spreadsheet that only the order lead or a small purchasing team can edit. Group chats are useful for reminders, but they are a poor place to build an order. Messages get buried, people change their minds and it becomes difficult to tell whether “medium please” referred to a hoodie, a rashie or both.
Each response should capture enough detail to place the order without interpretation. For most club kit orders, collect:
- full name and a contact detail for queries;
- garment type and cut, such as short-sleeve unisex rashie or women’s racerback;
- selected size for every garment;
- quantity required, including optional extras;
- name or race number personalisation, if offered;
- confirmation that the member has checked the size chart and understands the order deadline.
For a larger club, create a separate tab for each garment category or use a form that feeds into a protected master sheet. This reduces the risk of accidentally combining a medium hoodie with a medium fitted race top as though they are interchangeable. Add automatic totals by size and product so the final order can be checked at a glance.
It also helps to state the price and payment expectation clearly from the outset. Some clubs collect payment before ordering; others subsidise race kit or invoice members later. Either approach can work, but uncertainty causes delays. No one should be surprised that personalisation has an additional cost or that an optional windbreaker needs to be paid for before it is included.
Use a named order lead
One person should own the final version of the order. That does not mean they have to do every job, but it does mean teammates know where the definitive answer sits. The captain may approve the design, the treasurer may collect payments and a coach may encourage replies, while the order lead controls the size list.
Ask members not to amend their choices by sending direct messages after submitting the form. Instead, give them a clear change route and a final change deadline. For example, they can reply to the confirmation email or submit the form again with “REVISED” in a specified field. This avoids the common problem of three different size requests arriving through three different channels.
Help paddlers choose the right size
A size chart is essential, but it is not always enough on its own. Add a short note based on the garment’s intended use. For a fitted performance rashie, explain that paddlers who prefer more room may wish to compare a favourite training top or consider sizing up, provided that matches the chart. For hoodies and windbreakers, remind people to think about what they will wear underneath.
Avoid promising that a garment will fit exactly like another brand. Different patterns, fabrics and cuts can feel different even when labels show the same size. The most dependable guidance is the actual garment measurement, not a comparison with an old football shirt or a casual tee.
Be sensitive when collecting measurements. Most teams do not need to ask members to disclose chest, waist or hip figures to the whole squad. Let individuals use the chart privately and submit only their chosen size. If somebody wants advice, they can contact the order lead privately or attend the fitting session.
Make exceptions visible early
Not every order is standard. You may have a new paddler joining after the first deadline, a crew member requiring a different fit, or a sponsor who wants a small run of staff tops. Flag these cases early rather than quietly adding them at the end.
Minimum quantities, garment availability and production timing can affect whether a late addition is practical. There is often a choice to make: hold a full order while waiting for late responses, or place the main team order on time and run a later top-up. For a key championship, protecting the main deadline is normally the wiser call.
Check the order before it leaves the club
Once the deadline closes, send each member a short confirmation of what they have requested. This can be as simple as their name, garment, cut, size, quantity and personalisation. A 24-hour confirmation window is usually enough for obvious errors, provided the original collection period was reasonable.
Then review the totals as a team order, not just as individual entries. Look for unusual patterns: perhaps every women’s racerback is listed as a small, or one person has selected a long-sleeve top but no size. Compare the total quantities against payments where applicable, and check that names are spelt exactly as they should appear on the garment.
Before approving production, make sure the design version, garment colours, placements and size breakdown all match the final order record. This is the point to catch a mismatch, not when cartons arrive. A production partner with clear approval stages, such as bluesupply.asia, can help make that final check more straightforward, but the club’s source list still needs to be accurate.
Keep a record for the next order
Save the final spreadsheet, size breakdown and a note of any fit feedback after the kit has been worn. Did the race tops come up as expected? Did several paddlers prefer a different hoodie size? Were there popular items that sold out during the order window? These details make the next club order faster and more confident.
You do not need to turn size collection into a committee project. Give paddlers the right garment information, set a meaningful deadline, keep every response in one place and protect a short checking window before production. When the first carton arrives, the best outcome is wonderfully unremarkable: every teammate finds their kit, pulls it on and gets back to preparing for the water.