The short answer
Within two weeks of your last game, collect every uniform, count it, grade its condition, and match it to next season's roster. That one pass turns "we need new uniforms" into a specific reorder list with sizes and a budget, which is what a dealer needs to quote you and what a principal or booster club needs to approve. The audit takes a few hours. Skipping it is how programs end up buying a full set when they only needed twelve jerseys.
Fall seasons are wrapping up across California, and spring order windows open this month. The audit sits between the two: it is the step that tells you how much you actually need to buy.
Step 1: Collect and count
Set a single turn-in day and a checklist by roster number. Record every piece separately: game jerseys, pants or shorts, warm-ups, socks, and any equipment-tied items like bags or hats. Note who has not returned gear and follow up while the season is fresh.
- Count by piece and by size, not just by set.
- Log jersey numbers so you can see which numbers are missing or duplicated.
- Photograph any damaged pieces so a dealer can quote repair or replacement.
Step 2: Grade condition
Use three grades and apply them consistently, ideally by the same two people for every piece.
| Grade | What it looks like | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Repair | Loose number, small seam split, missing drawstring | Fix in-house or ask your dealer |
| Reorder | Intact but short on sizes, or pieces lost | Add to the reorder list |
| Retire | Faded, stretched, torn, or no longer matches the rest of the set | Replace; keep only as practice gear |
A useful test for "retire": would the team look like one team in a photo? Mixed fades and mismatched whites are a common reason a set reads as old well before it fails.
Step 3: Match the inventory to next year's roster
Seniors leave, freshmen arrive, and sizes change. Build a simple roster sheet for next season with expected size per athlete, then compare it to what you have. Use the sizing hub for charts and a measuring guide, and run a try-on day before any order is placed. Sizing errors found on delivery are the hardest to fix once the production window has closed.
Step 4: Decide top-up versus full reorder
A top-up makes sense when most of the set is in good shape and you only need a few sizes. A full reorder makes sense when the set is retired, the design is changing, or the school wants a refreshed look. One caution: color and decoration can vary slightly between production runs, so ask your dealer how closely new pieces will match older ones before you commit.
- Top-up: lower cost, risk of visible mismatch.
- Full reorder: higher cost, a clean uniform look and a chance to update design or brand.
National Sports Apparel has no order minimums, so either path is available. If you are weighing brands for a full reorder, start with Adidas and Under Armour.
Step 5: Turn the audit into a budget and a date
Put the reorder list next to a per-athlete cost range. Our cost guides for basketball, baseball and football show planning ranges, and a real quote always replaces a guide. Then work backward from the first contest: custom production commonly takes 6 to 10 weeks, and our spring order deadlines guide lays out the dates. Confirm the current calendar with your CIF section.
What to bring to your dealer
- The reorder list by piece and size
- Photos of anything damaged or mismatched
- Your first-contest date and a target delivery date
- A budget range and who approves it
With that in hand, a quote turns around faster and there are fewer surprises later.