During this Thanksgiving week we all take a look at all the things we are thankful for. Personally, I am thankful for my friends, family, and of course American soccer. While a few jerseys hang in my closet, I have multiple U.S. National Team jerseys. I definitely understand the multitude of problems within the federation, but there is a sense of pride when I represent the Stars and Stripes. While digging through social media and the various clubs within our lower league system, I stumbled upon one gem that combined my love for the red, white and blue and my love for lower league soccer.

Dallas City FC was established in 2013 and has played in various leagues while earning multiple trophies. In 2014, Dallas was crowned spring champion of the Metro Soccer League and in the same year won the Trinity River Cup, beating the Fort Worth Vaqueros in two-legged affair. It went on to join the NPSL for a few seasons and currently competes in the UPSL Central Conference North Division.

Dallas City Futbol Club has a rich history of sporting fashionable kits, but always represents the red, white, and blue. In 2017 its kit was an inverted version of my favorite U.S. National team jersey the “bomb pop.” Dallas' version saw the bottom and main body of the kit all blue, a white stripe at chest level, and red around the shoulder and collar. The club also sports an all white alternate that is filled with lightly tinted red and blue stars.

This year’s kit lives up to Dallas City FC's remarkable line of jerseys. From the bottom up, blue and red stripes alternate until they reach chest level where the lone white stripe sits. Within the blue stripes lay blue stars that shine from a distance, while the red stripes offer a great contrast that helps the kit pop. My favorite element is the subtle Dallas skyline within the white stripe, a traditional element within many of the club’s jerseys throughout the years.

I tend to look at its kits in the eyes of an American soccer fan. I see the elements of our country’s flag and think of how it reflects my favorite soccer team, the United States National Team. But for citizens of Dallas and all Texans alike, this kit has more than just country pride; it's also a reflection of their community. We've all seen the Texas state flag and if somehow you haven't, just peer at the Dallas City FC crest. Dallas' city flag is similar to the Texas flag, but one focus is on the horizontal split between the red and blue tones. This white hoop traverses the whole map, similar to multiple Dallas City FC jerseys.

All of these elements key on to the essence of branding a soccer club: reflecting your community. Of course many fans from around the country can look at this kit as a cool alternate to wear on National Team game day, but a Texan can wear it everyday as a symbol of pride. Pride for their city, pride for their state and pride for their local soccer club. For Dallas City FC, the process of creating a jersey has never been an as easy picking a template and running with it. With each year and each kit adding to a tradition- a tradition of style.

- Steven Ramirez