Columbus Eagles: Player-Designed

Soccer shirts are a really unique confluence where design and function collide – sometimes its catastrophic and sometimes, in this case, the results are downright soccer-couture. Columbus Eagles are a WPSL side, founded in 2014, who came out of the gates wearing Adidas and showing a fun eagle logo which, nobody would bat an eye at. Who knew that just four years later it would be redesigned, and that it would come out even better! Columbus rocked brand new kits in 2019 as well, and we wanted to get the lowdown on their design and the motivation behind the soaring rebrand. Mark Wise, Owner & CEO, was happy to answer a few questions and he was kind enough to put us in touch with graphic designer Larissa Najjar, as well as Chief Operating Officer Grant Burkhardt – I hope you love good content, because this episode of Uniformity is chock-full.

Your new club crest designed by Larrissa Najjar is strong and simple - what inspired the rebrand and how important is it to you to give your players non-soccer professional experience, whenever possible?

The rebrand was entirely Larissa and Grant Burkhardt's idea. Larissa being a graphic artist and Grant is my brand manager (among many other roles). They wanted something that was fresh and in line with our target audience. We love to bring our players into the back office whenever they want to. They come from various business fields and their experience along with their soccer IQ is great for any club.

Not only has Najjar nailed the new crest, but she was also tasked with custom designing your 2019 kits - what led the club to pursuing a custom kit and how popular has it been? Have there been enough sales to help with operational costs?

Again, Larissa and Grant proposed the custom kits. I think the idea was if we want to grow into a professional club, we need to look and act like a professional club. The custom kits were an instant hit. Many positive comments and a large increase of sales over the previous year of jerseys. The volume is still not enough to help offset operational costs, but we will see how that goes this year.

In the US, there are a handful of apparel providers who work with grassroots clubs, but I've never seen anybody work with Diadora. Why them? Would you recommend them to other clubs?

Diadora was (they have been replaced this year with Erris) our uniform and equipment supplier for a couple of years. They gave us a good discount and a link from their web-page. When we wanted to do a custom jersey, they quoted a price that we could not afford. So, we went with another label for the custom jerseys. We kept our Diadora sponsorship by adding the Diadora logo on the jersey tops, but the design was all ours and the production was sub-contracted.

Some clubs offer new kits every year, some go every-other year; how long will these beauties grace the pitch and are there already new designs in the pipeline?

Right now we have plans to re-use the design for 2020. After that, who knows? Custom designs are much more difficult to deal with, but very much appreciated. We will have to see how much our fan-base grows in the next year.

Thanks for making a men's cut of this gem, I bought one! But what made you think to do so? Was there already a demand and has it sold well enough that you'll continue to have quantities available to “kitnerds” like myself?

The kits were designed to be comfortable for our players (after all they were designed by a player). However, you don't want to limit your potential customer base to just women, right? I think there should always be both options.

Do you feel any effects of marketing apparel and merchandise in an MLS market? Have you carved out your niche? Or are Columbus soccer fans generally supportive of both clubs and maybe it's actually beneficial? What do we have to look forward to in 2020?

I think Columbus soccer fans support soccer in general. We are much too small a footprint to be any competition to the MLS market. We definitely are working on a membership campaign for 2020. I want to double our average attendance from last year (paid seats, not free tickets). Kit's will have slight alterations to the design. Custom kits will need to be pre-ordered this year so expect that push early in 2020. Other than that, you will have to wait and see! Creative ideas are always flowing here!

Former player, Larrissa Najjar, professionally a graphic designer, not only redesigned the club’s crest, but also designed 2019’s gorgeous Columbus Eagles kits

We had a few extra questions for the Ohio Statue University grad, Larissa Najjarr, who earned her Master of Landscape Architecture and lent a huge hand in the designs of both the rebrand of Columbus Eagles, as well as the beautiful kits they rocked in 2019.

What other projects, soccer or otherwise, have you worked on? Is your work for Columbus a one-off or do you hope to leverage that into more opportunities?

The Columbus Eagles project is the first soccer-specific design project I have worked on. It was so much fun because I have played soccer for my entire life. Grant and I worked closely on the project and found we share the same design sensibilities and passion for bringing communities together with design and soccer. We both believe that women's soccer can be an amazing gathering point for building community and effecting change, so we are working together to build a company of our own that will hopefully provide great designs to the women's soccer community and also empower teams to give back to other communities.

Other than these projects, I work in illustration and design. I love the opportunity to work on any sort of creative project, built environment or digital.

How important is it to have clubs, like Columbus, around for women to extend their soccer careers or even get a foot in the door for non-athletic opportunities? What's next for you?

I have found that when a player from the Columbus Eagles must move away from the Columbus area (for work or school) and therefore can no longer play for the club, they always say they will miss three things: their friends, their family, the Eagles. I think having teams like the Eagles is so important for communities and the women playing. The Eagles in particular is really cool because we encourage players to take an active role in building the business using their professional skills. I am a good example of this. I played for the Eagles for several years but had to retire from soccer because of ankle injuries. After I retired, I started working on rebranding the club almost right away. It certainly helped the transition to not playing much easier.

What's next? The project I mentioned above that Grant and I are launching is next! We also hope to release a new design for the Eagles before next season. As I said, soccer is a really important piece of my life, so I hope we get many more opportunities to rebrand clubs to empower their players and get communities excited about their teams.

- Joshua Duder

For more information about the Columbus Eagles: https://www.columbuseaglesfc.com/wp/

To pick up one of these beautiful shirts: https://www.columbuseaglesfc.com/wp/shop-home/

An Uncorporate Approach to Design

Certain clubs get it.

They just have the right people in leadership to make the important decisions. Those choices show up in the coaching staff, on the field, in the results, and, of course, in the branding. Oftentimes, branding gets mocked at the grassroots level, because it’s a buzzword that is tossed around to shield a lack of results in the level of club performance. But it’s part of every successful club at every level. Branding is important and having the right leadership at a club will yield results in this area as well.

MPLS City is entering their fifth year as club, their fourth as a member of the NPSL. Known for their outspoken and often tongue-in-cheek take on social media, the club has approached every part of their club with the goal of being “uncorporate soccer.” Decisions are made with passion and vision, often running counter to an approach that a more conservative club might take. Club co-founder, Dan Hoedeman, has been a big part of this stance and his approach doesn’t always follow traditional thinking - “being rational isn’t everything and certainly not in what is, inherently, an irrational business.”

Just this week, MPLS City released the results of member voting on their newly designed 2020 kits. The options were heavily discussed online and everyone had a pick, but only MPLS City members had votes. Designer Matthew Wolff was recruited to do the design work and his 6 kits (3 home, 3 away) offer a little bit of everything. “Every kit design project is different. Some design constraints are set by the league, the club, or the manufacturer. Minneapolis City are usually eager to push the envelope when it comes to design. It's an opportunity to differentiate from the often templated club kits we see from the low-level to the pro-level in this country.”

Wolff is based in New York, but has Minnesota roots. “I grew up in Minneapolis so the city and club are near and dear to me. I've been in contact with Dan and the team since their inception and try to lend a hand wherever I can. I have some high school buddies that play for the club so although I live in New York now, I'm always tuning in.”

Honestly, the members couldn’t go wrong in their voting because these kits are spectacular, but four had to lose. My personal favorite, for what it’s worth, was one of the winners. Reminiscent of the old NASL Loons kit (that somehow, stupidly, the club did away with when they went MLS), the feathered design stood out, highlighting the club nickname, The Crows. For the away, the neon-colored design may be the brightest in grassroots soccer and will definitely catch the eye of every away fan.

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Wolff offered a look into his design inspiration. “Dan [Hoedeman] described the MPLS City brand as "charmingly illogical and powerfully unexpected" -- and my goal was for the kits to reflect that. I brought an asymmetrical design to both the home and away kits, again, to mirror the ethos of this lovably ramshackle minor league club. I also brought cyan into the away palette for the first time in the club's short history. It provides an eye-catching contrast from the pink and black.”

The theory of uncorporate soccer should inspire all clubs to think outside the box and find new avenues of inspiration. Aspiring to be more than “normal” can make your club a leader. Dressing the part is only the first step, but Matthew Wolff’s designs, inspired by the approach taken by Dan Hoedeman and the MPLS City organization, are a very IMPRESSIVE first step into 2020.

Both kits are available for preorder at the MPLS City club shop online.

- Dan Vaughn

Kitnerdery Inc.: The Growth of Online Soccer Giants, Classic Football Shirts.

From one kit sprung an empire of shirts – the founding of online soccer jersey giant, Classic Football Shirts.com is a love story of miraculous proportions. Initially set up in Fallowfield, a twenty-minute drive from the city center of Manchester in the UK, Classic Football Shirts was begun by Matthew Dale and Doug Bierton as a means to feed their appreciation for kits as well as to capitalize off their popularity. Now the collection of soccer kits, and other paraphernalia, is thought to be the largest of its nature in the world. Shortly after its founding, Doug’s brother Gary Bierton joined them and he took some time to answer our questions about how their massive business is doing in the United States and its appeal beyond nostalgia, and into the world of “kitnerdery.”

I first came across your website a few years ago while looking for a Newcastle United shirt - they're hard to find in our stores, and at the time, not readily available in places like eBay or Amazon. How long have you been in business? Why did you get started? and how many Americans, like me, have you shipped shirts to?

We started just over 13 years ago in 2006. We got started on the lookout for original Germany 1990 shirt, when we were unable to find one, we felt that this might be a problem that other football fans/shirt collectors may have and started buying from there. America is our second biggest market and it has been really interesting how it's developed over the last 8-9 years.

Clearly, to run a business like this, somewhere along the way you just fell in love with kit design and the nostalgia a good shirt can provide. What factors make a good kit? What are your favorite shirts of all time; club and international?

Yes, we were obsessed with jerseys from a young age. Watching the Champions League on TV and seeing the differences of features (patches, different styles of printing, in some cases teams having European only designs) fascinated us. I think success on the pitch definitely helps to elevate even jerseys that have a great design - for example Holland's jersey from the 1988 European Championships was worn by a victorious team (only ever at that tournament, and included one of the great goals of all time. On the other hand, Manchester United effectively handed Leeds the title in 1992 losing at Anfield in the famous blue away shirt, but fans nowadays love it, and Adidas has even re-issued and used elements of the design on recent kits. That being said our favorite shirts resonate around the 1990 World Cup - The Argentina away shirt that was worn in the final, and the Cameroon designs are special to us.

Now with two physical locations in the UK, Barton Arcade in Manchester and at Dray Walk in London, CFS has become a successful retailer and popular destination for football fans worldwide.

Detailing into your website, I can file through some pretty neat pieces of Americana, with throwbacks and originals from NASL and early MLS, but I started to run into more obscure pieces from current non-league sides - this is pretty exciting! Can you tell us what your relationship is with some of these American clubs or manufacturers? Are there more on the way? Any in particular you like?

In recent years we have built relationships with smaller clubs and brands across the World. To our fans it's a unique opportunity to own a jersey from a club that they might never be able to acquire unless they visited the place. I particularly like the NK Discoland away shirt that we've got in stock. We were lucky enough to do an exhibition in New York last year and play some pick-up in Chinatown. It was an experience I’ll certainly never forget. My perfect Saturday morning would include playing with the guys from Bowery FC.

“Kitnerdery” has been on the rise here in the US, but the designs from the top clubs here aren't taking the design risks that lower league sides are. Is this the same in Europe? Why are lower step sides more flash when it comes to design? What's the market trend; clean and simple or wild and eye-catching? Where in the world are the best designs coming from?

Until fairly recently the big brands were still playing it safe - but certainly in the last 18 months that has changed. The Nigeria shirt for the World Cup was a bit of a pioneer in that respect. The popularity of that jersey overwhelmed brands and has set the tone moving forward, and the current streetwear trends have helped to reinforce that. That being said there is always room for a clean and simple design, and some of the greatest jerseys ever produced are based on these principles (England 09' home).

Between their physical locations and their online store, there are an estimated 50,000 items for sale from Classic Football Shirts.

Visit Classic Football Shirts Online

Additionally Sources:

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/retro-football-shirts-manchester-shop-15314376

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/48099640

FC Burlington

Icarus is a sponsor of this column, but had nothing to do with the subject choice for this article. They are just really good at what they do.

The Casa Soccer League is one of the large local soccer leagues that are gaining traction all over the country. Originally founded in Philadelphia in 2005, the league is now a powerful regional league, with 10,000 members in over 300 registered teams in 2019. According to the league website, Casa is now “the largest independent amateur soccer league in the USA.” But many leagues like CASA slip under the radar of the national soccer media due to our overfixation on the large national leagues. Today, we take a look at one Casa club that just got a brand new look thanks to a big name in grassroots soccer kit design. I sat down with Saulo Loor, co-founder and team manager of FC Burlington, to discuss his club and their kit redesign.

“The team started of as an idea between me and my friends Allan Loor (my brother), Robert Bell and Devante. We all were talking about creating a soccer team to play so we looked into at first just making an indoor soccer team but as we were asking people to join we realized that we got more responses of people willing to join the team than we thought, so we decided to join casa soccer as an outdoor league team. So from there we created the team and started our first season in casa as Burlington Sporting Club, we named the club after our town we live in Burlington Township.” After a season under their belt, they followed the naming tradition of so many American clubs: following the European model. “We just went to a name change to Football Club Burlington to make it sound a little more elegant and make more European sounding.”

Burlington’s old kits were pretty solid. But they wanted a big change.

With a new name, the team decided to go for a new look. And after being contacted by Icarus FC, it just made sense to collaborate with them. Because of Icarus’ work with so many other grassroots soccer club, the proof of the quality of work is all over regional and local league all over the country. For Saulo, it just took a quick visit to his phone. “After looking at their Instagram page, seeing all those awesome designs they brought to life, it was a no brainer that we wanted to work with them.”

The kits that Icarus designed really pop and will stand out in any league, but especially in a league that features so many other clubs fighting for attention in Casa League. The plan for the redesign began with the club founders meeting to discuss ideas. “We sat down one day and brainstormed ideas about how we could make a kit that was classy and simple so we decided on the colors of our own high school (Burlington Township HS) so that’s how we ended up with black/gold kit and the white gold kits.” Connecting the kit design to a local, establish color-palate is a smart move, the third “alternative” kit was chosen for less obvious reasons. “The olive green jersey idea came from us just thinking about sick colors that you don’t see to often on soccer jerseys so we thought why not an army/olive color and we ended up deciding that would be our third kit this season something different than the norm.”

What catches the eyes of soccer fans all over the world is their logo, featuring a fierce black dog. For Saulo, this was also drawing from local inspiration, REALLY local. “Our dog logo and dog outline on our jersey actually is about my schnauzer Beamer that I got 2 years ago. I always wanted a schnauzer and 2 years ago I finally got one and thought it would be pretty funny to incorporate him in my soccer team some way so I ended up putting him in the club badge and since then he’s been the team mascot. The badge was designed by my cousin Abraham Olmedia and my father Saulo Loor sr. So shout out to the team for bringing my idea to life.”

For the players on the club, the new look was exciting and they couldn’t wait to throw the new kits on. Particularly from Saulo’s perspective, the new design is really all about the many people involved in its creation and the club itself. “I just want to thank everyone that has helped out over the years to make this soccer team a possibility because once you find out how much you need to put in to run a soccer team you understand how much goes into it. I couldn’t imagine the stuff GMs go through for a professional team, it’s probably insane.”

As with all the designs we highlight on this site, you can contact the club to purchase one.

Their social media is here.

Napa Valley 1839 FC’s 2019 Home Shirt

Founded in 2016 by Josh Goss, Arik Housley, Jonathan Collura, and Michael Hitchcock, Napa Valley 1839 FC began play in 2017 outfitted in kits by Adidas. Then then moved to Stimulus in 2018 and this year, the club was wearing custom kits made by FBT, or Football Thai Factory Sporting Goods Co, Ltd. The new shirts are absolutely stunning so we reached out to Napa to get the story on their threads—Daniel Morales, their marketing and social media contact answered our emails.

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First Adidas and then Stimulus, now FBT - what led you away from the big-name kit supplier and into the realm of custom design? FBT is not a well-known brand in the US, why did you go with them?

It’s been three different kit brands we’ve worn. As you mentioned we started with Adidas. Ownership decided for such brand to keep the consistency between Napa Valley 1839 FC and our youth development club Napa United. This consistency continued with Stimulus and our Napa United 1839 Academy teams. Stimulus allowed us to design what we wanted and not go with generic designs that top brands offer.

The two tones of green make the new shirts by Thai manufacturer FBT really pop on the pitch (Photo: Don Lex)

This year's shirt is phenomenal, does the design come from within the club or do you let FBT know what you're looking for and they come up with something? What's the story of Napa 1839's aesthetic? Who designed the badge, what are the meaningful elements and why are the vivid colors such an important part of your branding?

One of our part owners, Joshua Goss is a big fan of jersey designs. He wanted even more creative freedom and FBT offered that to us. Mr. Goss wanted our kit to represent the Napa Valley, just like our crest. And indeed, it does, Chris Payne is not only the designer of the 1839 FC crest but also our current jerseys. Chris did in amazing job in bringing the Napa Valley vineyards to life in our kits. You see two tones of green and the patterns vineyards take all over our Valley.

We love our kit! By far we all agree that the 2019 kit designed by Chris Payne is our favorite out of the three so far. It represents our Valley very well and pays honor to all those who work very hard to maintain the vineyards looking beautiful. If it wasn’t for them, perhaps this jersey wouldn’t exist today. Our away kits have the same design but in all burgundy to represent the red wines.

The kids of Napa United, their affiliated youth soccer organization, look great in green (Photo: Don Lex)

What are some other clubs from around NPSL, UPSL or other leagues, whose kit YOU love? Does seeing other clubs rock unique shirts inspire you to do something even more special with Napa 1839's?

I’d have to say that I am also a big fan of the FC Davis kits, it’s a very unique design that I haven’t seen anything similar anywhere else.

The new Oakland Roots kits are also very nice, it’s simple but very clean and the numbers have that wonderful vibrant design.

Some clubs have found ways to get their shirts on consignment into local retail shops - it’s a clever way to sell a shirt when it’s not matchday. Do you have any arrangements like this? How can fans and kitnerds get their hands on your shirts and other gear?

Our kits at the moment are only sold online and at our home matches. We had not discussed with any merchants about selling our products.

The kits are only available on matchdays and online

For more information, or to pick up a kit from Napa Valley 1839 FC.

- Joshua Duder

Black Bear FC

We often talk about the soccer map expanding and with new clubs popping up everywhere, from Alaska to Florida, there’s proof everywhere. One region that seems to be on a massive upswing is the South. Previously seen as American football country, the soccer game is exploding all over states previously seen as soccer deserts. One of those states is Alabama and one of those clubs is Black Bear FC. We spoke with Gavin Owens about the growth of his club and their new Icarus-designed kits.

Black Bear FC hit our radar several months ago, mostly because of a classy and simple logo. The image of a roaring bear, a white outline on a black background, set within a red circle, pops in all the right ways. The starkness of the design makes it a unique and inspiring badge. It was designed by Jessica Do for the club, and the choice of the bear was not by accident. Gavin points out that “The name Black Bear FC comes from Alabama's official state animal, the black bear. I wanted the name to represent Alabama but didn't want to tie in Birmingham's industrial past. I hoped to bring a different kind of brand to our potential fans rather than imitate what a lot of businesses, and sports teams, are already doing.”

With a slick badge that already stood out, Gavin had ideas about what he wanted for the shirt design. “rom the beginning, I knew I wanted a classic collar and a black base with red/white accents. From there, Icarus FC did the rest and designed the beautiful kit you see today. The sleeves and shorts feature a white stripe with red paw prints. The back of the collar reads, ‘EST. 2019.’ All in all, we couldn't be happier with the end product.”

The shirt is a model of what a lower league club can look like working with a designer who tailors the work to please the client. It’s the kind of kit you can wear to almost any event or setting. It’s classy and simple, but with an air of understated sophistication. With the success of the original black kit, will there be an alternate white? Next year for sure. As of now, we will just wear the black kit in a local league that doesn't require an away kit.”

Black Bear FC kicked off for the first time recently, playing against NPSL Georgia Revolution’s Reserves. And while the new side lost 4-0, Gavin emphasizes the positives of the match. “The experience was something we'll never forget. Despite a change in the venue a day before and our biggest vendor having to back out, we still had about 70 people come support. The game was for a local charity as well called Hope To Homeless Outreach. We received lots of donations and were able to raise enough money to fund another outreach event (aka: filling bags with everyday essentials and handing them out at the homeless shelters in downtown Birmingham). We were also able to have three local vendors, all three owners are either still in college or just graduated, which was really awesome to see.” Looking forward Black Bear is looking to host more community-themed events before either playing in a local 7v7 or 11v11 league.

They say that you have to dress the part and Black Bear FC has certainly nailed that aspect of their rollout. The club will be rolling out more merchandise in the near future, which will be in line with their current aesthetic. As far as the current kit, you can pick that up by contacting the club via twitter. The kits are $45 and will be available to preorder until August 13th.

- Dan Vaughn

Designing PDX FC

PDX FC, of the NPSL, has worked with Hummel as their apparel provider since its founding in 2017. For the first two year, the club proudly wore the Danish brand’s standard Core SS soccer jersey. However, behind the scenes they were working with Hummel to put out a custom jersey which accomplished two things: kept within the guidelines of their branding, to connect to the city of Portland, Oregon and to release a shirt that somebody on the other side of the country would want to wear. Mission accomplished.

The shirt was released mid-week sometime in May and within 48 hours, some sizes were sold out—this was unexpected and more shirts had to be requested from Hummel to fulfill the orders. Orders had shipped out to New York, California, and as far as Argentina and England. For something which took nearly a year to be completed, it was a bit of surprise to see the positive reactions. They knew the design was sophisticated but fell within the comfort zone of soccer fans, but really, the kit was always meant to lend the PDX FC squad an identifiable on-pitch branding.

Since the new kit’s debut, PDX FC have beat their Portland rival twice – it might be one to keep

From the onset, the club had always worn black and gold, with white as the alternate top. While some soccer fans love all black kits, others think they’re just a marketing gimmick and that clubs should stick to their team’s colors. For PDX FC, this is both and the results are elegant and original. Despite having reworked their badge in 2018, the team’s owners, Luke and Max Babson, insisted on sticking with the original colorways and it was a great choice – few clubs have a badge and a kit which stand out as original and professional.

From discussion early on in the discussion of a custom-designed soccer jersey, it was an imperative to make sure the design for the home shirt wasn’t too experimental, and worked within the norms of what soccer fans are used to seeing. Fans in Portland have always coveted a “Hoops” look and at the onset of planning, it was decided to go that route, but use subtlety rather than a big bold design to accomplish this. Sketches for both a black kit with gold trim, as well as a white kit with gold trim, were submitted to Hummel to create test kits. Both Alfonso Poblete, of Santiago, Chile and Portland soccer supporter, Aaron Flynn contributed to creating the 3D modeling which gave Hummel the guidance to create their mock-up templates.

This initial 3D modeling by Alfonso Poblete, was beautifully done and selected from a handful of images he produced for Hummel to create their mock-ups and tester kits.

When the test kits arrived in the fall of 2018, it was decided that the colors might need a slight adjustment, and that the club wanted to make space on the shirt for sponsors – this meant that the plan for sublimation and production had to wait until the sponsors and their respective location on the shirt had been decided upon. If you work in soccer in America, at this level, then you understand that this had the potential to be a lengthily postponement, but absolutely necessary to ensure that the sponsors would be well-represented on the shirts and that no additional printed would have to be done, getting all branding sublimated would be cost effective and ensure the longevity of the branding on the shirts.

Hummel turned the original sketches into pre-production kit mock-ups. Only one each of either shirt was ever made.

By early Spring 2019, the sponsors’ location on the shirt had been decided upon and the final draft was sent off to Hummel to produce the primary kits. Budgets at this level of soccer are tight… like, very very tight. So only one of the two designs could be made. The owners went with creating a custom “home” kit first and sat on the design for the alternate, or “away” whites. Instead, they stuck with the tried and tested Hummel Core SS and added a couple of Hummel’s keepers kits to the order. In that time, PDX FC’s season began and they would be found wearing the alternates, which they luckily already had.

As the weeks went by, anticipation grew, everyone was eager to see something which took so much care to finalize. Finally, the call came in from the owner that the shirts were in, and that they looked as amazing, if not better, than expected! The announcement was made on social media, the product was added to the club’s online shop and before their first match in the shirts, they had sold out of a couple sizes and generated a little excitement. Since their release, the club have picked up a few wins in the league and looked pretty good doing it!

- Joshua Duder

PDX FC, of the NPSL Northwest, look good and feel good in their black & gold Hummel kits.

For more information about PDX FC, or to check out their online shop: https://www.pdxfc.com/

Hialeah City FC: Going Smaller to Go Big

In a time where major jersey suppliers seem to only have a handful of base designs for top tier clubs in a cookie cutter fashion, lower league clubs like Hialeah City FC have looked to lesser known suppliers such as Spyro for unique designs in order to represent their team and community. Smaller manufacturers are willing to go above and beyond in ways that larger ones are not, as they are looking for growth opportunities. Hialeah City FC found a brilliant partner to give the a design that stands out in a crowded market.

Hialeah FC is located just northwest of Miami between the Everglades and Biscayne Bay in Hialeah, FL which is one of the largest Spanish speaking communities in the United States. Founded in 2017, the "Blue Fury" competes in one of the UPSL's most competitive divisions, the Florida Dade / Broward Division in the Southeast Conference, playing their home games at Kendall Soccer Park.

Though only two years old, the club has established youth teams from U-12 to U-19 and according to their website wants to give their players the opportunity to become professional or collegiate players as well as eventually looking to join the USL 2. Their kits already reflect this level of professionalism in their look. They are certainly professional grade.

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Their emblem has a blue eagle whose wings spread in front of a soccer ball with their logo sitting above it on a shield-shaped crest. Their main color is a light blue that's as tropical as their South Florida home and is the base color of their home jerseys. While most teams have their stripes either vertical or horizontal, Hialeah FC chose for their darker blue stripes to run diagonal wrapping around the shirt which take after the tropical storms and hurricanes common to the South Florida area.

Their away jersey is mostly black with the left side of the shirt fading into blue diagonal stripes which resemble the wings of the eagle on their club crest with a similar design on each leg of the shorts. The goalies’ primary jersey mimics the outfield players’ home jerseys except in shades of Florida Orange while their goalies’ second jersey is black and purple with a Pollock-esque splatter design running diagonal through the shirt.

Looking to become a more professional club and building a brand requires professional looking jerseys and crests and Hialeah FC seem to have already nailed that aspect of the business. They say that to make yourself successful, you should dress for the job you want to have. Hialeah City already has the look of a big-time soccer club, regardless of their short history. Expect big things from the club in the future as they look to progress off of two successful first years within a great community.

- Paul Kowalczyk

If you love this kit as much as I do, here’s the link to Hialeah City FC’s Store.

Club Toledo: Far From "Regional"

When you think soccer in Ohio, you’d travel several layers down before you’d find Club Toledo, who play in the Northwest Ohio Champions League. That doesn’t mean they haven’t made waves in their level however. Jacob Mercer, club owner is quick to point that out. “We are back-to-back league champions and are looking to expand our operations and compete on a more regional level. For example, later this summer, we are hoping to take a squad down to Fort Wayne, IN to play in the USASA Region 2 Tournament of Champions. We've also kept a close eye on the Amateur Cup this year, and hope to be able to participate in 2020.”

Previous kits for the club.

However, playing at that level in a state which has exploded in soccer clubs (and even leagues!) in the last couple of years can leave Club Toledo being overlooked by casual fans. With catching more eyes in mind, Mercer partnered with Icarus FC to produce some spectacular new kits. “I have been following Icarus over the past year and they consistently put out great custom jerseys. When I contacted Robby, he was really responsive and was willing to work with any ideas that I had.”

Prior to working Icarus, Mercer had allowed financial factors to be the primary driver in his choice of kits. “The past two years, I had tried to find the most affordable jersey that matched our colors.” Any operator in the lower leagues understands this quandary - money is tight, you’ve got to make every cent stretch as far as possible. But that desire to save cash was resulting in complaints from players. “I've had these jerseys for two years, and the guys have complained that they aren't the best material in terms of breathability. This is particularly important because most of our season is mid-day on Sunday's from June-September.“

One of the best parts of working with Robby is his constant desire to create functional kits, designed in line with the hometown of the club (yes, Icarus sponsors this column, but look over his work, we’re not lying). ”I think he and I shared the desire to make sure the jerseys had some sort of connection back to our community as well. Our team colors are white, black, and red. The white represents the Glass City, the black is for the Black Swamp area, and red is for the state of Ohio.” Some of the Toledo-specific details are not obvious to the casual onlooker. “One last nod to the City of Toledo, we included the "Laborare est Orare" from the seal of the City as our jocktag underneath the neckline on the back of the jersey. We have that in our crest, and thought it was fitting. The phrase loosely translates, "To work is to pray", which I think does a great job highlighting the working spirit of the City of Toledo.”

Mercer is just as thrilled with the primary design component on the front of the kit - the sash. “I love jerseys with this design feature, with iconic teams such as Peru's national team, River Plate, Vasco da Gama, etc jumping to mind. People unfamiliar with NW Ohio, will not know that the Maumee River cuts through the area in the same direction, so I thought it was fitting to represent that on our jerseys.”

These kits are a great reminder that having a great design for a kit doesn’t mean you have to be some big-money operation. The cost of design, with the right designer, doesn’t have to dictate the quality of the result. Club Toledo is a club in a regional league, playing well in their level, and now have a kit that reflects a higher standard than a stock kit that so many regional clubs settle for.

Boise Cutthroats FC: Making a Name for Yourself

Boise Cutthroats FC have been one of the premier teams in the UPSL’s Mountain Conference for the last few seasons now. They’ve got a fantastic team on the field for just about every match and a high class kit to go with them.

They left behind the Modelo sponsored kits from last year and went with the team name in the spot that the Mexican beer’s logo used to be for one big reason. “We've played teams at home where our fans would ask who the other team was and where they're from,” says Boise’s Brian Buckingham, “Hopefully by putting our name front and center, it eliminates that question when we're on the road.”

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The outfield players have either a black or white kit with maroon and “Las Vegas gold” stripes across the shoulders and down the legs of the shorts. The number on the back is gold with a maroon outline.

Their other kit is a bold maroon color with the same “Las Vegas gold” stripe across the shoulders and legs, this time accompanied with black. The numbers use the same colors as the stripes, a black number with a gold outline.

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The goalkeepers kits have the same designs, but are long sleeves. One version is gold with navy and maroon stripes, while the other is black with maroon and gold stripes.

The kits were designed and manufactured by Admiral Sportswear based on the ideas of Boise’s Brian Buckingham and owner Hector Palacios. One aspect of the jersey that is pretty uncommon among modern kits is a collar that the Cutthroats added to the outfield players kits. “It's difficult to design a jersey that looks good with a collar,” says Buckingham, but honestly the collar works on these kits.

The team also has a really unique sponsorship package. On the back, above the numbers, features the name of Cancun Mexican Restaurant, an establishment in Boise. The really interesting part is the sponsorship package they give to their sponsors. “The different levels of support determine what spot we are able to offer,” says Buckingham, “Our packages include more than just a jersey spot, we add in things like field banners, social media posts, etc. In addition, we are willing to work with a potential sponsor. If there is something specific they are looking for, we will do our best to make it happen for them.”

Kits and accessories for the team are available here. Go show the club some love and get some beautiful kits in the process!

Chattanooga FC: Going Professional

Last week, Chattanooga FC released their new kits ahead of their 2019 season, which will conclude with the Founder’s Cup as the team goes professional. At first glance, the three kits are not exactly as creative as you would expect to see from Chattanooga, but once you begin to look at some of the smaller details, they are quite incredible.

Designed by Chattanooga FC’s own Paul Rustand and his team at Widgets & Stones, the kits feature the Volkswagen logo across the chest, as kits have for the many years now. The club’s badge sits on top of the wearer’s heart, with the Inaria logo on the other side of the chest. The right sleeve features the name of another sponsor, power and telecommunications provider EPB, while the back features CHI Memorial and The Center for Sports Medicine and Orthopedics.

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The away kits are a beautiful baby blue with white stripes. The home kits are navy blue with lighter blue arrows, while the keeper’s kit is orange with a small diamond design all over. They are all reminiscent of kits of old, but still have a modern and simple twist on them. That was Rustand’s goal, as he said “The inspiration was of course our decade long history of kits and core brand elements that we sought to honor. But at the same time we are seeking to expand the palette of styles.”

Easily one of my favorite parts of the kits are the small “X” made in the design on all three kits. It sits right on top of the crest and it a beautiful, but subtle design choice. According to Rustand, it is a nod to VFL Wolfsburg’s 2018-19 green home kit. But that is not the only underlying meaning to the symbol, as Rustand continued by saying, "more importantly the Roman numeral for 10 – since we are celebrating our 10th anniversary in 2019.”

Image courtesy of Chattanooga FC.

All in all, the kits represent Chattanooga FC wonderfully. They appear somewhat simple when you just glance at them, but once you actually start to look at the smaller details, it becomes more and more complex and more and more beautiful. That’s the way I personally like uniforms. Flashy kits are nice and all, but the classic kit with subtle details are some of the best works of art you will see on a soccer kit. Chattanooga FC captures that with a kit that is fit for a top level club.

- Aarik Long

Kit images courtesy of Inaria Soccer social media.

New Look Same Club

The identity of a club is often overlooked, but often it plays an essential role on how we feel about a club. A fan should embrace the identity, but a player must live with it and become an ambassador for that said identity. That is why the crest of a soccer kit lays over our hearts. A brands identity is one with the fan, the player and the community.

“The new uniform will give us a breath of fresh air.”

— Anthony Perez

In this week’s Uniformity we travel to Perris, CA to check out the new brand refresh for City Legends FC. City Legends FC is a sophomore club within the UPSL. In its first year the club went undefeated in the Championship and were promoted to the Pro Premier. The club’s identity wasn’t bad. It had a well done crest and a color palette that sticks out in the soccer world: maroon and gold. But 2019 was meant to be a bigger year for the club, and a bigger year meant an even better presentation. “ Once we jumped up to the Pro Premier, we didn't start off that great,” said Anthony Perez about the new year and new identity. He added “ I thought a refresher, the new logo and new uniforms, would spark us up again.”

The Crest

The original crest had a unique shape and was drenched in maroon, the clubs primary color. It was a bold crest fit for the desert city of Perris, CA. The bandit became the icon for the club, equipped with his western style cowboy hat. The crest itself gave the team an identity, but just because something works doesn’t mean that it can't get any better. Because it did.

The new crest is sleek and designed in a minimal fashion. Every adjustment has made this crest more appealing. The shape is more defined and offers a stronger frame. The maroon acts as an accented color, rather than dominating the space. The use of negative space helps the badge breathe. The font variances help create symmetry and balance within the piece. And the bandit still makes his appearance, but he is bolder and more experienced because he has that undefeated season under him.

“We wanted to keep the base of our logo, so we just freshened it up a little. We made look cleaner. We made it look sleeker.”

— Anthony Perez

The Uniform

In soccer a new season often means a new uniform. Most pro clubs will often trot out different color variants to the same template, but in grassroots soccer you often see an explosion of creativity. That was how Uniformity was born.

The new City Legends uniforms look great. The design is sleek and matches the new identity that the club is creating. The alternate colored stripes give a classic feel to the kit, but the fade at the bottom gives a cool modern twist to the outfit. One element that stands out is the diagonal hoop. It’s just another element that slightly changes the jersey traditions of old.

My favorite is the white, mostly with how well the badge fits in and how the maroon accents just give another strong element to look at. Those two extra elements provide a balance to the overall kit that the black can’t match.

The new design helps to usher in a new era for the City Legends. An era that has attracted a jersey sponsor in Lascom IT, who believe in the project that this club is creating for its community. A new uniform isn’t always about style, but about growth. City Legends Football Club is stepping away from being a soccer team and stepping into the identity of a soccer program. A soccer program that has the potential to truly develop a soccer community.

Bugeaters FC: The Simple Things

One of the best secondary things about the return of soccer across this country is the debut of all the kit rebrands and releases going on all over the country. Of course, we track those as they happen and so far we’ve seen some strong contenders out of the box. Last week we saw another redesign from an up and coming brand (one that we’ve written about in this very column) and we were thrilled to be able to head back to the great state of Nebraska to double dip with Bugeaters FC.

We usually begin out Uni-Formity pieces by talking about the brand and what’s going on with the club, but because we’ve written about them already, we can skim that subject just a little. Bugeaters have had some big announcements in the last 6 months. The biggest of those announcements was their exit from the UPSL, after a single season of competition, and their decision to join the brand new expansion division of Gulf Coast Premier League, the Great Plains Premier League. While Bugeaters had only played a single season in the UPSL, they have a larger footprint in the national conversation due to their creative approach to marketing, advertising and strategic partnerships. So their exit from one league and eventual (GPPL plans to kick off in 2020) entry into another league made a big splash, even with the most passive of lower league followers. Paired with their league transition, Bugeaters announced they would be playing a season of friendlies, rather than participating in league play in 2019.

Then three weeks ago, Bugeaters announced a partnership with Creighton University to play in Morrison Stadium for their home 2019 matches. The drive to find a place to play matches had been a tough one for Bugeaters FC owner Jonathan Collura. But having a home in Omaha had more benefits than just a field to play on. “We are excited to be playing at Morrison Stadium. This venue has all of the amenities that we have needed. We expect it to be multi-season, but we need to focus on being good tenants. Omaha has two top division one programs and we are excited to have ties to both of them.” Playing matches in a college field is sure to attract some potential players to the eye-catching Bugeaters brand.

And that brand was taken up a notch last week with a kit reveal that had social media buzzing.

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Jonathan Collura always thinks about the details when it comes to his branding and these kits are no different. The black home kit features a black background with a zig zag pattern in a barely seen gray. All the elements of the kit are white, with piping on the neck and sleeves. Over the shoulder, there’s two parallel lines, almost football (American) in style. Those really stand out on this all black kit, giving definition and shape to the shoulder area. Those lines can also be be spotted in the red away kit, which is a red kit with three white stripes. That white extends to piping on the collar, sleeves, and shorts. The badges, unlike many kits at this level, are actually woven versus sublimated, it’s a classy touch, particularly at this price point. But in the end, both designs are simple, through and through. And that approach by Collura, who partnered with CustomFC on this kit, is on purpose.

“I have been collecting kits since the mid-90’s and my style is based on what I have found to have wide appeal. Unique simplicity is what I think does well. Last season’s kits did well and we used simple elements with solid kits. This season, we again use simple elements but in a unique way. I like unique designs and as you have seen, we have had bespoke kits both last season and now this season. There are simple things that can be done to enhance the look. We put the shape of the state on the back neckline as an example. We are not tied to an academy and required to use stock kits. This allows us to have the flexibility to do what we want.”

Danny Whitehall sprints up the field for Bugeaters FC. Image courtesy of John Peterson.

With such a buzz around the release of the kits, the Bugeaters owner could have jacked his prices a bit, but he broke the mold on this subject as well. “I believe in giving fans a sub-$50 kit. Let’s face it, no club makes much money on kits (at this level anyway), so why not do what you can to get them in to the hands of the fans?” Why not indeed.

With the kit release announced and the preorders rolling in, Collura’s vision is turned to what’s next. “We have an amazing season lined up. We’ve had one ‘tune up’ match which went well and we fully expect this season to be a step up to last. The team will boast a squad with all Nebraska connections. My new coach, Scott Robertson, buys in to the philosophy of building a community based club. The next couple of weeks will be a big challenge. We have both Little Rock Rangers and Chattanooga FC back-to-back weekends. I’m excited and confident that we can complete against such top sides.”

If not on the field, certainly in the way they are dressed.

- Dan Vaughn

A New Look Rooster

As the years come and go, a team will begin to notice when it is time for a change. Having finished one position from a playoff spot for three straight seasons, the past two being only three points away, the Rhode Island Reds have reached that time for change. They began play in the 2012 NPSL season and, after 7 seasons, the Reds are looking for their first playoff opportunity again this year. With that optimism, Kabba Joof, the founder and chairman of the club, along with club President Rubin Paz and head of Community Outreach Mike Simeone, have decided to go with a fresh start for a new chapter in the team's story.

The original logo.

The team is named after the Rhode Island state bird and the badge maintains the Red at its focal point. They have received their new look badge from graphic designer @danygraff. They have maintained the 13 stars representing their home as the 13th state, the anchor from the Rhode Island flag, and the 2012 inaugural season on their badge. The club website explains why it kept many of the same elements during this change. The new look reflects the work that has been put in by the players and staff and they hope that by keeping the key elements they are "ensuring a level of respect, family, hope, and positiveness to its Players, Fans, and Volunteers of all levels while still maintaining the symbolic Rhode Island State symbols."

The club has teamed up with the Portuguese brand G-Sport to produce its shirts for a second year. They have taken the idea of change and completely revamped their look. As Kabba explained, "If new logo design, why not a new shirt." They have moved from last year's plain red or blue and yellow blocks of color to bold new patterns. Working with G-Sport allowed the Reds to create the shirt the way that they wanted. Kabba explained that he is generally more conservative in his soccer, but Paz, a Portuguese American, saw this as a chance to work with a company that has produced many shirts for amateur clubs in Portugal. Even though he was "concerned about getting too close to the edge" he likes the shirt because it is different. The Reds are the first team in the United States to have kits from G-Sport and sees this as the next step in their efforts. G-Sport has worked with smaller soccer teams and as Kabba put it, all aspects of the "game starts on the grassroots level."

The new kits. Image courtesy of Rhode Island Reds FC.

Last year, they gave their title sponsor spot away to a non-profit: the March of Dimes. Their main sponsor this year is Beard Care Club. They saw this partnership as a chance to show their growth and their connection to the community. The owner spent the 1990's in New England after he left the army and has maintained a friendship with the club. "My family and I have been football (soccer) fans as far as I can remember. When we were approached about the possibility of being a sponsor for the Rhode Island Reds FC we were ecstatic and had to jump on it," owner Donny Salazar said in the press release about their partnership.

Club players trying on the new kits. Image courtesy of Rhode Island Reds FC.

The Rhode Island Reds believe that they have improved on and off the field. The organization and team are evolving from one of the older teams in the Northeast and NPSL as they step up their game.They are using their history and belief in the bottom-up development of soccer to promote their future.

Their shirts are available at their website and if interested, they still have a few tee shirts available with the old logo as well.

- Andy Rittenhouse

In the Shadow of the Mountains

“Every natural object is a conductor of divinity and only by coming into contact with them... may we be filled with the Holy Ghost.”

— John Muir, 19th century naturalist

We cannot shake the effects of the beauty of nature that surrounds us. While humanity is old, some 200,000 years old, the rocks, the hills, the mountains that surround us and shape our environment are much older. The Rocky Mountains, that divide and shape the Western portion of the United States, were pushed from the ground by the movement of plates during the Laramide orogeny, a geological event 80 million years ago. There were no humans to see the mountains rise towards the sky and no one human could have, as the movement took millions of years. It would have taken generation after generation, each passing along the story of the movement of the land, without a break in the sequence, without a single generation disconnecting or moving on.

As technology and hubris has developed within our species, we assume an ability to control nature around us. With our machines and engines, we push and tug at the land, we strip back the trees and dirt, we drain lakes and shift rivers, but the land continues to shape us as much as we shape it. We pretend to be god, but there is a limit to our power. Our effects will fade as quickly as they are made, as the Earth will continue to exist - long after humanity has burnt itself out. We will leave scars but the elemental movers of the world - wind, rain, the movement of the plates - will eventually smooth those into oblivion.

But in the moment, we can look up to the mountains that stand above us and acknowledge their seeming eternal nature - that uncounted generations have each looked above themselves, into the points that pierce the sky and cut the clouds, and felt their own smallness. And while that feeling may be intimidating for some, it also inspires the soul to create - something lasting, like the mountains above.

The southern New Mexico town of Las Cruces is dominated by their own mountain range, less famous than the Rockies and slightly younger by 20 million years (but who’s counting) - The Organ Mountains. The range was originally named “Sierra de los Organos” by the Spanish explorers that came through the Southwest hundreds of years ago. Los Organos because the peaks resembled the pipes emerging from the church organs in the cathedrals of Europe. While the town of Las Cruces, NM wasn’t founded until the 1840’s, the area has been inhabited for hundreds of years earlier, first by native people, then by the Spanish. But the town has never been that large, dominated by the popular cities in the northern parts of the state and by El Paso, 45 minutes down I-10 in Texas.

The Organ Mountains above Las Cruces (Image from Wikipedia)

When Alexis Ruiz decided to start his soccer team in Las Cruces, he was aware of the downfalls that come about in such a small market, but when he talks about it, he always starts with the positives. “ We do get a lot of support from our local soccer community. Soccer is very popular in Las Cruces. You'll catch a lot of people out here wearing their team jerseys or team uniforms. We have a good amount of people come out to our games as well. We average 200 to 300 fans per game which is huge for a small city club like us. Cons would be that our talent is limited. Many athletes stop playing after high school due to the lack of opportunity in the area. There are very few of us that get the chance to play college ball due to either finances or lack of being scouted. Many of the most talented players in Las Cruces stopped playing years ago.”

“I say this day in and day out but if the best players in Las Cruces were to play with us then we would win the league. That I am confident in.”

— Alexis Ruiz

His optimism and drive are rare in someone his age and when he speaks about his club and his city, he inspires the people around him. Ruiz is the product of that same small town, but the vision for his club has always been epic. In 2018, in the UPSL Fall season, FC Grande kicked off their inaugural season, drawing talent from the town they love. While the city of Las Cruces has around 100,000, the club was able to put together a strong side that finished second in their conference, behind only Sporting AZ FC. It was a successful season and in the off season, Alexis decided he wanted a more personalized kit for the club. “I had wanted to find a way of representing Las Cruces, New Mexico. Something that when someone from Las Cruces saw it, they would know exactly what it is and what it represents. I came up with the idea of incorporating our beautiful Organ Mountains being how popular they are here in town. Everyone and any one from Las Cruces knows the Organs. It's a huge part of our culture. If you take a cruise down Las Cruces, I almost guarantee you that you'll find something related to the Organs.”

So Alexis began hunting for the perfect idea, first working with Icarus on the idea before transitioning to the club’s kit provider, Admiral. What emerged was a beautiful sublimated kit that shows the outline of the mountains with the light of a rising sun emerging over the edge. The design is original, creative, and entirely representative of the city of Las Cruces and its mountains.

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It would be a mistake to discuss this jersey without mentioning the crest, one of the best in the UPSL. Designed by Robert Boyd at Custom FC and Alexis swears by his work. “I must say the he did a great job on it. He's made many world class crest. Any clubs looking to redesign their crest need to contact him!”

Much like the Organ Mountains making an appearance on FC Grande’s kits, the crest was also a Las Cruces inspired work. “What had influenced our crest was the Rio Grande and the Zia Symbol. Robert had a came up with a bunch of designs and we started breaking the design down one by one. When he had sent me the design of the Rio Grande running through the center of the crest, I knew that was the one. He had added the Zia Symbol on top of it and from there we decided the colors.” For those unfamiliar with the Zia Symbol, it is an ancient symbol used by the Zia Pueblo people, an ancient civilization that lived around modern day Albuquerque. The number four was a sacred number for the tribe and the four crisscrossing lines represented, among other things, the fours seasons. The image is often referred to as “the Zia Sun Sign” due to its shape. It is on the New Mexico flag and ties the state to its native roots. Those roots are vital to Alexis and FC Grande and he has made an effort to tie his club to them.

One more item of interest for existing fans of the club’s original kits. The baby blue kits of their first season aren’t being discarded, but will be the home option for club. The grey kit will become the club’s alternative.

Pablo Rodriguez brings the ball up the pitch, wearing the home kit from 2018.

FC Grande has set lofty goals for their upcoming UPSL season. “Our goals for 2019 spring season are to build a bigger fan base, win the Southwest Conference and qualify for the US Open. Last year we were almost there but fell short to a strong Sporting AZ FC side. We've been training since December and feel we have a strong group. We have some returning players and some new players. Overall the men have been working hard on and off the pitch.” With a schedule that features multiple back-to-back matches, having a strong, fit squad will be important if they hope to achieve their goals.

FC Grande’s new mountain kit does everything that Alexis wants for his club. It ties the club to the city he loves, in a way that is unmistakeable and obvious. As he strains to build something lasting in his hometown, his club will wear the eternal geography that has shaped the city and state he loves.

- Dan Vaughn

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If you’re interested in more information:

FC Grande - Twitter

Custom FC - Twitter

Ordering FC Grande’s kit - Admiral

The Joke that Backfired, Beautifully

It started as a joke, a riff on the big MLS announcements in south Florida. A month ago, David Beckham and his business partners standing in the shell of Lockhart Stadium: “The vast history of soccer in South Florida has deep roots in Fort Lauderdale dating back to the original Strikers of the 70’s and 80’s, the Miami Fusion of the 90’s and early 2000’s as well as the recent clubs that have called Lockhart Stadium their home.” The announcement was meant to give their plan for the Stadium a little umph in the face of local opposition. But it didn’t ring true for fans of soccer who had lived through those eras of soccer in Florida.

Image courtesy of Sun Sentinel

For Derek Reese, President of Himmarshee Football Club, it was a clear sign that “MLS still, 20 years after the Fusion, not really understanding the nuances/realities of the south Florida market and that Fort Lauderdale is not part of Miami.” Fort Lauderdale is indeed not part of Miami, no matter how hard InterMiami (or whatever that club is called after they are sued by InterMilan) wishes it is for the purpose of solving their real estate issues. In fact, it is 40 miles north and a complete different culture from Miami.

So with April 1st on the calendar and so many clubs posting social media jokes, Derek decided to do their own for Himmarshee, but riffing off the idea of Fort Lauderdale being distinct from Miami - “that's where the genesis of the idea came from.” So Reese, who does the kit design for his club decided to throw together a fake kit with the idea of tossing a jab at the Miami MLS people.

Rather than being too obvious in the inspiration for the kit, Himmarshee claimed on their site that the kit design was to “promote geography education issues.” Of course, the kit had a dual purpose - “In the event of a GPS outage or poor cellular service, the HFC Map Kit can help you find your way home the old fashioned way, whether you’re just around the corner or heading as far as Key West or Gainesville.”

But the joke wasn’t received the way Derek had expected. In fact, it was “almost immediately. Within a few minutes of posting it we already had comments from people wishing it was real and wanting to buy one.” Almost universally, the kit was applauded and appreciated. Everyone wanted one. So the club saw a way to capitalize on the interest and decided to manufacture the kit.

“It’ll be wild to see these shirts in real life. This is exactly the kind of quirky thing that makes us who we are and why the lower levels can often be more fun than the big professional guys at the top.”

— Derek Reese

The jerseys will be sold for the same price as the club’s regular jerseys ($50), with a portion of the proceeds donated to the You Can Play Project. Himmarshee has done this with all of their jersey sales so far, with the logo of the organization on the front of their kits. You Can Play Project mission is “ensuring equality, respect and safety for all athletes, without regard to sexual orientation and/or gender identity.” It’s a cause near the heart of the Fort Lauderdale community and for the club, it just made sense to support them.

Himmarshee Football Club was formed by a group of Fort Lauderdale Strikers’ supporters with the intent to accomplish a host of things, but most importantly “supporting our highest level local club, the historic Fort Lauderdale Strikers, through supporters group Flight 19, operating our own competitive  adult amateur team and recreational sides, organizing casual pick up games and other events to bring the soccer community together, and supporting and organizing local charitable efforts – both relating to soccer and general community causes.” The club is owned by its members and is one of the most progressive and idealistic clubs to ever come to south Florida soccer.

Image courtesy of Himmarshee FC.

If you’re interested in supporting Himmarshee FC by becoming a member, the cost is only $25. Of course, you can also support the club by purchasing one of these April Fool’s joke kits (called “The Map Kit” by the club), they are now available for preorder on the Himmarshee website. Besides supporting a great club and important community work, you’ll also never confuse Miami with Fort Lauderdale.

- Dan Vaughn

Oakland Stompers: NASL Era Kits for a Modern Age

Born from the comings and goings of the NASL’s sordid past—a league who allowed clubs to leave in the middle of the night, set up shop in a new town, give birth to new soccer fans, just to pack up a move again—The Oakland Stompers came to the Bay Area in 1977-78 after leaving Connecticut under those exact circumstances. They would only stay for one season, and although there was another NASL team in San Jose, some Stompers fans never forgot the heights of having a team of their own in the first division of US Soccer.

Shep Messing, well-known for his time in both the NY Cosmos, as well as his full spread reveal in Playgirl Magazine, came to Oakland with the Stompers in 1977-78. The former teamate of Pele, Giorgia Chinaglia and Franz Beckenbauer became the highest paid player in the league that year, making a cool $100,000 for the season. He and his 1978 soccer team would play in the cavernous Oakland Colliseum, which was also the home of the Oakland A’s (World Series winners in 1974) and the Oakland Raiders (Superbowl Champions of 1976); the East Bay had a recent history winners and a fiercely loyal fanbase.

Shep Messing Played in the iconic Oakland Stompers kit of 1978.

Although the club inevitably left a year later, as NASL clubs were prone to do, the single season left a lasting impact on soccer fans in the cities which make up the East Bay Area; Hayward, San Leandro, Richmond, Fremont, and of course, Oakland. So decades later, when given the chance to start a brand new club to join the NPSL in 2012, the owners borrowed over the nickname Stompers—it was a natural decision, of course, they had been using the nickname for years anyways for their youth teams. Along with the name, came the inspiration for their kits, and now the Oakland Stompers of the UPSL wear their heritage on ther back. We asked Stompers’ President and General Manager, William Forte, for the lowdown on their kits and common denominators between the current Stompers and the connection to their namesakes. He spoiled us with photos of the kits during their WIP (Work in progress) stages and confirmed the historic backdrop of the Stompers in Oakland.

The 1978 NASL Oakland Stompers in their away whites.

Could you explain the history and meaning of Stompers in the Bay Area?

The Stompers were the last top tier professional soccer team to play in the East Bay/Oakland.  That was over 40 years ago.  The original logo had grapes in it to represent the Northern California region of wine country.  So, the significance was from grape stomping which is a big process of turning the grapes in to wine.  The 1978 NASL team had cheerleaders named the Corkpoppers.

After the team folded in 1978 a number of youth clubs carried on the Stompers name.  Our club was formed in the East Bay on the youth side named after the Stompers that lasted from 1984- the mid 90's and had the Stompers, Stompettes, and lil' Stompers.  We brought back the club in 2008/09 as a men's team hoping to climb the ranks of US Soccer to bring the Stompers back to the heights of pro soccer representing Oakland.  After a decade of obstacles, we have finally brought the Stompers back home to Oakland where it all began and where we belong!

Four decades later, the 2018 Oakland Stompers in their beautiful light blue shirts.

Who is your provider and why did you settle on them?

Our jersey brand is Recnball.  It is our own brand that we are developing along the way.  We paired with soccermagic.com because they allowed us to fully customize our own brand.  I think having complete creative control on this project was important to us.  Soccermagic.com allowed us to do that.  I recommend them to anybody who is looking to have their own unique style and creative control.

How long was the process of design and choosing the right kit provider?

The revitalization of the original jersey was a plan since the club reemerged in 2008/2009. The current plan was to reveal the throwbacks Spring 2018 for the East Bay FC Stompers and do a 40-year throwback season.  We were not able to accomplish that on time.  We were able to bring out the blue kits in the Fall as we brought back the Oakland Stompers for a 40-year commemoration season. 

This Spring we plan to continue the honor to the original Oakland Stompers with revealing here first the unveiling of the 1978 Oakland Stompers white throwback kits which will be our second kit for both the East Bay FC Stompers and the Oakland Stompers as we continue our throwback season tribute. After we decided on SoccerMagic.com the current process to get to this point has taken us over a year to get things the way we wanted them.

 We have thrown around working with bigger name brands but currently we like our own creative freedom with our own brand and SoccerMagic.com.  If we did go with a more reputable brand the current front runners would be Hummel as their Northern California representative Kevin Campbell has been nothing but awesome to us.  We like how a custom blue and gold Hummel chevrons on the shoulder would fit in our style but allow us to become completely modern and our own new East Bay/Oakland Stompers stamp on US Soccer history.  Be on the lookout for a completely new Stompers look in 2020!

For more information about the current UPSL Oakland Stompers: https://www.oaklandstompers.com/

- Joshua Duder

Ranking the Kits of Founders Cup Clubs

Founders Cup is right around the corner, and boy is everyone excited. Sure the NPSL professional division doesn’t have the D3 sanctioning like some other leagues, but NPSL has the heart of a true soccer league. That heart and ethos is something that the entire soccer community is craving. So, for this week’s Uniformity I take a kit from each club and rank them making my top eleven.

11. Oakland Roots Sports Club

This was an easy last place, because let’s be fair, the Roots don’t have a kit yet. Now I can imagine that if I were to revisit this segment during the season, the Roots would be challenging the top clubs. Branding and Oakland Roots SC have had a unique relationship that continues to evolve, and if you haven’t already check out my piece I wrote a few weeks back: Organic and Raw.

Image courtesy of Cal FC.

10. CAL FOOTBALL CLUB

While Cal FC will be a force on the field, the club’s kits lack any sort of fashionable elements. Clubs from Southern California should strive to have some of the best merchandise, because so much fashion and personality comes from the region. Every grassroot club may not have the ambition to grow its brand with fashion, but if Cal FC does intend to create a customized kit it will most likely reflect the very fashionable state that the club represents.

9. ALBION SOCCER CLUB SAN DIEGO

ASC San Diego has fielded a variety of jerseys, but the one that I like most is the blue and white hoops. A very traditional design that pops, because of the bright hue of the blue. I believe the this kit is an older variant, but it definitely sticks out, especially with the hoops on the socks.

Image courtesy of Milwaukee Torrent.

8. MILWAUKEE TORRENT

Half baby blue and half grey, this kit is one of the more unique fashion statements in grassroots soccer. Two elements that fit very well on the jersey is the all white logo, that takes up the entire stomach and the alternate sleeve colors.

7. FOOTBALL CLUB ARIZONA

Yellow on a jersey is meant to be bold and stand out, a fitting style for FC Arizona. The chest is covered in a yellow block, that slowly cascades into smaller and smaller hoops, eventually becoming navy blue. The FC Arizona style of play will fascinate the audience and it will always be easy to stop the players on the pitch.

Image courtesy of Daily Detroit.

6. DETROIT CITY FOOTBALL CLUB

DCFC’s rouge color palette mixed with the gold accents, make one luxurious kit. Alternating red stripes gives the perfect canvas to showcase the jersey sponsor, club crest and kit manufacturer, but it is really those accents that just create an overall piece that locks into the clubs branding. Detroit City also carries a few alternates, like the all white with a maroon polo collar.

5. NAPA VALLEY 1839 FOOTBALL CLUB

I love a green kit and this one uses a monochromatic color scheme that just looks slick. Napa Valley’s crest has always been highly rated by those within Protagonist and this one jersey does not disappoint. The abstract design that uses the bright green and forest green steers away from a traditional stripes, like in the Detroit City jersey.  The unique style makes the 1839 kit the best in the West.

Image courtesy of Chattanooga FC.

4. CHATTANOOGA FOOTBALL CLUB

The people’s club offers a perfect design that makes the thousands of fans and owners look good. The navy blue base is trimmed with baby blue to make a clean look that can fit any outfit. But what makes this kit stand out is the soccer ball outline, comprised of thick hash marks, that is located in the club’s crest. Even the round Volkswagen logo just fits perfectly on the front of the jersey.

3. NEW YORK COSMOS

Another club that is known for its iconic green jersey, but that is not the kit that gets them ranked in third place. One of the cleanest looking kits in the Founders Cup is the all navy blue base with the cascading green stippling down the chest. On top of that sweet color combination is the sharpest sleeve trim I have ever seen on a jersey. The trim is made up of the three iconic colors in the Cosmos crest: baby blue, yellow and green.

2. MIAMI UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB

The Miami United kit is one of my favorite pieces in grassroot soccer. My first ever Uniformity article was about Miami United FC. What stands out about this piece is how many unique elements lie within the kit. There are multicolored hoops, various hoop sizes, gold accents and a strong black background that helps each element pop off of the kit. The club could wear these kits for a decade and the look would never get old.

1. MIAMI FOOTBALL CLUB

Ranking in the top spot is Miami FC. The bright Miami color palette just stands out among any jersey in existence and while the club has multiple stylish jerseys, the best looking one is the pastel light blue polo with the orange sleeve. First a polo collar is the best look you can get on a jersey, it's what separates a soccer kit from all of the other sloppy sports jerseys. Second, the color combination is vibrant and reflects the community that it comes from. It is a perfect example of the art and fashion background of Miami.

Image courtesy of footballshirtculture.com.

As we get closer and closer to the kickoff of Founders Cup, I expect clubs to create new kits for their players and fans to wear. And by that time I hope that the West Region can produce more artistic kits that really show off the powerful brands they represent. But until that day, the East Region’s brands will reign supreme.

- Steven Ramirez

Snohomish County FC: Addicted to Creativity

Snohomish County FC has quickly taken off with their social media presence and soon enough, they’ll be flying up the ranks of top lower league kits. I wrote about the club around the time they first got up and running and now, I am revisiting the team to look at their brand new, beautiful, and unique kits. I spoke with SnoCo FC General Manager, David Falk, about the new kits, which have preorders launching today. The kits will only be available for preorder for the rest of this month, so don’t hesitate to get your hands on at least one of these gorgeous jerseys. 

What was the inspiration behind the kits?

The foundation of the Steelhead in our crest is hexagon "scales," and we wanted that foundation to be part of the kit as well. In the Primary Orange the hexagon foundation is a subtle 'pinstripe' hexagon pattern. in the Hex Grey Alternate / Away Kit it pops to the front in a big way and also takes the "scales" look further too.

How did you settle on Icarus as the designer?

We have been talking with Icarus for several months on and off about the kits. They have always been accommodating and quick to reply. They were willing to listen to various ideas and extra touches and then implement them.

These were obviously the first custom kits in club history. How important was it to get it right and get an incredible kit?

These will be our first custom kits, made only for use and worn by no other team in the world. So we have a large folder on the computer with scores of different styles, designs and near misses. It is probably good that it has taken us this long to be ready to order custom kits, because the wait helped the process of eliminating some unneeded elements. We will wear these for our first 2 years in league play, so we wanted them to look good.

What was the goal when you guys set out with designing the kits?

Our logo is both simple and complex. Yes, it is a single Steelhead fish within a simple black circle, but it is also a hexagonal pattern. How could kits be both simple and complex, or both complex and simple? The Primary Orange is the latter - simple beautiful 'Steelhead Orange' with a faded half fish at the bottom. But the hex pattern reveals there is more going on if you look closely. The Hex Grey is the opposite - a lot going on, but wait...it is actually just a simple hex pattern with shades of grey and black.

What was your favorite part of the kit designing process?

I love the creating. Even after the designs were chosen I wanted to keep making more. Not because we weren't satisfied, but because the process of trying new ideas and seeing new outcomes is so addictive.

Which of the two kits is your personal favorite?

Hey, I wanted us to wear orange since day one of the club. No regional adult men's club in Washington has orange as its main color. We are all whites, blues and greens up here for the most part. So the Primary Orange is my favorite. Needless to say though, I will be buying both.

Could you explain the significance of the “Oso 43” for those unaware?

In March of 2014 there was a devastating landslide in Northern Snohomish County near the town of Oso. 43 people were swept away in the mud in a matter of minutes. The neighborhood destroyed was called "Steelhead Haven," and we have vowed to honor their memories by putting "Oso 43" somewhere on all of our kits and also retiring the number 43. Our stadium is just 19 miles from the landslide area. Mark Lavis, who designed the Steelheads crest, also designed the "Oso 43" mark that will appear on the back neck of the shirts.

Is the club close to securing a kit sponsor? If not, how could interested businesses get in contact with the club?

We have  until March 1 to place our order with Icarus to get the kits in time for the 2019 season. We recently ran a poll to see what people thought we should do if we didn't have a shirt sponsor. The vote was 52% to donate the space to a charity and 25% to leave it blank. We will just have to see what happens. We'd love a sponsor to help us out. We are still looking. Contact us at snocofc@gmail.com if you have any leads.

Pre-orders start Friday, February 1st! How can fans get in on the action and how long will it be until they get their hands on the new threads?

Fans can pre-order the shirts at SnoCoFC.com. We use PayPal. They are $40 each + $5 postage per entire order. They will have to be patient though. The cutoff date to order is February 28th but the shirts won't arrive at the club until mid April and then  be shipped out to individual buyers after that. It's a pay now, be surprised around Easter kind of deal.

- Aarik Long

Gold Coast Inter AFC: Fan-Owned Design

When Chattanooga went public last week and began selling shares of its club, the reaction of the internet was inspiring to fans of the lower league. Quickly the amount was over 100k, then 200k, and, as of the time of writing this, almost to half a million. The idea of fan ownership isn’t entirely brand new to the world of American soccer, but it is certainly an idea that seems to be gaining ground. The success of CFC’s drive would indicate that it can work and that there is fan interest in the idea.

Far removed from Chattanooga is Gold Coast Inter AFC in West Palm Beach, FL. The connection to Chattanooga is the fan-owned aspect of the club. The team is owned by players and fans through an Inter Community Trust. Fans from all over the country, as far away as Boston and San Francisco, purchased shares and voting rights within the organization. The club formed in the summer of 2017 and GCI spent a season in a competitive recreational league, Beaches Adult Soccer League, winning both the league title and the cup. Looking for more imposing competition, the club decided that a change needed to happen. The players and fans voted to join the UPSL. In their first season in the league, the team qualified for the playoffs, showing they were ready for challenge of the national league.

The stellar performance of the club on the pitch is only matched by their kits and crest. The name and colors of the club were chosen with input from the trust and fans. Christian Franek, club manager for Gold Coast Inter discussed why each color was chosen. “Gold for the obvious Gold Coast reference, which is the nickname for the Florida coast from Palm Beach County down to Miami-Dade County, due to its relative affluence. The hunter green is likewise symbolic of the lush tropical surroundings that were influential in attracting railroad tycoon Henry Flagler ( and his well-heeled friends) and development to the area, making Palm Beach what is today.” The crest was designed by Robert Boyd, part of the very popular design team at We Are Custom FC. Franek assumes that Boyd was inspired by several European clubs in his use of overlaying letters in the crest. The crest has an implication of wealth and class, like the Gucci brand logo. Everything has a place, but the flow of the design is what stands out. The eyes naturally trace the curvature of the letters - it’s beautiful.

The Gucci brand logo.

Boyd also designed the original kit for the club, but it wasn’t until Robby from Icarus FC (also a sponsor for this column) offered a redesign that the current kits came to life. His attention to detail and focused, tentative customer service gave birth to some of the coolest kits in the lower leagues. Icarus FC also designed the badge for Gold Coast’s recreational and developmental teams, The Breakers FC.

The variety between the three kits is also a highlight of the level of expression on display. The gold kit (home), with green piping, features the crest in a print design that covers the entire shirt almost like a designer handbag or trench coat. The left chest area has a simplified version of the crest which streamlines the impact against the background print. The green kit (away) features an inverse to the gold kit, with the green background sporting the crest with gold piping on the arms and neck. Unlike the button collar of the home kit, the away has a v-neck style opening. Another differentiation is a pair of dark green lines up the body of the kit, much like racing stripes. The third kit (alternate) features a unique baseball stripe print of gold lines over a white background. The full roundel crest decorates the chest and the collar is a simple crew neck.

The three kits shine for their creativity and individuality, especially in a sport that often settles for overly simplistic kit design to save cash. Gold Coast Inter AFC has not one, but three beautiful kits that would stand out in a crowd.

If fan ownership is what drives fans to support clubs, then Gold Coast Inter AFC should have crowds at every match. If level of play gets butts in the seats, then their matches should be packed. But if a slick kit with genius design elements is what brings eyes, than Gold Coast should be the club that all lower league fans should be supporting.

If you want to purchase one of their kits, the Gold Coast Shop is here. It’s a double bonus - support a club driven by fan and player ownership, get one of the freshest kits in the lower leagues. If you want to support the club and their goal of funding their upcoming season, you can also donate through Venmo or paypal. $100 gets you a year of fan ownership, $1,000 gets you a lifetime ownership stake. But even small donations go the general fund to drive this little club from Florida to success.

- Dan Vaughn