FCM Portland: A Fraternity with French Design and History

Continuing with our NPSL pre-season coverage, we stay out west for Uniformity this week and check in with 2018 semi-finalists FC Mulhouse Portland. Head Coach Sergio Medel was happy to tell us about the design on the shirts of his talented players from the Northwest Division. We haven’t seen a kit from Patrick yet and I was very curious about why a team from Portland, Oregon ended up with custom shirts from a relatively small sports apparel company based in Belgium.

Both the Blue and Whites kits from last year are bold and unique, what was the inspiration? Will there be a new kit for 2019?

The kit designs are the same as the partner club in Mulhouse, France. The Wheel design is the emblem of the City of Mulhouse found in all the city logos. There won’t be a new design until the 2019/20 season in France which begins in August of 2019. 

FCMP’s Jay Garmondeh (right) decked out in the club’s primary kit taking on a Kitsap Pumas player during a NPSL Northwest matchup (Photo: Kitsap Pumas social media)

How long was the process of design and choosing the right kit provider? Did anybody at the club get to help in the design process or does Patrick have a design team that does that work for the club? 

The design and production with Patrick (the kit company) takes approx. 6 weeks.  The Company is based in Belgium. The kit was designed by the club in France via sketch ideas, then the designers of Patrick sent Digital and eventually hard samples of the design.

I don't see Patrick used in the United States very often, why did you settle on them? What's the connection to FCMP? Did Patrick provide more than just kits? Training equipment too?  

The partner club in France Football Club Mulhouse is the one who has the connection with Patrick and therefore FCM Portland as well. Yes, Patrick provides more equipment for the French club, balls, goalie gear, pennies etc. Portland primarily uses the kits and warmup clothing.

The club’s secondary kit, custom designed for both FC Mulhouse clubs, on display before their 2018 Seasons. (Photo: FCMP Social Media)

Could you explain the history and meaning of the badge and the Portland club’s connection to the French side in Regional Ligue 3?

The badge was designed in France and again contains key elements to the history of the club which began in 1893.  The emblem contains the wheel of the city of Mulhouse.  This was a new logo for the club in France beginning when American Owner Gary Allen purchased the French club in January of 2017.  Gary was the President of the Portland club prior to turning it over to me as the new President of FCM Portland. I and the Portland club have a license agreement to use the logo and kits in Portland.

Club badges worn over the history of parent club FC Mulhouse of France’s 3rd Division—the wheel or cog is derived from the city’s coat of arms and represents the city’s historic connection to the textile, machinery and railroad industries.

If somebody wants a FCMP shirt, are they available? If so, where?  

Originally founded in 1892 as Patrick-Chaussures Techniques, Patrick now provides sports apparel to a multitude of organizations around the world, from Honduras to Kosovo and from Panama to Portland, Oregon. Both Kevin Keagan and Michel Platini were famous for wearing Patrick in the 1980s before the company decided to step out of the sponsorship wars over big time clubs and players. They are based out of Belgium and are the official apparel providers to the Belgian referee association.

Fan gear is available from France to include jerseys, beanies and scarfs all of which contain the logo and designs of the French club, almost identical to Portland so we are looking to integrate the same system locally.

For more information on FCMP, visit this site.

To Purchase a FC Mulhouse Kit from France

- Joshua Duder

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

Running in Rouge: Lower League Ingenuity at the Professional Level

Detroit City’s 2018 will likely be best remembered for its historic friendlies against the likes of St. Pauli, Necaxa, and Frosinone and its continued record setting when it comes to attendance, the club’s top-level kits are often a forgotten element of its ever-growing profile and personality. Protagonist had the chance to speak with Detroit’s Director of Media, Lindsey Pehrson in order to find out more about Detroit’s 2018 rendition of the rouge and gold.

2018 was not the first time Detroit had a winning look, a huge part of this comes down to smart color selection, “our team colors are Rouge and Gold.  Secondary colors include White, Black, Grey, Navy and Verdigris.” That combination of rouge and gold has been the flagship for a long run of great designs. The combination isn’t just rooted in good design, however, and is tied to the history of Detroit itself. “One aspect of the history of the Detroit area is a connection to France.  The Rouge River flows through SE Michigan and the Nain Rouge still haunts the streets every spring.”

Detroit’s 2018 kits, made by Adidas, were designed within the club per tradition, “We have always designed our own kits in-house.” This combines the professionalism of a global company like Adidas with the smart and free minded design of a fan-focused community club like Detroit City. This leaves us with a kit made by Adidas that doesn’t feel cookie cutter like many of the often-criticized MLS kits made by the same company.

The club doesn’t stop at a good pair of colors and has used traditional kit motifs like stripes, hoops, and buttoned collars to elevate their kits, again combining modern and authentic ideas with classic concepts found on kits for over a century. Pehrson explained that this combination of eras has helped the club visualize the professional look it strives for, “as a club we have always strove for a professional and timeless look for our kits. Hoops, stripes, collars, solids are all good examples of this aesthetic.”

One of the more interesting aspects of Detroit’s kits is that they stand out as an example for what soccer can be outside of the establishment while still utilizing big brands, in this case Adidas and Lyft. “Since our founding, we have only kitted out our players in two brands - first Nike and now Adidas - and we have been happy with the look and quality those brands have provided. As for sponsorship, strong partner relationships are a vital part to running a successful organization.  We built a great relationship with Lyft in 2018, and we are hopeful that partnership continues.  Any sponsorship agreement is multi-faceted, but an important aspect is ensuring a tasteful and professional presentation of the partner brand.” Detroit City’s success with brands of that scale shows that upper-pyramid clubs don’t have to have a monopoly on sponsorships of nationwide or global substance.

2018 was a great year for Detroit in many ways, but the club is far from done. With the Founders Cup and another shot at NPSL glory on the ropes, the club will surely aim to break new barriers with its next look. “Our 2019 kits will be our best-looking kits yet and will be the perfect look for making the move to fielding a professional roster.”

• Dominic Bisogno

Rebranding for Authenticity

For clarity, Icarus FC does advertise with our site. It just so happens they keep making the freshest kits!

If you are not living in the Philadelphia area, you would be forgiven for thinking Lone Star FC was a Texan club. However, anyone in and around Philadelphia could tell you that Philadelphia Lone Star FC is an absolute institution in the city. The club was founded as Junior Lone Star FC in 2001 by Liberian immigrants, whose heritage is drawn on as inspiration for the “Lone Star” name referencing the lone star on the Liberian flag. The club has come to be known as one of the foremost professional development clubs on the east coast, growing from a single squad when it was founded to a club that fields teams in the NPSL’s Keystone Conference and the UPSL’s Northeast Conference. They’ve provided Philadelphia’s amateur footballers, and in particular those of African descent and heritage, with countless opportunities for further development in the sport.

This connection to Philadelphia fueled the club’s desire to rebrand last year and they adopted the name Philadelphia Lone Star. The club adopted a new crest to go along with its new name, ditching a “Barcelona”-shaped badge in favor of a cleaner pointed shield. The crest is not only a slick design, but it also does a simple design in a way that does not feel overly generic or unimaginative. The Liberty Bell is a simple homage to the city these players now call home but the club has not abandoned its own history in the process.

Lone Star FC took this connection to their city a step further as they prepared for the 2019 season by linking up with local kit designer Icarus Football. “Philly Lone Star is a big name around here,” said Icarus when asked about the partnership. “We really wanted to make sure we put together kits that would reflect their stature in the community.”

Based on the badge above, it would have been fairly simple for Icarus to look at this as a straightforward project. Red, white, blue...there’s 10000 high school, college, amateur, and professional soccer teams (not to mention the National Teams) in the US that use the same color scheme. Lone Star getting the template treatment that we see so often in major club and international football would have been simple. Icarus did not take that route whatsoever as they produced four fantastically unique kits.

Home

The impressive thing about this home kit is that it feels both familiar and unique all in one effortless stroke. Wearing sky blue with white shorts could have been a chance to look like a Manchester City copycat, but the Liberty Bells down the sleeves and sides of the shorts evoke a Philadelphia version of the classic Kappa designs from Serie A. The red trim pops in a way that you might not expect against the light blue, while the sublimated Star design makes it so Philadelphia Lone Star is embodied throughout the kit. An impressive effort from top to bottom.

Away

The Away Kit is another stunning effort. The red-over-red with the sublimated stars ties this design back to the home kit but it is the pattern on the sleeves and down the shorts that is the true star of the show here. We have seen, especially with Nike’s recent templates, the effort to make different colored sleeves the unique element of a kit. Icarus has taken that idea and cranked the creativity through the roof, implementing a pattern inspired by West African fabric patterns to create something truly splendid.

Third

Philadelphia Lone Star’s Third Kit serves the dual function of being gorgeous and aiding a worthy cause. During the middle of the NPSL season, Lone Star will wear this kit in conjunction with a campaign to raise money for juvenile cancer research. Such a campaign should succeed on its own merits, but this design is a fantastic advertisement. The pink and black color scheme has an extremely modern feel to it without it feeling garish. The black and white version of the crest is, quite frankly, badass. The star details down the sleeves and shorts add a nice touch, but the sublimated design again steals the show, with a lovely hoop design culminating near the collar in the Philadelphia skyline. A kit that accomplishes this much both aesthetically and in helping those in need is extremely admirable and I hope this kit gets the attention it deserves.

Fourth

There is something so striking about a well-executed white kit. When that kit has a sublimated spotted print and a unique pattern down the sleeves, you have something special on your hands. The aforementioned pattern extends from the collar, down the sleeves, and down the shorts, with the numbers on the kit itself containing the pattern as well. This kit again brings Lone Stars African roots to the forefront. This celebration of the club’s heritage is evident in each design but this particular design feels like a celebration in and of itself. I, for one, am extremely here for it. This kit will act as a fourth kit for the NPSL squad and will serve as the UPSL squad’s home kit. This may be premature, but I would shortlist this kit for one of the best in UPSL for the Spring Season.

Philadelphia Lone Star FC are embarking on a new chapter of their history in 2019 and with this new identity that links their current home to the club’s African heritage, the club is emphasizing what we all love and idealize about the United States and the game of soccer: The opportunity to succeed no matter your background. This club is admirable for its ideals and history, and now we can all look on and admire the kits as well.

- Phil Baki

Celebrating Chicago

One of the best parts of my job as editor of the site is sitting down with my assistant editor, Joshua Duder, and Robbie Smuckler, owner of Icarus FC, to discuss which throwback kit we will be designing for the next promotion. We always try to pick semi obscure clubs, for two reasons, 1. No copyright issues to deal with and 2. It exposes a club to a whole new segment of the American soccer public. The first is obvious, I guess, but the second I think deserves some discussion. There’s a mistake too many people in this country make when it comes to soccer history. They assume that America doesn’t have one. That MLS, formed in the mid 90’s for the World Cup, is the beginning of everything.

That’s not a little wrong, it’s dead wrong.

American soccer has been alive and kicking for over 100 years. From the old ASL, which I’ve written about pretty regularly to the NPSL of the mid 60s to the NASL of the 70s, there’s been leagues and clubs full of players who throughout the last century played soccer. There was even a time, during the 20’s and 30’s, when soccer was the dominant sport in the United States, and not by a little. Just because we’ve grown up in an era where American football, baseball, and basketball are dominating the sports’ landscape, doesn’t mean that’s the way it’s always been.

Vital Vintage, our series of throwback kits, tries to grow the understanding of that soccer history, one kit at a time. Our first throwback was for Vampire Association FC, a club that played in the early 1900s in Northern California. Aside from the awesome motif of vampires, bringing to light the existence of a league in the San Francisco area dating back that far made the kit a perfect choice for our first one. This month’s addition to the collection might be even more obscure than our first!

If you want the history of the Chicago Spurs, Dominic already wrote a fascinating article that you should definitely read, so instead, I’ll focus on the design of our kit instead.

Unlike with VAFC, the crest on this kit is actually original from the club. It’s a beautiful bit of 60’s design, with the round shape of the ball, subdivided by white lines that imply movement and spin. The letters that spell out the name of the club are definitely of the era and continue to imply movement through their shape and curve. So without the redesign of the crest, the rest of the kit was where the real modifications would happen.

For those not familiar with Chicago, the flag of Chicago is everywhere in the city. People get it tattooed on them, windows of apartments sport them, it’s everywhere. By using the red of the kit as a background, the traditional stars from the flag are used to give depth and make the kit itself more interesting. It also ties the kit to the city in an obvious (if you know what the star implies) but also subtle way (if you don’t know about the flag). That pattern also makes an appearance over the shoulders with a bright line of white stars that lead down from the neck.

Rather than go with a high collar, we went with a traditional polo collar, which we felt was appropriate for this time period. This kit also features some beautiful white lines that subdivide the space in creative ways. It’s a specimen!

The kit is a celebration of Chicago and a beautiful one at that! We hope that people will appreciate the history of Chicago soccer as much as we do - and hopefully purchase one of our kits.

- Dan Vaughn

Going Local from the Start

Originally named the Louisiana Premier League in 2014, the league had to be rebranded two years later to the Gulf Coast Premier League because it had outgrown the state of Louisiana. Now the league operates in Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, and Texas. The GCPL originally came into my radar while covering Motagua’s run in this year’s USOC qualifying. But recently I spotted a new kit in my twitter feed and found another GCPL club. Honestly, the first time I read the name Krewe FC, I thought someone had made a major spelling mistake. But because I’m a nerd, I decided to google it. Turns out it’s a real term for the team of people that operate a float for street festivals (you probably already are, but think Mardis Gras). So a club from Lafayette, Louisiana, the Cajun Capital, couldn’t be more appropriately named. Lafayette is somewhat isolated from other soccer clubs, so this year Krewe FC was formed to provide an outlet for the local soccer talent coming out of area high schools and academies.

Often times, when we write an article on a kit, it’s a rebrand. The tired and old is pushed out for something slick and new. But today’s Uni-Formity is about a brand new kit, fresh and clean, the Icarus-designed away kit for Louisiana Krewe FC. Yes, before I go further, Icarus sponsors this column and is an advertiser on our site. They also make some of the most amazing kits in the lower league.

I talked with Krewe FC about their new away kit and they described their thought process in choosing the club colors - “we wanted to go with something that would really resonate with South Louisiana. It made sense to go with the black and gold color scheme. Sports fans here relate and identify to those colors.”  Drawing inspiration from the local sports scene for the colors was only the beginning, inspiration for the stripe came from a place far from Louisiana. The inspiration for the sash design was inspired by “the newest kit Peru rolled out for the World Cup and the old Umbro shadow stripe jerseys of the early 80’s.”

That sash really makes the kit pop, particularly with the inclusion of more local inspiration. “The diagonal “shadow”stripe accented by the Fleur de Lis. A Gold Fleur de lis is also located just under the collar on the back of the jersey.” Even more local flair will be on the kit with “the addition of the club motto on the back of the jersey, running across the very bottom; ‘Toutes les Mains Aye’. This French phrase refers to the order, All hands on deck, or All hands Aye. This refers to the Regions French history and the Naval and Marine history of South Louisiana. In order for our Club and our objective to be met, “All hands” will be required to work and contribute.”

While the away kit is an absolute beauty, the home kit has yet to be revealed. The club plans on making that public in the near future, with public kit sales in early January. There are also plans in the works for a limited run of “Mardi Gras Edition” jersey in early 2019 (mock up of that kit below).

Kick It Off With a Bang

During the winter months, leagues take care of all the business that the regular season crowds out. League meetings, player tryouts, kit redesigns, almost anything you can think of happens when the weather outside is inhospitable in most parts of the country. One of those pieces of business is adding clubs. Whether through introducing a brand new club or adding on an established club who is jumping from one league to the next, expansion offers a spotlight on clubs, mostly through their crests (because most have a limited track record on the field). With all the announcements from league after league, we decided to put together a short list of some of our favorite badges from expansion sides this winter. Enjoy!

- Dan Vaughn

Dan Vaughn

Louisiana Krewe FC - Lafayette, LA - GCPL

I’m a sucker for maps. The shapes of states, cities, countries, you name it, love that stuff. This crest features the shape of Louisiana on a gray/black background. The name of the club is featured above the state with the smaller “FC” below. Rather than a round shape, the crest is almost the shape of a police or fireman badge, with the three points on top and the single point at the bottom. The colors are very much in line with the NFL’s Saints, connecting the club to familiar territory for Louisiana sports fans. By the way, Krewe is a term for a group of people that put together a float in a carnival (much like in Mardis Gras). It’s a sharp badge and I can’t wait to see the uniforms that will feature it.

Steven Ramirez

AC Miracle Hill - Desert Hot Springs, CA - UPSL Western Conference

If you live in Southern California and have made the drive through the desert, you have been faced by many giants that ruled in Don Quixote's time. The Southern California desert hosts a wind farm that contains over 4,000 windmills and is known to many travelers. When creating a crest for this Desert Hot Springs club, nothing makes more sense than those towering windmills. Using the “Athletic Club” moniker applies a traditional naming convention that is sporadically used in the world, especially in the U.S. soccer sphere. In their first year of existence this UPSL crest jumps out as one of the best in the league.

Aarik Long

Chattanooga Red Wolves - Chattanooga, TN - USL League One

I was at Edley’s BBQ on November 15th to witness to unveil of this logo for Protagonist Soccer.  The atmosphere inside of the restaurant was incredible. When the crest was finally unveiled, there seemed to be a positive response inside the building. However, people have seemed to not agree online. It’s been mocked repeatedly, but I think it’s a great crest. To begin with, I love that red is the primary color. It’s pretty common and maybe a little cliche, but there’s nothing like a cross-town, red vs blue rivalry. The wolf looks great. It isn’t a goofy cartoon canine, but it also is not overly realistic. The overall shape of the badge looks really nice, as well. The spikes at the bottom aren’t very common among crests, so the unique shape is refreshing. Some of the reasonings behind different parts of the logo seemed like a little bit of a stretch, but I think the crest itself is extremely solid and among the best in USL League One.

Dab Williams

Contra Costa FC - Concord, CA - UPSL

The round of expansion teams for Spring 2019 hasn’t impressed me much, honestly. Don’t get me wrong, they might be great on the field, but artistically and stylistically I’ve been underwhelmed. Contra Costa FC was a breath of fresh air. CCFC’s badge is in the shape of the Union Pacific logo and features a similar design with the white and red stripes across the base of the badge.  The top of the badge features some mountains, the name and, outside the limits of the badge, is the star, which I assume is from winning the Liga NorCal Copa Cup championship in May 2018. Across the front of the crest is a soccer ball with wings (not my favorite feature of this one), completing the look of the badge. I love the color palate, love the shape, it’s the best of the UPSL expansion clubs, without a doubt.

GAM UNITED FC: Far From Home, United

The story of soccer in the United States is the story of immigration. Unlike most of the major sports that have dominated this country for the last 100 years, soccer travelled to America from elsewhere and has never been able to shake that foreign shadow. The transplanted nature of of the sport has been used to by critics and fans alike to explain its struggle to gain more than just a foothold on American soil. But for so many immigrants, soccer is the sport of their fathers and mothers, grandparents and great-grandparents - it is a generational tie that binds families to their roots and bridges the geographical gap to their homeland. And after all, the United States is a nation of immigrants.

GAM United FC was founded in Aurora, Colorado in 2014 by Nfansu Janneh, an immigrant from Gambia. He founded the club “as a way to help develop and empower immigrants and refugee youths to be leaders in their communities.” Why the Denver suburb attracts so many immigrants and foreign born players, the club isn’t sure - “Maybe being so high up (5,280 feet above sea level)?” Whatever the reason for their arrival, Janneh’s club has prioritized recruiting immigrant players that have settled in the area and that approach has yielded great results.

The GAM, in GAM United FC, represented the home country (Gambia) of the club founder. But the meaning of the abbreviation has changed as the club has grown. According to the club, it “later changed the meaning of the name internally to 'Great Athletic Men'.” And those Great Athletic Men do indeed come from all over the world to wear the colors - 12 different African countries are represented on the squad and there are also two players from Iraq.

The focus of Uni-Formity is, of course, crest and kit design and the crest is what drew us to focus on GAM United FC. It’s eye-catching and unique. A lion, with a multicolored mane, heading a soccer ball - it’s fantastic! The lion and the unique mane were all chosen with intent- “Janneh chose the Lion because of its significance to Africa and the different colors because of the diversity of Africa. As much as people try to lump up all 54 countries in Africa - Africa is so diverse and filled with different beautiful personalities and cultures so he wanted to represent that in the mane of the Lion with the different colors.” The lion on the crest is as representative of the team wearing the kit as any in the sport - it is a beautiful combination of players from all over the world, immigrated to a new country, coming together to pursue a sport they love.

With the recent rise in anti-immigrant rhetoric, one might expect GAM United FC and its players, who have embraced their immigrant identity completely, to have dealt with some xenophobic or racist attacks. Not so, according to the club - “We haven't witnessed any racism or xenophobia. At least not directly to our faces. Colorado is a very accepting state for a lot of Immigrant and refugees.” And maybe that is the most promising aspect of this story. Immigrants, playing an immigrant game, being accepted by their new home country and carving out their own place. The lion, with its multicolored mane, is roaring freely in Colorado.

- Dan Vaughn

Bugeaters FC: Reaping the harvest

Few teams have exploded on the lower tier soccer scene like Bugeaters FC. Founded earlier this year in Lincoln, Nebraska, Bugeaters FC has effectively leveraged social media, beneficial partnerships and smart design to attract a national audience that few have been able to match. Led by owner John Collura, the club has been a model of smart but aggressive growth - targeting opportunities in creative ways to yield results. Their fans are spread across the map - far from the sprawling fields of Nebraska - due to their innovative approach to growing a soccer club in the lower tiers of the American pyramid. That creativity hasn’t just garnered attention in their social media marketing, their slick packaging of the crest and kit have also brought hungry eyes from all over the world. Jonathan Collura shared some of his thoughts on their kit and crest and what he feels defines the Bugeater brand.

Jonathan Collura has a hands-on approach to his club and designing the kits was a task he took on himself. His love of kits began long ago and he brought that love of design to the Bugeaters’ look. “I designed them. I’ve been collecting kits since ‘94.“ Having collected kits for almost 25 years, Collura knew what his unifying focus would be for his kit design: the logo. “The black one is intended to make the badge the focal point…I believe the key to a successful kit is logo placement and being completely visible.”

The Bugeater name goes back to a 19th century nickname for farmers from Nebraska. As the story goes, farmers grew crops, bugs ate the crops, farmers had nothing to eat but bugs - so they were bugeaters. The farming ethos, such a defining one for the club’s home state, is seen throughout their design. The crest is a model of clean lines and distinct design. The tractor drives across the top of a soccer ball, but, in some ways, the soccer ball is a symbol of the world. The brand has a worldwide appeal, tapping into a innate appreciation for farmers and their important work. Farming has been the key to our success as humans, and Bugeaters embraces that culture with passion. Their catch phrase, seen throughout their social media and web presence, is “Farm to Pitch.” That connection, both soil based and passion based, is embodied by this Nebraskan club.

Their away kit is a beautiful example of Collura’s eye for design. “The red/white sleeves are something unique I thought of. Commonly seen on the kit, itself, I felt that this would fit the look.” The use of bright colors, particularly in contrast to their dark black kits, provides two distinct looks for fans to choose from when purchasing kits. Both kits feature small details that continue to tie the club to their state and agrarian ethos - “You’ll note the state outline on the back of the neck. The inside has Farm to Pitch in the neck. I think it’s the little details that help.”

The kit has also been used to cement new relationships that are paying dividends for Bugeaters FC’s popularity and financial success. Every kit features a patch on the arm for the Cooligans podcast, a national show that mixes comedy and soccer. “Absolutely fantastic guys. I cannot say enough about how much they have helped us.” Pair that with their kit sponsor, Backswing Brewing, also based in Lincoln, Nebraska. Backswing specializes in brewing craft beer and created a special brew specifically for Bugeaters, “Bugeaters FC Goalden Ale.” The kit will change next year as another corporate connection is finalized, a multi-year kit deal is in the works. When asked with which manufacturer, Collura only offered - “Can’t say yet, but we are excited that they wanted to sign a deal with us…We’ll aim to be consistent with style and keep unique elements and details.”

What is clear about Bugeaters FC and Collura, they are resourceful and are using their kit and crest as a means to grow their fan base and financial well being. Much like the farmer ethos the club models itself after, Collura is using what he has in the most resourceful way possible. And just like those farmers, he’s beginning to reap a successful harvest.

- Dan Vaughn

Dallas City FC: A Tradition of Style

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

Providence City FC: Death for Them, Victory for Us

There are few things more intimidating in history than the skull and crossbones. The symbol goes back to the Middle Ages as a symbol of death, usually used on a tombstone or as a memento mori - a reminder that life is soon over and death is coming for all of us. And what better way to be reminded of that fact than by a naked skull, stripped of skin, muscle and flesh, ghoulishly grinning from the grave? Add to that symbol, the crossed bones, usually femurs, marking the spot of your eventual resting place.

In the 17th century, when pirates were in their heyday, the variety of flags they flew under were numerous and individualized to the crew and captain of the ship. But the most common, and what eventually became the standard, was the skull and crossbones. Rather than flying the flag every day, at all times, pirates would fly another flag until close enough to attack another ship. Then, the skull and crossbones (often referred to as the “jolly roger”) would be pulled to the top of the mast, striking fear in the hearts of their victims. Pirates would kill, rape, pillage, rob, and then sink your ship. There was reason to fear them and not only because of their fearsome symbol fluttering above your head.

The history of Providence, Rhode Island is tied to the sea, from day one. Founded in 1636 by Roger Williams (a renegade pastor who was fleeing religious persecution) the city made religious and political freedom its priority. As the city grew, funded by the ships and trade that flooded the harbor, that spirit of freedom and creativity continued to inspire the people of the area. The connection between the city’s past and the soccer world of the present lies within the club that calls the city home.

Providence City FC exemplifies that spirit of freedom. Known for their creative approach to kit designs and advertising approaches, Providence is well known beyond the shores of Rhode Island.  Though they play in a regional league, the Rogues have stretched their influence globally by focusing on a unique brand identity and cultivating a strong connection with the online soccer community. Certainly the crest is part of it.

As mentioned before, the history of the skull and crossbones is all about making viewers contemplate their own eventual end. Death is coming, prepare yourself. With the Rogues being from Providence, the history of piracy in the Atlantic is also contained in the crest - Death for them. Victory for us. The crest screams intimidation and aggression. The skull even has a furrowed brow, as if to tell the viewer that not even death has blunted the anger and rage of the dead. As club representative Jason Rego puts it, “It's badass. Pretty simple to depict who we are.“ The badge sums up the club’s attitude, approach, city history, you name it. When you see that crest on a kit, you know who is coming for you.

The colors of the kits typically are red and black, but Providence City has done an extraordinary job of marketing by offering multiple alternate kits, always smartly designed, always well-marketed. The public has taken notice and every time a new kit rolls out, the likes and shares plaster it into every soccer timeline in social media.

The marketing success of the club has been matched by their record of in the Bay State Soccer League. One of the most competitive regional soccer leagues in the country, BSSL has multiple tiers of competition, offering promotion and relegation between the tiers. Providence City has gained promotion in back-to-back seasons, meaning next year will find the Rogues and their grinning Jolly Roger badge in the top tier of the BSSL, competing against some of the best soccer teams in New England. Much like the pirates of the past, Providence City has found a new set of victims, ready to be plundered.

- Dan Vaughn

Cleveland SC: Tying the Club to the City

Cleveland may not seem like a soccer hotbed to the uninformed, but the roots of soccer go way back in northern Ohio history. The first league in the area was founded in 1906 after a series of international club friendlies were held in the area. Up until the 30s, soccer continued to expand in Cleveland. But much like the rest of the country during this era, interest in the sport slowed to a trickle. Only a few high schools kept the sport alive in the northern Ohio until the mid 60s, when professional soccer returned to the city. Always in a limited scope, soccer continued to survive over the next 2 decades, but eventually organized soccer was reduced to almost nothing. That all changed this year.

Cleveland Soccer Club was founded in 2018, after the owner, Samuel Seibert, met with a group of former players who wanted to ensure that competitive men’s soccer would be represented in Cleveland. After applying and being accepted into the NPSL, the club was a quick study and showed its quality. CSC finished 2nd in the regular season of the East Conference Division, trailing only Erie in the standings (by only 3 points). Cleveland got its revenge in the playoffs, knocking Erie out 4-0 in the club’s first visit to the postseason. CSC’s run would end in their next match, losing 1-0 to Ann Arbor. All this success reflects a club prepared from day one to compete. That preparation wasn’t limited to the field, it also showed up in Cleveland SC’s focus on design and brand management.

The kit colors are orange and black and the owner picked these for 2 specific reasons. “First, orange and black is a unique color combo within the NPSL and we wanted to make sure that our colors stood out from the crowd. Second, the orange was chosen as a way for Samuel to pay homage to the orange skies that are seen over the lake during many summer evenings in Cleveland.” An outside observer might assume some connection to a different kind of football team, but the club wasn’t inspired by the Browns according to the club.

The away kits for the club sport a pattern of orange chevrons over a black background. The chevrons were chosen to include the geography of the Lake Erie shoreline. The shape of the coast is in a “V” and the chevrons were inspired by shape of the coast. This sort of thinking came from preparation and focus in the development stage. The club leadership lists two principles they used in creating their kits - “First, we want to be a brand that represents the city in a positive manner. This is something that guides both our branding and strategic decisions that we make as a club. From the crest to the jersey and onto the promotional graphics that we use, we always aim to incorporate elements or views of the city. Second, our graphics should be clean and easily readable.” Outside of the crest, the remainder of the club’s overall look and branding were developed by the club’s Creative Director, Cory Mizer.

And what a crest! The eye-catching color combination is paired with a beautiful and distinct crest, a personal favorite of mine. The crest was designed by Mike Kubinski of CLE Clothing Company. The design features the face of the iconic Guardians of Traffic statues that stand guard over the Hope Memorial Bridge in Cleveland. In addition to featuring an iconic symbol of the city, the badge includes the name over the top of the badge as well as the founding year of the club.

Tying the local geography and city infrastructure to the kit permanently brands the club with the city. The two must coexist and support each other to contribute to the growth of soccer in the area. A simple look into Cleveland’s soccer history shows that the area loves soccer - pair that with a club who lets its kits show its love for Cleveland. That’s a match made in creative soccer heaven!

- Dan Vaughn

Denton Diablos: Deliberate Design

8 months ago, this club didn’t exist. It was just an idea bubbling inside the minds of a couple of guys in North Texas. Michael Hitchcock and Damon Gochneaur tossed around the idea of starting a soccer club in Denton, Tx. They knew they wanted to grow the game in Denton and founding a NPSL side seemed like a great step. So, this past summer, they took the plunge and founded the Denton Diablos.

“We know that the club is just as much the kit and crest as it is the players on the pitch. So to that point, we take branding and identity very seriously.”

— DAMON GOCHNEAUR

Usually in our Uni-Formity pieces, we’re discussing branding that has long been in place, sometimes several years. The Diablos are still in the process of finalizing all their branding and represent a great opportunity to discuss the developmental process that all new clubs have to go through. How do club founders decide what colors they will wear, the badge that will be on their chest, and the numbers on their backs? Every step along the way requires deliberate choices and ignoring that process typically results in generic kits, crests that are not taken seriously, and merchandise that won’t sell. Clubs can make or break their future depending on how those first steps are taken in brand development.

For the Diablos, it was a deliberate, thought-out process. According to Gochneaur, one approach was the use of focus groups. These were used to identify “a brand that was strong, evoked immediate emotion and would allow us a lot of flexibility and creativity in bringing it to life.” The choice of Diablos came from “the alliteration, to the cultural ties to Denton’s Day of the Dead festival, to the aesthetic appeal.” And having a name was only the first step. Next came the process of creating the crest, a process that took 2-3 months and one that produced 5-6 different iterations. Rather than tracing inspiration to other clubs and badges, Gochneaur and Hitchcock researched every image they could find of devils, demons, and other related material. The club eventually decided to go with two crests because it allowed them to “create some great looking merchandise and logistically solve a lot of challenges that come with intricate crest designs.”

 After finalizing the name and crests for the club, choosing colors, kit design, and manufacturer were the next hurdles to clear. Different color combinations were considered, but red and black were chosen as the best combination for the brand. The manufacturer was an easier choice: “I [Gochneaur] wore Puma Kings nearly 30 years ago when I played, and have been a fan of their brand ever since. Puma is a globally recognized brand that has supported soccer at all levels, with teams wearing their logo in nearly every professional league in the world. So when the opportunity presented itself to sign on with such an iconic partner, we felt like it was a great fit.” Due to time constraints with the upcoming 2019 season looming, the first kit will be more stock than custom, but the club has plans to bring more flair in upcoming versions. The big decision maker for the club owners in picking a kit design was choosing one that they would want to wear personally and also represented the Denton community.

 The deliberate and careful approach to design reflects the background and expertise of the ownership group and sets the club up for success long term. The better the kit and crest design, the more merchandise sales, the more the players enjoy wearing it, and the more the public takes the club seriously. “We know that the club is just as much the kit and crest as it is the players on the pitch. So to that point, we take branding and identity very seriously.”

Serious as an imposing demon with his arms crossed ready to punish the wicked? Apparently so.

For more information about the Denton Diablos and their upcoming inaugural season in the NPSL, their twitter is good and their site is better.

- Dan Vaughn

Bringing Down the Hammer

Within Saint Cloud, a Minnesota city just beginning to find its place in the modern amateur and semi-pro soccer world, a young club is making its mark on and off the pitch as a home for top tier designs, branding, and social media action. That club is Dynamo FC, a club with only two seasons in the Minnesota Amateur Soccer League (MASL) under its belt but ambitions to become one of the state’s top lower league clubs. The passion project of Eduardo Silva and Ed Johnson, the club now manages to challenge the social media power of fellow Minnesota clubs, even those in the NPSL and UPSL.

Speaking with the club via Silva, we discussed the nature of the dynamic kits and what they mean to a young club at the lower levels of Minnesota soccer. “It was extremely important for us at Dynamo FC to have a set of uniforms… that would show professionalism and a beautiful appearance, respect, and organization and shows our fans, sponsors, and community that we are a club that was created to stay in central Minnesota a long time.” Beyond the club, the Dynamo felt they could push the boundaries of the MASL when it came to design. “We are proud to have a uniform that combines class, beauty and respect, for the love of our beautiful game.  We also noticed that most teams in the MASL have a very simple kits, we want to bring something unique to the league as well. In the end we believe that a beautiful, powerful, and professional uniform is a must. It doesn’t matter what league the team is competing in.”

Silva was sure to note that both the club and the kits are rooted in fostering community ties and fairness for soccer fans in Saint Cloud, even those representing the club on the pitch or sideline. “Dynamo FC was created with the intent to give a voice to everyone involved. From the staff members to players, we want everyone’s opinions and participation. At the end it’s our club. So we asked the players to vote on what was the best kit designs for the season, as well as the team colors.” Those colors would be the yellow, black, and white that have since made the Dynamo a locally famous club in Minnesota. That sense of uniqueness would be a crucial reason for the Dynamo’s explosion in social media popularity, but has also always been a goal when it comes to the match day experience. “The unique combination of yellow, black and white with the amazing design created by Stimulus makes it easy to identify when Dynamo is on the pitch.”

Brazilian born, Eduardo’s love for the game extends back to his birth, but his appreciation for football across South America would provide the inspiration for his recommendation of black and yellow primary kits. “When I was little I always heard about a team in Uruguay that was very good and every team in South America was terrified to play at their field, because of the fanatic fans and how powerful and intimidating that team was.” That club was 49-time Uruguyan Primera División champions and 5-time Copa Libertadores winners Peñarol. Inspiration in hand, the color scheme would go on to be a centerpiece of the Dynamo’s identity.

At the heart of the kit is a standout badge. “The badge design was created by Logan Lommel… The Hammer and the Pick represent the granite mining industry that was prevalent in St.Cloud for years. The workers used to mine granite in our city… The hammer and the pick are our way to represent our city.”

The final product is a kit that features three good colors, a clever sleeve trim, and a superimposed hammer and pick logo that calls back to the era of Soviet constructivism. The Dynamo FC kits make an all-white away kit feel original. A large black horizontal line feels artistic and makes you question why you don’t see more yellow kits all at the same time. These are just a few reasons Dynamo struck gold, or granite, with this year’s strip.

The connection between Minnesota and local kit providers continues in Saint Cloud, as the Dynamo have teamed up with Stimulus Athletic to achieve their final product. “We are working with Stimulus now to create our new 2019 kit that we hope will be just as impressive and beautiful as last year’s.” The partnership has been a healthy one, turning out highly acclaimed kits and other merchandise. “There is not a question that looking back now, the partnership with Stimulus to build the kits, designs, and all our merchandise was the right decision. We did search for other companies to make our uniforms, but nobody could provide the help on design and the price that Stimulus gave to us.”

Clubs like Dynamo FC always need support from the community to remain secure, Saint Cloud has given the Dynamo the space to go beyond just maintaining security. “Our partnerships with Wilkie Sanderson, Innergy, and Joel R. Duray (Cosmetic Dentistry) are crucial to Dynamo. Those are local companies that decided to invest in this project that has been successful for this past two years and it will be for a long time. The collaboration and the involvement of the community in our club is the secret to being successful and respectable, and is what will make Dynamo FC be recognized as a potential great club from central Minnesota.”

Dynamo FC will be a club to watch in 2019 and its kits will surely be a key and impressive part of its third year of existence.

- Dominic Bisogno

Designed Beyond Regional

Designed beyond Regional

I think there’s this idea that permeates our culture. It’s not just soccer, but everywhere, this idea that if you’re regional or local, you probably aren’t as good as the big name brands that we all recognize. Happens all the time in the time when I’m grocery shopping. I skip over one brand because I don’t know it and instead pick up one that I’m more comfortable with. I won’t deny that I can think of some fields/markets where this is changing. Beer has gone through a massive revolution thanks to local guys churning out great beer as part of the craft beer revolution. But that is only a tiny part of the market, the tip of a trend, not really a market-wide changer.

In soccer, this happens when local clubs get passed over because the consumer makes the assumption that local means unpolished and not worth the investment. Again, this is changing, but incredibly slowly. Supporting local soccer has become a bit of a rallying cry for soccer fans across the country who are tired of being forced to watch international clubs or MLS sides if they want to watch soccer. So many clubs have popped up across the nation, the tiny investment of $5 or $10 can get you an authentic experience supporting a local side. Regional soccer is expanding rapidly and some of these local clubs seem to understand the importance of standards. The chance to make a good first impression is a priority for the successful clubs, the ones who get it. Having a smart badge, a slick kit, a solid social media strategy, all of these pave the path to success. All of us at Protagonist have become obsessed with one such club, a tiny regional start-up, who understand the importance of design: Monmouth Light.

THAT BADGE THO

If you want an intense first-hand history of the club, I would definitely hitting up our Spotlight piece on Monmouth. But for now, let’s focus on one of the best lower tier badges in the game. Monmouth plays in the Garden State Soccer League in Monmouth County, New Jersey. That county has the most lighthouses of any county in the state, but the image of the lighthouse goes a little beyond the literal. According to Joey Dicamillo, founder of the club, “the “Light” is just actually an abstract concept for positive energy, and the All Seeing Eye on the crest and on the left short leg is symbolic of us spreading that “Light” into the world much like a cult, or the Illuminati.” Most clubs do not dig this deep when designing their crests, but maybe they should start doing it, considering how polished and sharp this result is.

The image is memorable and eye-catching, designed by London-based artist, Aimee Capstick. She primarily works with Romance FC, but took the time to generate an absolute banger of a badge. The colors are two-tone but not dull, the design is simple but still pleasing to look at. It’s a masterwork in design and should be considered one of the best in regional soccer.

THE THREADS

Disclaimer here, Rob from Icarus (who also sponsors this column) designed these kits, but if you think that shaped why we picked these kits, open your eyes. It’s one thing to look sharp on the field, these look great in every setting. As Rob puts it, “we were going for a cross between the Illuminati and the Great Gatsby.” Joey mirrors this sentiment when discussing the details of the numbers and lettering on the kit. “The Font was completely art-deco and almost 1920’s gatsby esque-again just wanted to go with pure class, and something that would be almost eternal feeling just like the greco roman design inspiration. Aesthetically I was going for a very classy look, wanted to have a slight call back to my mom who came to America from Rome, there is a slight greco roman style vibe in the all over print on both kits.”

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This isn’t just a soccer kit, this is a badass shirt that can be worn anywhere with pride. It’s sharp, it’s modern, it’s throwback, it’s all those things and maybe something more, it’s regional.

THE WRAP

It’s easy to write something off as regional, lower-tier, amatuer, whatever insult you want, but when it looks this good, this polished, this well-designed, it’s difficult to ignore. What Icarus and Monmouth have created here is a work of art that can’t be ignored. There may be better kits when it comes to how they look on the field with a set of shorts and cleats, but I challenge you to find something that looks cooler than this beautiful piece of regional soccer. This guy certainly thinks so.

Designing for a Nation

It’s true that at Protagonist Soccer, we try to stick to the lower league clubs that we love so much. That’s also true of Uni-Formity, as a general rule. But it’s the weekend, so let’s break some rules just this once. One of my favorite arguments is about the national team design, so today I’m going to lay out my top five US National Team kits in descending order. While the USMNT has been far less successful than the greatest national team (USWNT), my memories are tied to the men’s side, so that’s what I’ll stick to. Regardless of my choices, I’m sure you’ll disagree, and that’s ok. Promise.

#5 - The Denim Design

Photo by Patrick Hertzog/AFP/Getty Images

If you haven’t listened to American Fiasco, the podcast about this era of the USMNT, you should close this tab and open a new one. This era was one of the most interesting ones, with drinking, gambling, and teammate wife drama. Really, really great podcast. Back to the kit. This kit was rolled out in advance of the 1994 World Cup, hosted by the United States. The kits weren’t actually made of denim, it was just printed that way. There may be no kit more lampooned than this American classic, but as Alan Seigel put it in his article on Slate, “…as outlandish and stonewashed as it appeared, the design did capture the state of soccer in the United States.” I’ve grown to love this icon of kit design. It’s crazy, a little ugly, and certainly not the crisp lines and colors I praise so often, but it’s American as hell, thank you very much.

#4 - Stars and Stripes

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

I have friends who hate this kit. They are wrong. This was a special edition kit, released for the 2017 Gold Cup competition. The kit featured red and blue stripes down the body, with subtle darker stars within the blue stripes. Down the shoulders and on to the arms runs a series of stars that really tie in the feel of the American flag. As a big man, I would never wear this kit, as horizontal stripes aren’t kind to my body shape, but for a player fit and ready for competition, this is a sharp look. And let’s not forget, we won this competition. Maybe because of a good luck charm?

#3 - The Sash

Image courtesy of US Soccer.

Ah, the 2010 World Cup. Will we ever be as excited as we were that year? Maybe it was just me, but I was a true believer in this club. Dempsey, Donovan, Bradley, young Jozy, I fully bought into this team. This team gave me my favorite USMNT soccer memory, Donovan following Dempsey, against Algeria, scoring in the 90th minute. You just don’t get better than that, though the Beard’s performance against Belgium in 2014 was a close second. The sash design feels classic, a throwback to kits of the past. Beautifully simple and refined, every color traditional shades, it’s just a beautiful kit. I love it.

#2 Bomb-Pop

When you make a list like this, you always think of the critics. I have a friend I used to podcast with, this was always his favorite. Might be the only USMNT kit he owns, certainly the only one he wore around me. It’s really a solid kit. Every color on the kit pops with a super light color palate. I’m a big fan of the centralized number and the coordinated colors of the crests, blue on the chest and red on the leg, it’s smart. One of my favorite kits ever, the 2014 away kit was a winner, but not instantly loved. It took some time for USMNT fans to come around on this one, but I didn’t like Radiohead the first time I heard them, so there you go!

#1 The Centennial

Every kit up to this point had been the darker, colorful, away kits, but there is something amazing about a white kit. The Centennial design was to celebrate the history of the National Team and they nailed it. Silver numbering, navy blue piping around the neck and arms, beautiful white kit. Wow. And what is easily missed, the crest is a throwback to the original USNT crest. Looks like a Captain America shield first draft and makes this American’s heart fill with pride. Can we pause for a second and enjoy this picture? Ah, the Costa Rica snow match - “Snow Classico.” I can remember the lead up to this match and the concerns about playing in the Colorado altitude, then the snow came down and it got even crazier. The Costa Rican team arguing for the match to be cancelled, Dempsey’s tap in goal, the US gutting out the win. What a time to be a USMNT fan!

Hope you enjoyed the list. While it isn’t lower tier, it’s pretty damn American.

- Dan Vaughn

Take it to Eleven: Lacey Pocket Gophers FC

What makes a good soccer kit? In our previous installments of  Uni-formity, we have discussed unique designs and how the creative process influenced the final product. For Troy Kirby, Owner of Lacey Pocket Gophers FC, creating a kit is only one part of the overall goal, connecting to the community.

“This is where soccer operators may be missing an opportunity, they worry about the soccer fan, but you need to worry about the people that are coming for the first time, they've never experienced soccer, you have to entertain them and give them a show. I'm not disrespecting the soccer fans, I already know that whenever we announce our schedule they will have those days marked off on their calendar. We need to make sure that the rest of the community knows about our matches as well.”

So what is a pocket gopher?  The pocket gopher is a species of rodent, different from other gophers due to their small size. The Mazama pocket gopher, a small sub-species, is endangered and protected by the ESA ( endangered species act). Being ever present in Lacey, WA, the citizens have had to learn to live with these small critters, and it's not your typical living arrangement. There are “ gopher review processes” that can tamper with city development. These creatures can't be hurt, harmed, captured or even chased out of your front yard. Everyone in Lacey knows about the pocket gophers.

“Nobody could ever tell you what a pocket gopher looked like, and we are apparently one of the only counties in the entire US that has this endangered species. [ Branding our club] was more about finding something people knew about, heard about, and had an opinion on. Once you have an opinion on what your product is, then you have an ability to have conversations. That's what made it easier, especially when you had mascots rolling around, people would be like 'oh those are the pocket gophers!' The people you think would be against it, weren't. And the people you thought would care, just laughed it off. But, here's the thing, they constantly talk about us, and that's how we got our audience.”

Connecting to the community should be priority number one for any local club, and for the Pocket Gophers, it is.

“We went to the city council with our mascots, we had 19,000 people reached by that one video. Now, I'm getting pictures with city council members and the council chamber wants to be apart of our club, because it says Lacey FC. The problem with some other clubs, is that they're not willing to name their club after the town they reside in. When you do that you eliminate the civic pride and the opportunity that the community will invest in you.”

The Lacey Pocket Gopher's jersey, while outrageous, is a culmination of what the Lacey soccer club represents. It's about the community, it highlights something every community member understands, it doesn't take itself too seriously and it's fun, just like their matches.

“You have to be willing to work outside the box. No player that was on our team seemed to mind that we had music playing in the stands, throughout the entire game. We have bounce houses. We have Gopher Gut Nachos, the Mazama Burger (another type of pocket gopher). We had a 6 ft soccer ball at half-time, just to kick it. We are a Van Halen party, not Van Hagar.”

The focal point of the kit, is the aggressive pocket gopher located at the bottom of the kit, as if it's poking out of a gopher hole. The field player's kit comes with a white top and brown shorts, which flows perfectly into the gopher design. Cascading from the neck to the head of the pocket gopher, are abstract cross-hatched cubes, that just add a level of depth to the jersey. Different from the traditional crest location, above the heart, the Lacey crest lies on the right sleeve.

The keeper's kit features the same pocket gopher, but uses vibrant and loud colors to grab the viewer's attention. They have two color variations: one bright pink jersey and the other a neon green. The green jersey is my favorite, the green hue plays perfectly into the background and allows the gopher to pop off the jersey.

The Lacey jersey did something few clubs ever try, they had fun. That's what spoke to me. I saw pictures of fans embracing this jersey and the soccer culture in their city. I saw a club who was committed to the community, appearing in city council and what seemed like every city event. I went searching for a cool jersey and found an even greater club.

This isn't the final product for Lacey either, Troy promises more next year.

“Next years kit will be more outrageous. It's like Spinal Tap said 'take it to eleven!'“

- Steven Ramirez

Clad in Blue and Green

Following a conference-winning season with storied British brand Admiral Sportswear, Duluth FC turned to Stimulus Athletic for a more local touch as it looked to rebrand for 2018. Having already teamed up with KJ Branded for a new badge and revamped merchandise, the club continued its creative relationship with the experienced soccer designer for its 2018 kits, which would then be produced by Stimulus Athletic.

KJ Branded and its founder Kevin Joseph, have a long history of designing in the beautiful game. From creating the original crest for the Minnesota Stars of the NASL- used for one season before rebranding to Minnesota United -to producing logos for the American Outlaws chapters in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Knoxville, Washington DC, and the Twin Ports (Duluth, MN and Superior, WI), KJ Branded came into its new role as a creative force for Duluth FC that could make the club’s look match the ever improving standards of the league, the conference, and the competition.

Charlie Forsyth, the club’s Creative and Marketing Director, stressed the importance of looking like an organized club for those on and off the pitch, “I think it's been extremely important [to look professional], not only are we pushing our new brand further but it also helps in recruiting players and landing new sponsorship deals… The amount of work the front office and volunteers put into this team is justified when the team travels and plays games looking professional. The amount of time Kevin and I put into this rebrand was exhausting, but when you look at what the team did this year and the way they looked doing it, I would do it all over again.”

The home kit kept things simple with a white body and shorts, a light blue sun ray sprouting from the badge, and blue sleeves with a green trim. This is the kit that would feature in front of home crowds and several of Duluth’s playoff matches. While simplistic, the kit managed to achieve that simplicity without losing a sense of professionalism when it came to appearance and manufacturing.

The away kit focused more on the club’s colors of blue and green, featuring a blue body with a lighter blue bridge running down through the badge like a stripe, green trim on the sleeves, and green shorts. Celebrating those colors has certainly always been a goal for the club and if this kit accomplishes anything, it’s that.

The primary keeper kit was a variation of the away top with lime green replacing the blue and a grey bridge while the secondary keeper kit featured a red variation of the primary kit’s top.

Having seen the all of the kits in person on quite a few occasions, the effect of this new and crisp look was clear from day one to the final farewells. This is a club that, despite being one of many clubs in its conference with intensely humble beginnings, competed in a regional final and traveled across the nation to compete against Miami FC in a league semi-final. Lower league or not, these events are the sort that carry an expectation to bring your best in every department. While Duluth FC and its ambitious color primary color pairing of blue and green has always found its way to a good set of kits each season, the partnerships with KJ Branded and Stimulus Athletic truly signal a leap in quality.

Unique colors and a unique look can go a long way in a lower league environment still finding its place in the style community and with other North clubs like Minneapolis City drawing attention, Duluth has successfully earned its place in the conversation. Best of all, it’s been done with the help of a local company and soccer-passionate designers with similarly local roots.

-Dominic Bisogno

Flying Towards the Sun

The Lament for Icarus by H. J. Draper

The lower tier is filled with some of the best and worst kits in American soccer. The purpose of this column is to discuss those that we, as a staff, think hit the mark. When we began the column, we knew we wanted one sponsor for this page, Icarus FC. Robby (the owner of Icarus) has been laying out some of the sickest kits and crest designs in the lower tier. He’s known for being fair to lower tier clubs, working with them to find the best solutions for their needs. Robby is a good guy and his company has been a standout for so many small clubs across this country. So today we asked him to write about his background, his inspirations, and his company. - DV

My name is Robby Smukler and I’m the owner of Icarus FC. The last article I wrote was a college basketball scouting report/recap, so please bear with me here. One thing I should note first is that we are an official sponsor of the Protagonist Soccer so readers should definitely keep that in mind because this piece may very well come off as a long-winded advertisement for Icarus FC. 

So, why Icarus FC? The initial idea for the company had very little to do with jerseys. I wanted to capture the intersection of sports and fandom, of community and identity. Sports is one of the few places where community and identity can be expressed through a single idea – I’m sure all you lower league supporters out there have an intimate understanding of this. For most of us, you don’t really get to choose the club you support. I am a Philadelphia Eagles, Flyers, Phillies, and Sixers fan because I was born here, my family is from here, and I’ve been going to games since before I can remember. If I had a choice (prior to the inception of this company in late 2016) I would have looked elsewhere to dedicate my time and agony. I’ve tried to choose a team before, Arsenal in the EPL, Atletico in La Liga and even the Philadelphia (Chester) Union in MLS.

Sadly, following these clubs elicited nothing in my heart. I don’t live and die with their results and I certainly don’t feel a communal connection to them. The highs and lows of fandom, the intense feelings of belonging that are played out in galactically meaningless contests against other communities fascinates me. In the myth of Icarus, the main character spends all his time building wings out of wax and feathers to escape from an island. When he finally takes flight, his love of the feeling of flight leads him to fly too close to the sun where his wings begin to melt and he nosedives into the sea. While it’s not a perfect analogy, that’s kind of what being a fan is like. It’s incredibly meaningless and meaningful at the same time. Success is an ephemeral high which we spend most of our time building and hoping to obtain. Maybe that’s just what being a Philadelphia fan is like.

Soccer uniforms, more than the uniforms of any other sport, are a visual manifestation of this concept. Sure, other sports have iconic “kits” that have taken on a larger symbolism within and outside of the communities they represent. A few that come to mind are the Pittsburgh Steelers black and gold, a symbol of civic pride for Yinzers but also a symbol of blue-collar work ethos outside of just Pittsburgh. The Montreal Canadiens sweater or 'La Sainte-Flanelle' (the holy sweater) is a symbol of the team’s deep connection to Quebec’s francophone population which has a history of subjugation both politically and within the sport.  There a numerous other we could talk about but that’s for another article. 

Back to my point, soccer – due to its history and sheer number of clubs as the most popular sport in the world – has the most instances of a bond between community and identity that is expressed through a kit. There are literally thousands of instances but just a few that come to mind are Barcelona and their use of the Catalan flag, Bayern Munich and their use of Bavarian Flag, and Roma’s use of Tyrian Purple and Gold -the colors of Imperial Rome.  In the United States, the use of landmarks has become a trend that reflects this connection. Clubs like Lowcountry United, Greenville FC, and Detroit City FC use their kits to feature architectural and monumental works in their area, tying the club to its regional identity. When you wear that jersey, people know where you are from.

And as a garment, soccer jerseys are more comfortable than other sports jerseys and have more room for expression.  Wearing a baseball jersey feels weird and out of place in public. Basketball jerseys are cool but you can really only rock them in the summer (and if you have a body-positive view of yourself). Football jerseys are huge and 90% of it is the number. Finally, hockey jerseys are super expensive and heavy. You certainly can’t wear them most of the year, depending on where you live. In comparison, soccer jerseys are comfortable, designed to breathe, and can be worn in a variety of settings. They are simply superior to other sportswear. 

By now it’s clear I love jerseys, but most of all I love soccer jerseys.  And too often I have found, and I’m sure many agree, there is little to no connection between the jersey, the club, and the community and identity it represents. I wanted to give clubs, no matter how big or small, the opportunity to get kits that are a true representation of the club, its community, ideals and identity. When I work with a club, I listen to more than just the specs of the kit, I listen to the passion they have for their hometown. That passion inspires my design and produces a jersey that a club can be proud to wear on the field, hometown supporters can rock shopping or playing pickup matches, and fans from all over the world can wear, representing a town they may have never visited. That experience isn’t really something you can get with a generic Nike, Under Armour, Adidas, etc kit. With Icarus FC you can connect your club to the community and the identity it’s trying to cultivate through the greatest medium of expression in sports – the jersey.

- Robby Smukler