Sports Teams Forced to Standardize Uniform Designs

The administration is in the process of implementing a new policy for school branding, including standardizing the school colors, font, and cougar logo, in order to promote unity among all Campolindo sports teams.

“I think it reflects well on the school to have a common symbol that represents all of our teams. And it feels a little disjointed within the athletic department when every team potentially has different colors,” said principal John Walker. “We’re proud of who we are as Campolindo High School, and being represented by a common set of colors and a common logo I think helps [show] that.”

According to Walker, most campus teams have “the right red and the right blue with some subtle, but acceptable, variation.”

Uniforms will most likely be phased out over a 2-3 year period in order to avoid having teams grapple with the extraordinary expenses of brand new uniforms.

“I think its probably overall good to be unified in it, I think that everyone probably has their own opinion on certain things, about what looks best, but we do have certain school colors,” said basketball head coach Steven Dyer, whose team represented the school in the high-profile state championships last year.

While teams will be expected to use a standardized uniform design, they may be allowed to also create unique gear like team t-shirts. “Teams having, you know, a novelty t-shirt or a hat or a special something for playoffs, I fully support. But I wouldn’t support 10 different types of red 10 different types of blue,” said Walker. “In terms of uniforms, and formal official uniforms, and our web page, I think it’s important that we have a common red, a common blue, and a common C.” 

An issue with designing the cougar logo is copyright laws. “In the past, I’ve seen t-shirts or web postings with a cougar that someone else designed and we didn’t have permission to use and so we can’t use those,” said Walker. “So we have to be careful about a cougar logo. Because sometimes people have brought ideas to me, and they’ve just pulled them out of the internet. And that’s not acceptable.”

Junior lacrosse player Ellie Olson defended the uniformity of colors and certain symbols with the fact that the students are “all playing for [the same] school, not just for 1 team.”

On the other hand, there has been more dissent over choosing the standard cougar logo that teams will be expected to follow.  According to Walker, there were “strong opinions” over the current proposed logo, which can be seen on the Campolindo Athletics website.

As a result, a committee including student, coach, athletic director, administration, and sports booster representation will be formed in order to have more input in the cougar selection process. Walker is also open to putting the decision out to the student body and having a logo designed by a student.

Olson said that “standardized colors and logos are a good idea, but there should still be some room for creativity and uniqueness for individual sports,” in order to “make the uniforms more exciting.”

“We’re a 1st class high school athletic department. And I think demonstrating some unity around our symbols, and how we represent ourselves is part of that,” said Walker.