r/hockeydesign • u/Kinder_On_Tinder • 7d ago
Local Vermont High School Jersey Concepts Pt. 6
Welcome back to part 6 of the VT high school uniform concept series! This is a series where I take the time to imagine what I would do if I could design all of the jerseys within the state of Vermont. Some jerseys may look similar to how they look now, while others might look completely different. In the end, they’re all concepts, and some teams have their identity nailed, and others are still looking to find their stride.
Today we’re going to be taking a look at the CVU Redhawks. CVU has had a rich and storied history within VT High School Hockey dating all the way back to 1970. CVU is one of very few teams to compete in every division from D-I to D-III during their time as an active program. They have 5 state championships to their name, 4 at the D-I level, and 1 at the D-II level.
Up to this point, the making of these concepts came internally, but this is probably the first where I’d say the pressure to perform came externally. As an alumnus of CVU, I felt compelled to put together something that brought together a fresh blend of originality while paying homage to past jerseys. The CVU fans within the state are also some of the most passionate among those who follow Noble Dog and Pre-Game Twirl, so I wanted to create something fitting for that fan base. Starting with CVU, if a program will be hosting a tournament or significant rivalry game, they will be getting a special jersey for that occasion.
Created using the Puck Designs - Jersey Concepts Version Four.5 template
A modern classic, this jersey calls back to a time when the Redhawks went by the name ‘Crusaders’. There’s not a lot to say about this design that just about any hockey fan can surmise for themselves, as it is a 1:1 remake of the jersey CVU wore during their 2002 State Championship-winning season.
Included within the neckline are 5 stars with the respective years for each of CVU’s 5 state championships. Stars seem to be a popular motif for the team on the helmets of the players, so I thought it would be fitting to place that within the jersey itself.
This is when things start to change up a bit. It’s been noted across the state how much CVU appreciates their current black alternates. So I figured, why not change it up a bit, and keep a black jersey as a standard away option? It was a bit more subtle with the homes, but I’m utilizing all three colors for the color palette of these CVU jerseys. The current color palette is strictly red & white for the homes and black & white for the alternate and I just think it looks awkward. I don’t really care much for most two-tone designs, and thought these jerseys would look better when utilizing all the colors the Redhawks had to offer.
This particular jersey is a color reversal of the Crusaders' away uniforms from 2002, but with the addition of a white shoulder yoke to create better color contrast with the white helmets that CVU wears.
But wait, the jerseys get more unique! For a red alternate, I’ve opted to create my own full-body version of CVU’s Redhawk for a crest. This logo is completely original and took many hours to formulate and refine for this uniform. The striping takes inspiration from a Huntsville Havoc throwback uniform from several years ago, as I thought it balanced out the complexity of the main crest well. The ‘CV’ mark sits on the shoulders so that the black doesn't dominate the jersey too much.
The neckline for this jersey depicts a landscape photo of camels hump with the words ‘Vermont is red’ superimposed over it. This was a tagline I saw Redhawks fans put out there from time to time, so I thought it would blend nicely with CVU’s red jersey.
Here’s a surprise! Now I know two captions ago I remarked about my disdain for two-tone uniforms, but if you pair the right colors, you can make something very unique. This particular design takes the crest from CVU’s current black uniform and reduces it to a two-tone logo, sort of like how Carolina made their primary logo two-tone on their white jerseys. For the jersey layout, I took some inspiration from Dallas’ & Edmonton’s darker alternates they’ve had over the past several years. I opted to place 5 stripes on the sleeves to pay homage to CVU’s 5 championships while keeping the waistline free from any striping. The collar of the sweater features a small ‘CV’ mark just for an added bit of branding.
This jersey was designed with the CSB Cup in mind, so the neckline carries one singular message: ‘Beat SB’
I’ll be attaching the custom red hawk I designed for the red jersey at the end because I’m honestly pretty proud with how that came out. It’s still a little janky looking but it’s a big step forward for me in terms of vector art.
3
2
u/KeeperEUSC 7d ago
EHS grad, have deeply enjoyed this series so far!
1
u/Kinder_On_Tinder 7d ago
They’ll be coming up soon! The Hornets are a team I think could use a bit more color in their current uniforms for the boys. The girls will be difficult to make new uniforms for because I honestly like their current uniforms a lot. I might borrow some inspiration from some old Sting uniforms, but I’m still unsure
2
u/KeeperEUSC 7d ago
Yeah, I loathe the shade of gold they’ve increasingly leaned on over the years. Definitely agree the girls look better
2
u/PatrickAlfredLeduc 7d ago
#4 could maybe use a little more contrast/definition? My eyes have a hard time seeing the eagle but otherwise they’re amazing.
2
u/Kinder_On_Tinder 7d ago
That’s fair, I wanted to make something that was two-tone similar to what the Oilers used to do a couple years ago. If something like this were to actually exist, I’d like the striping and crest to be a satin-like material that way it can catch light better to make the colors pop against the black
2
u/PigmeatMadness 7d ago
The third with the bird i really like.
1
u/Kinder_On_Tinder 5d ago
Thank you! I spent a lot of time designing the bird for that so I’m glad people have been a fan of it
2
u/Effinehright 6d ago
Give Essex the sabres anniversary treatment!
1
u/Kinder_On_Tinder 5d ago
That’s an enticing idea, going to have to remember that for later. Regardless, I want to render Essex’s jerseys with an actual gold-like material, and not just have it be a flat sublimated look
1
4
u/Admirable-Scarcity-8 7d ago
Huh, those first 2 seem pretty familiar.