An argument could be made that a team’s uniform is as significant to a team’s identity as any other part. Wearing a school’s colors into athletic battle, it adds a sense of pride to a match-up. While these uniforms may have a brand logo on it, who exactly designs them might be a question that arises amongst the casual Cabrini sports fan. “All the coaches work with Rob Dallas, our equipment manager on the design and ordering of uniforms. Our uniform provider is Kelly’s Sports,” Bradley Koch, the athletic director for Cabrini, said.
“Typically the captains of each sports team offer input in the design of the uniform, but not in every case. The athletic department has agreed to wear Nike apparel and team uniforms, which are provided by Kelly’s Sports as well. In return the department receives a discount on various purchases throughout the year. Our coaches and staff preferred Nike to other brands due to the quality of their products and brand recognition on a national scale, which can impact recruiting,” Koch said.
One of the team captains that have had input on their team’s current uniform is senior guard from the men’s basketball team, Deryl Bagwell.
“We have input on our jersey’s. The new white jerseys I actually got to pick that out last year. I wanted us to change the look so that we did not look like any of the team’s uniforms in CSAC. In regards to the sports teams on campus, I’m not sure who has the best uniforms. If I had to choose I would probably say the men’s lacrosse team. I also think our new home jerseys are really nice too.”
Senior forward for the women’s basketball team Renee Oliver also has also had input on her team’s appearance due to her upperclassmen status.
“If we get new uniforms or gear sometimes my coach will ask the seniors what they like and what they would want. For uniforms for Cabrini sports I love the black uniforms for the girl’s lacrosse team. The volleyball team has the best jerseys and I also like the boy’s basketball team home white jerseys. With the women’s basketball team I would love to have a say on how the jerseys look. I think it’s only right and fair since we are the ones that have to wear them.”
As far as for one athlete who have no say on their uniform, it’s all business. Cabrini alumnus Dustin Poole, who was a track and field athlete of Cabrini said, “I did not get to put my input in how the jerseys looked liked. Looking back it would’ve been nice to design the jerseys but in retrospect I was so locked in and focused that I was not worried about putting any contribution to how the jerseys looked like. My time at Cabrini the coaching staff were willing to let the players express their creativity as much as we wanted to so I am almost certain if one of the guys brought it up we might’ve been able to put our own twist to a great collection of jersey Cabrini has for each sport.”
Uniforms have actually started to become sort of a recruiting tool for some NCAA schools. For some like senior men’s basketball player Ryan Charity, it was other factors that bought him to Cabrini.
“I do believe if you look good and feel good that makes you play good. I also would say that the uniforms didn’t play a part of me choosing Cabrini. The facilities and gym were the things that brought me here.”
