Grafletics

Spring means coaching my daughter’s U14 team … and designing the merch.

Our program turned 30 this year, so I built a WL mark in a typeface called Cooper Black. It’s playful, with a throwback feel and I gave it some life with a character running downfield holding a lacrosse stick.

It started as one idea. Now it’s on everything we wear…t-shirts, hats, shooter shirts, you name it.

We mix in surprise drops on game day for our coaches and board members. Same idea as a pro team unveiling an alternate uniform, just on a smaller scale.

We’re in the fortunate position to shoulder the cost of the gear we make for the program. It’s one of the blessings of my life.

Tomorrow I get to walk up to our coaches and say “here’s your new hat” and watch their reactions.

At the end of the day, it’s not really about the merch, it’s about the people and how it connects us. Sports and graphic design have been lifelines for me, this is my love language.

Looking forward to the games tomorrow. Go lions!

I’ve always been drawn to secondary cities.

Places like Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Sacramento, Tacoma, Baltimore, Portland, etc. Cities with real character and strong local pride, but often limited options when it comes to well-designed, everyday gear.

It’s part of what’s shaped how we think about Grafletics. The goal has always been to expand beyond our home market and help serve places like these in a more thoughtful way.

Our collaboration with Sacramento Republic was a step in that direction.

This wasn’t about over-designing anything. It was about understanding what already existed, identifying assortment gaps and building into them using core branded assets.

A tri-blend tee that makes sense in the Sacramento heat. A women’s box tee that adds something new to the mix. Heathered fabrics on the youth side to keep things comfortable on match day.

We also introduced a quarter zip that’s already found its way into the club’s day-to-day. One of their executives wore it while announcing the new stadium, which says a lot about how the product is being adopted internally.

For us, that’s the win.

Once a year we reimagine our Soccer City, USA Tee and this is it for 2026.

Here’s the grafic recipe:

1/3 custom Soccer City script
1/3 a new typeface I’ve been loving (called Sneaker)
1/3 illustrative rose in the back

Garments are soft 100% US ring spun cotton in classic pine and vintage black.

That’s it.🌹

Available in-store at or online.

Part of a larger capsule, this 40 Year Tursi graphic is built to stand the test of time.

The goal was simple: Channel what a graphic tee felt like in 1986. Bold, direct, and made to be worn hard.

“TURSI” is stacked four times, each line representing a decade as a specialty soccer retailer here in Portland.

Maroon felt right…pulling from the warm tones in the graphic, while vintage black was a no-brainer.

Every piece is finished with custom woven and interior labels. Hearing that past and current employees are picking these up…that’s what it’s all about.