Sporting Kansas City recently partnered with Design FC to provide a unique new experience for local youth soccer players from Ryogoku Soccer Academy and KCK United to create their own custom jerseys for the fall season.
Sporting Kansas City players Zorhan Bassong, Robert Castellanos and Khiry Shelton – along with the club’s Community Impact and Design teams – first joined the two groups of boys and girls soccer players in April at Children’s Mercy Park to generate the designs with creative elements focused on community, diversity and unity while also showcasing potential future career pathways at the intersection of sports and design.
In July, the youth participants from Ryogoku Soccer Academy and KCK United were invited to Sporting Kansas City’s state-of-the-art training facility at Compass Minerals National Performance Center to see their designs brought to life during a special reveal which included an exclusive photo shoot with the team’s professional photographer.
Castellanos provided one additional surprise for the students as he modeled the KCK United jersey for fans as he arrived to Children’s Mercy Park for Sporting Kansas City’s 2-1 victory over Chicago on July 28. After scoring the game-tying goal and earning Man of the Match recognition from the KC Cauldron, Castellanos gave KCK United a special shoutout while wearing the uniform during his post-match interview with local media.
"This collaboration was special as it gave players from two local youth teams an opportunity to work directly with the professional team in their city,” said Design FC Founder and Executive Director Omri Gal. “This project was part of Design FC's Jersey Project Initiative, which gives youth teams around the world an opportunity to design their own unique jerseys. It's extremely impactful to give young players ownership of their team's identity and a chance to express themselves creatively off the field."
Founded in 2018, Design FC is a youth design non-profit that teaches creative self expression and autobiographical storytelling through the design of sport jerseys and apparel. Through specialized programs and industry driven collaborations, Design FC provides students with resources and opportunities they need to pursue their creative dreams.
