YSSC | A kit for the community and the streets

Kits these days come in all shapes and sizes, colours and fabrics. Some are marketing ploys, some a nod to a club’s roots, and some a statement piece.

So when Yarraville Social Soccer Club designed their first kit, careful consideration needed to be taken over what the kit meant.

As a member-run social club, something vibrant and colourful, something with a nod to the past quickly became key.

As the founder of the club myself, I’ve always been inspired by the original Barcelona story; a club founded by migrants and run as a democracy. The general branding of the club, the red and blue, is a tip of the hat toward this (as well as local AFL side, Western Bulldogs, and Ted Lasso - the togetherness of Richmond was something we wanted to instil in our culture).

A red and blue Barca shirt wouldn’t have worked though. We meet on Mondays in summer in blue tops, and half the group adorn red bibs to make the two sides. A blaugrana red blue number would clash.

So we set about reviewing classic away kits and went to the vote. The brief was something we could play in, as well as wear to the beach or pub casually.

The blue shirt of the late nineties was the winner amongst a few contenders, and gave us a canvas in which to weave the 3013 postcode and, after creating a proper badge, honour the initial logo when the club started in 2022.

Neil Smith, one of our members, designed the club crest, after canvassing input from the members, and not only does it incorporate the red and blue, it references local landmark The Sun Theatre.

On a personal note, the kit is a tangible bridge between two passion projects. Firstly the club itself, which was started to get dads and new to the area lads out the house at the start of the week, and a more recent hobby I’ve returned to, football writing.

Nou Order subsided a third of the kit cost and acted as sponsor, and this masthead itself also has a nod to Barca, via the ‘Nou.’

I’m also pleased that a past member, Kieran, was also able to play a role. His employer, GN Sports, provides team wear, and he/they were very supportive in all things cost, design, and distribution.

So what is a kit and what does it stand for? On reflection, it’s the fabric of a great team.