The athletic department will open the floor for a new student-designed football T-shirt for the 2010 season as part of a collaborative effort between Student Council and 'Hoo Crew to increase student involvement in athletics, Student Council Athletic Affairs Chair David Hondula announced last night at Council's first meeting of the semester.
"Students will design and choose the annual football T-shirt," Hondula said. "This is an important advancement of student self-governance, at least in the athletic realm, which is something our Committee has been working hard on for at least the past two years - and it's hopefully a way to give students a stake in what's going on in the football program as we hope to rebuild support with the hiring of coach London."
The application to submit designs is now open online at the 'Hoo Crew Web site and will remain open for about two weeks, Hondula added, after which a five-member panel will select up to five finalists.
"Our goal is to put these five finalists on the spring ballot, so it'll be a very official way to choose the winner via the referendum," Hondula said. "We'll announce the winner on March 1. The winner of the design contest will win a trip for two to Los Angeles for the Virginia at Southern California game on Sept. 11. Hopefully this will become a staple of the annual sports process here for years to come."
Hondula also noted that the athletic department has a full-fledged publicity blitz planned, which includes an e-mail notification to all those participating in the basketball ticketing process, as well as those on the 'Hoo Crew mailing list. The department also will employ messaging on the television screens in the dining halls and flyers on every students' seat at this Thursday's home basketball game to spread word about the contest.
After one Council member expressed possible copyright concerns, Hondula noted that the University director of licensing, who is also part of the athletic administration, will oversee the process to ensure all designs are acceptable.
Council President John Nelson added that the design contest presents an opportunity for University students to have a conversation with the staff in the athletic department.
"The T-shirt conversation stemmed from a meeting shortly after the hiring of Mike London between members of the Student Council Athletic Affairs Committee, 'Hoo Crew and members of the athletic staff," Nelson said, "so that was a nice product of conversations between the athletic staff and U.Va students, and not just 'Hoo Crew and Student Council members."
Overall, students interviewed yesterday expressed positive feedback about the T-shirts.
"I think it's a good idea," second-year College student Matt Welsh said. "It's definitely something that'll get people excited about football and something first-years will have throughout their time at U.Va. because it's something you can use."
Similarly, first-year College student Alexandra Johnson said she is excited about the design contest but has concerns about how the T-shirts will be distributed if they are given to first-year students, as football T-shirts traditionally have been provided at the annual Block Party in August.
"I think it'll be difficult logistically," Johnson said, "because they ran out of certain sizes for first-years and the [distribution] process took a long time."
Hondula hopes the design contest, though, will overcome such hurdles to become a University tradition.
"It's possible that the new T-shirt will embrace parts of University culture that other T-shirts may not have," Hondula said. "Hopefully this will become a staple of the annual sports process here for years to come"
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