GWYSL Logo Competition

Competition Dates

Deadline for Questions: December 15, 2024, 5:00 pm

Submission Deadline: December 31, 2024, 5:00 pm

Winner Announced: February 1, 2025

Eligibility

Any current or former GWYSL player, parent or volunteer may enter, so long as they are not immediate family members of judges.

Prizes

First Place: $500

Second Place: $250

Honorable Mentions: $50

Background and Design Goals

GWYSL is region 1328 of the American Youth Soccer Organization, and as such our primary organizational identifier will always be the AYSO logo. We also use a regional logo and a regional wordmark to distinguish us from our neighboring AYSO regions.

It is important to define a “logo” vs. a “wordmark.” A wordmark is a specific typographic way in which the title of an organization appears. By contrast, a logo is iconographic. It should be usable together as well as separately from the wordmark. A perfect illustration of this is the Nike Swoosh.

Our current wordmark is the acronym GWYSL in the “Verbatim Condensed Bold.” This wordmark will be in use for the indefinite future. Your logo submission should be designed to work well with our wordmark, both together and separately. For this reason the logo must include the numbers 1328 but does not need to include the letters GWYSL.

There have been a number of regional crests designed for GWYSL, and this is a popular tradition for soccer clubs. Crest-themed logos are not discouraged, but to be suitable on uniforms and web interfaces they must maintain their distinctiveness when monochromatic (e.g. black on white or white on black), when reduced to a small size, or when seen from far away.

For many years GWYSL has employed Otl Aicher’s soccer pictogram from the 1972 Munich Olympics. It works perfectly for our uses and is an exemplar of what a logo could be, but it is copyrighted material and we want to discontinue its use.

While we cannot consider logo entries that contain copyrighted material, you may enter a logo that contains public domain or for-purchase graphic material so long as it has an unrestricted license and is royalty-free. If there is a one-time purchase price required, please indicate the details. GWYSL will only pay such fees for the winning logo entry.

Summary of Design Requirements

To be eligible for judging, your design must meet the following requirements:

• Simple, modern graphics that are distinctive and recognizable when viewed from a distance and when monochromatic

• Complementary to, and distinct from, the AYSO logo and the GWYSL wordmark

• Include the numbers 1328

• Free of copyrighted material unless it is proposed to be purchased, royalty-free

• Free of misleading associations to known soccer clubs or organizations

Note: While entries will be judged as monochromatic images, the winner may be invited to create a four-color version of the design.

Competition Rules

• Submissions will be anonymous to the judges. Family members of judges are not eligible.

• You may enter multiple submissions.

• By submitting a design, participants affirm that the submission is their original work and does not infringe upon any third-party rights. The participant agrees that, upon winning, the design becomes the exclusive property of GWYSL, which may reproduce, modify, and distribute the design across various media.

• All non-winning submissions remain the property of the participants. The league reserves the right to request permission from non-winning participants to feature their designs on our website or social media channels.

• All participants under 18 must have a parent or guardian’s consent. Submission implies parental consent for those under 18.

• Entries that do not meet the design or submission requirements will not be considered. The league reserves the right to disqualify any entry that contains offensive or inappropriate content.

• The judging panel will make a recommendation to the Executive Board, and the Board’s decision is final and not subject to appeal. The league reserves the right to cancel the competition or extend the deadline if deemed necessary.

• Submit any questions by the deadline indicated to doughassebroek@gmail.com. Answers will be posted on GWYSL.org.

Submission Requirements

• Email your submission to the competition administrator at doughassebroek@gmail.com with the subject heading “GWYSL Logo” along with your name, phone number and your relationship to GWYSL. You will receive an email confirming receipt.

• Provide only a monochromatic version of the design as solid black against a white background (no gray).

• The entry must be camera-ready artwork. No concept sketches will be accepted.

• Submission shall be a .jpeg of 300 dpi and a maximum file size of 2MB.

• If using non-original public domain or royalty-free license material, this must be identified, including the source and the terms of use, in the email body. Failure to do so will be disqualifying.

Judges

• Dimitry Umyn, Commissioner

• Greg Hall, Webmaster

• Dara Dierks, Communications Director

• Naomi Hassebroek, Uniform Coordinator

• Chris O’Connell, Referee Instructor