The Ice Hockey ACT board has begun work on looking into updating the design and colours of the uniforms to be worn by representative teams in national tournaments. Two aspects should be looked at when re-designing the ACT uniform, those of colour pallette and iconography. Ice Hockey ACT teams have closely used the same colour scheme as the official ACT Government recommended colours. With an update of the colours, design and emblem it is aimed to reinvigorate the Territory identity at national events.
Colours
Efficiently, the colour scheme that IHACT should consider adopting as their own is that of the NHL team St Louis Blues if a cheaper method to have ice hockey apparel produced were available. Comparatively the colours are very similar with the trio of Yellow-White-Blue being within a few values in the RGB scheme. The Blues also make use of a Navy Blue which approximately lines up with generic navy blue ice hockey pants. Option of cover pants to handle different pant colours will produce a more coherent image for state teams.
ACT Colours
St Louis Blues
Emblem
Currently Ice Hockey ACT representative teams bear no distinct motif, of animal, plant, or noun. Many other states have an emblem on their jerseys, such as Western Australia and South Australia, giving a more unique association to their home state. Iconography on the front of jerseys doesn’t have to exclusively be an animal motif, with the Victorian “Big V” an iconic image in majority of sports which Victoria compete in nationally.
The current ACT flag has two Swans and a heraldic castle alongside the Southern Cross. As Western Australia already uses the Black Swan for their state jerseys, using this animal as a motif would appear to be a copycat and unoriginal, plus also the Swan is not the official animal of the ACT. The ACT Government in November 2018 elected to have the Southern Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby as the official mammal emblem and in 1997 elected the Gang-gang Cockatoo to be the bird emblem of the Territory. The floral emblem for the ACT is the Royal Bluebell. The ACT also has no known castles with a drawbridge so the inclusion of a castle seems odd.
Suggestions below are for inducing discussion and are not to be a limited set of choices for the uniform design refresh but are to provide a starting point. The only real requirement for an emblem and iconography is to have something which is at least related to the Australian Capital Territory and also preferably as a unique item to the ACT. If possible, not replicating something as a clear copy of another entity, which if done shows more of a subservient identity than an own identity.
Official Emblems
Gang-Gang Cockatoo
Although the ACT emblem, the bird itself is not peculiar or strongly related to the ACT for it’s habitat. The species lives from around Newcastle in the mid north coast down to Victoria, so other than an official status, the bird really isn’t strongly unique to the ACT. https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10975
Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby
The Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby has a stronger connection to the ACT in that it’s habitat is more centred around the ACT. The Wallaby is also endangered. https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10605
Royal Bluebell
Official flower emblem of the ACT which has a habitat closely
Unofficial Emblems
Broad Toothed Rat
An endangered species in the ACT and Kosciuszko region is the Broad Toothed Rat. The idea of using the name “Rats” would have mixed feelings, some kids might find it hilarious and a great name, others might think of introduced black rats which are associated with negative images. The Broad Toothed Rat however is an Australian native animal which lives in higher altitudes along the ACT / Kosciuszko region.
Bettong
Another animal with significance to the ACT are Bettongs which are affectionately known as the “rat kangaroo”. These animals are also endangered and have a breeding program in the ACT out at Mulligan’s Flat. The Bettongs are small, agile and highly important to the ecosystem. https://www.mulligansflat.org.au/eastern-bettong
Nouns
ACT Capitals
Not to be confused with the Canberra Capitals WNBL team, the use of “Capitals” is something unique to the ACT being the capital state of Australia, and has been used previously with the Washington Capitals in the NHL. To be perfectly correct the title would have to be “Canberra Capitals” as Canberra is the capital of Australia, not the Territory itself. Including these to the uniform needs the name to be used in conjunction, whereas the use of an animal or plant can be left as a logo on the front of the jersey.
Another possibility is the use of Senators, in reference to the upper house. This is also an identifiable noun in ice hockey as the Ottawa Senators have a notoriety amongst fans. Cryptically the name of “Territory Senators” refers to a 1975 High Court case where the ACT and NT were challenged on constitutional validity to be represented in parliament. The case is representative of small states being given an equal right of representation in parliament and is a good metaphor for the small geography but equality arguments around the ACT. The obvious clash here is with the OiHAN team “Senators” who play in over age events nationally and currently in C grade. This one should be dismissed on being a replica of a team already operating from the ACT.
Logistics
To reduce costs to players, the purchasing a full uniform each year would not be required. An ACT representative jersey will be required to be purchased, however the socks and cover pants can be kept in stock by Ice Hockey ACT. Therefore to play without minimal cost to representative players, a pool of uniform spares (socks and coverpants) should be held by the association the same as how the Ice Caps uniforms are kept together for the juniors attending non national tournaments. Prior to a tournament the players are only required to purchase a jersey.
Service Life
To assist with a consistent image at national tournaments, the IHACT jersey design should be kept for around 5 years at minimum. For the cost of investment on the socks and cover pants along with the fact a timeless design is, timeless, it would be advisable to have one uniform design in service for ten plus years. The current uniform design has been in service for at least 15 years so this is not a new concept. Also from year to year a player can keep their jersey and borrow socks + cover pants for a tournament. There is also the option to purchase helmets in a specific colour for the state representative teams, this is optimistic though.
Design
Invariably the best designed uniforms can be found where the big money leagues are, namely the NHL or KHL. The NHL and KHL are a good source of inspiration due to no large advertisements on the uniforms and a consistent modern style between teams with features respecting the history and geography of the place they represent. Some suggestions for colour similar to the ACT are again St Louis Blues.
Please forward your thoughts through to anyone on the board.
Regards,
Adrian Miller
President
Ice Hockey ACT