How to Make a Basketball Team Jersey

Basketball jerseys can provide a team with a sense of unity and pride. Designing your own team jersey is not as difficult as it sounds and can be accomplished either online or at a local sporting goods store. Customization of a jersey can include logos, a team name, individual player names and numbers. At the bare minimum, you should include at least a number on the back of each jersey for record-keeping purposes.

Instructions

    • 1

      Select the type of jersey you intend to create for your team. Preferences often change depending on age level. Young players might enjoy t-shirts or cut-off jerseys, because tank tops are often too baggy on their pint-size frames. Without developed muscles, the thin shoulder straps on a tank top frequently slide off the shoulders, prompting youngsters to wear a t-shirt underneath their jerseys anyway. Older players, who often play at a more intense level and sweat more, usually prefer tank tops over a t-shirt that will collect sweat and become uncomfortable as the game is played.

    • 2

      Create a color scheme for the jersey. If a team represents a school, traditionally the jersey colors will reflect the official school colors. If the team does not have a specific affiliation, but has a nickname, try to associate the jersey to the name. For example, if the team is nicknamed the tigers, you might try to incorporate an orange and black color scheme into the jersey.

    • 3

      Choose a font for the jersey text. When it comes to jerseys, simple is always better. Fancy fonts may dazzle the eyes on paper, but trying to read them on a jersey with folds can cause major headaches. When selecting a font, also consider the material of the jerseys. Mesh materials should have the simplest fonts because they are the hardest to read.

    • 4

      Bring your design to a local sporting goods store to see what options are available. Many will have pre-designed templates they can use for logos. For a more elaborate design or to possibly use a logo which you have designed, try using a t-shirt and jersey design company from the Internet. Many companies exist where you can pick the jersey material, color, fonts and select the arrangement. An Internet design specialist can polish your order with a few professional tweaks before completing your order.

    • 5

      Request a proof from the jersey design company, whether on the Internet or your local sporting goods store, before finalizing your order. You should double-check all player names, the team name and requested numbers to ensure that nobody is disappointed or embarrassed with the result. At this time, you should also request a quote to make sure you are not over-spending. Once the jerseys are printed, it is unlikely that you'll be able to negotiate the price.

    • 6

      Place your order well in advance of your first game. Before finalizing the order, ask for an estimated delivery time for your order. This will help avoid your team from having to wear "pinnies" for the start of the season.