I grew up playing competitive team sports throughout my childhood and teenage years. Practices after school. Early mornings. Tough losses. Hard-earned wins. At the time, I thought I was just playing a game. Looking back, I understand I was being shaped.

Sport taught me resilience through failure. Discipline through repetition. Accountability to something bigger than myself. It taught me how to lead, how to support, how to regulate emotion under pressure, and how to show up when it mattered. It gave me belonging. It gave me confidence. It gave me identity.

Today, I see it from a different perspective.

I am now a father to two amazing, energetic, athletic boys. I watch them step onto fields and into arenas with the same nervous excitement I once felt. And I see firsthand how powerful those early experiences are. The friendships. The structure. The lessons in effort and humility. The pride of pulling on a jersey that represents something bigger than themselves.

That pride matters.

The logo on their chest. The colours they wear. The crest they defend. These symbols help shape how young athletes carry themselves. They reinforce belonging. They build belief. They influence confidence at a stage in life where confidence can change everything.

Giving back through design is my way of honouring both the athlete I once was and the father I am today.

Through Pioneer, I support minor sports organizations in our community by creating strong, timeless identities that help young athletes grow not just as competitors, but as people. Because sport builds more than athletes. It builds character. And if thoughtful design can help a child stand taller, believe deeper, and grow stronger, then the work truly matters.