Vancouver College registers big upset over Canucks Skate in uniform contest
Vancouver College Fighting Irish fans know how to rally.
Vancouver College football and its purple ensemble won our first Best Sports Uniform reader poll, upsetting the Vancouver Canucks' Skate gear by collecting 59.9 per cent of the 1,440 votes cast by readers. The Skate received 26.3 per cent. The B.C. Lions (9.7), Vancouver Giants (2.6) and UBC Thunderbirds (1.5) were well off the pace.
“It has been a ton of fun to be in these contests,” said Vancouver College football coach Todd Bernett.
“No doubt our alumni, parents and current students helped contribute votes to both polls. We are a competitive and prideful community, so when people heard we were competing in the finals, they showed up — just like they do at B.C. Place when we get to the (high school football) finals.
“Our uniforms and helmets resonate with people because of the guy behind them, our equipment manager Rick Gazzola. Rick takes the lead on uniform design and maintenance, everything from helmets to socks. He is responsible for our kids all looking fresh, and all looking uniformed in their uniforms.
“Anyone who has played at VC since the mid-1990s knows Rick and his role in our program. Those votes were a measure of his influence.”
We started out with five divisions and the Skate won the Canucks category, grabbing 43 per cent of the 2,942 votes cast to beat out the Original uniform (31 per cent).
The Fighting Irish won our Catch All Division in a squeaker, totalling 39 per cent compared to 34 per cent for New Westminster Salmonbellies lacrosse.
TSN 1040 late-night radio host Rob Fai, who owns 400 jerseys himself and was our go-to guy for everything uniforms, guessed ahead of time that the Canucks Skate would win the final decisively.
“Francesco Aquilini gave Canucks fans a little taste of it last season,” Fai said of the Canucks' owner and the Skate being used as a third jersey in 2019-20, “and now everybody is clamouring for it. It wouldn't matter if it was black and yellow or blue and green or purple and turquoise.”