By Bob Suttton
Special to The Alamance News
Eastern Alamance will have a new look for football home games after a process to venture into a new agreement for uniforms.
The Eagles have hooked up with Jordan Brand.
“It was a really cool opportunity,” athletics director Brad Costa said.
He said Eastern was the only North Carolina school selected for the Jordan Brand program in the latest application round.
For this year, it only includes home uniforms. The Eagles won’t be outfitted in their normal green jerseys, instead wearing black tops (with golden numerals and the Jordan logo) and black pants.
Interim coach John Kirby, the school’s longtime coach and athletics director before returning following a one-year coaching retirement, said the uniforms won’t help the team play better.
“It’s a uniform,” he said. “No, Kirby didn’t order those black uniforms. If (the players) love ‘em, I love ‘em.”
Eastern had to purchase the uniforms. Ideally, Costa said, visiting/white jerseys will be added next year.
This only includes football as those uniforms involve the expansive application requirements.
Costa said the application process began last fall. He said video footage from alum Bailey Pennington Allison, who chronicles the Eastern football program, was valuable in promoting the school combined with student Kayden Manning putting together a video presentation. Manning, who’s entering her senior year, plays volleyball and softball for the Eagles.
“I think it means exclusivity for us,” Costa said. “Being able to put that on us and it’s something nobody else has gives our guys a sense of pride.”
Offensive coordinator J.T. Kirby, the interim coach’s son, said one aspect of the uniforms that’s a bit different is the leg pads are built into the pants.
It makes the school a sort of Jordan Brand ambassador. The brand is part of the marketing empire of former University of North Carolina basketball player Michael Jordan, who starred in the NBA and later purchased Charlotte’s NBA team.
