True Lacrosse

Brand Standards & Guidelines

1. Who We Are

True Lacrosse was founded with a mission to develop young athletes through elite training and mentorship. Built by experienced coaches and passionate leaders, our program has grown into a nationally recognized force, dedicated to fostering excellence both on and off the field.

2. Visual Identity

A strong, unified brand is essential to True Lacrosse’s identity. This section provides guidelines on logo usage, typography, and color palettes to maintain consistency across all materials, ensuring a professional and recognizable presence.

3. Brand Voice

How we communicate defines our impact. True Lacrosse speaks with authority, confidence, and hospitality, reinforcing our expertise in lacrosse training while fostering a welcoming and professional community for athletes, families, and partners.

4. Imagery

High-quality photography plays a key role in our branding. This section outlines the standards for selecting and using images that showcase the energy, passion, and dedication of our athletes while maintaining a polished and professional aesthetic.

5. Market Segmentation

True Lacrosse serves a wide range of athletes, families, and partners across various levels of competition. This section defines our target audiences and outlines how we tailor our messaging and branding to effectively engage different segments of the lacrosse community.

6. Applications

Consistency in how our brand is applied across different materials is crucial. This section details proper logo placement, spacing, background contrast, and design best practices to ensure a cohesive and polished look across all platforms.

Section 1 Who We Are

Our Story

Founded in 2008 by Jake Deane and Mike Gabel, two seasoned college and professional lacrosse players, True Lacrosse was built with a single mission: to share their passion for the game and elevate young players to the highest level of competition. From the very beginning, Jake, Mike, and their team of expert coaches have remained deeply involved, not only overseeing operations but actively coaching, traveling with teams, and competing in the most prestigious tournaments. What started as a vision in Illinois has since expanded across the U.S. and Canada, establishing True Lacrosse as one of the largest and most successful club lacrosse programs in the nation.

What We Do

At True Lacrosse, we are dedicated to the growth and development of young athletes, both on and off the field. Our mission is to provide unparalleled training that molds not only skilled players, but strong leaders with confidence and integrity. Fueled by our core values—Passion, Energy, Expertise, and Reps—we combine deep knowledge with relentless enthusiasm to offer the highest level of coaching, resources, and guidance. Through our commitment to the game and to each player’s personal journey, we continue to shape the future of lacrosse, one player at a time.

What That Means

From novice to national, True Lacrosse is the definitive destination for youth and high school athletes across the country. Our dynamic approach to “the creator’s game” is rooted in our commitment to elite training, coaching, and overall player development – on and off the field. From first practice to collegiate signing day, your child’s player pathway is designed to provide support and guidance at every turn.

True Lacrosse’s national footprint of conveniently located programs makes club lacrosse more accessible than ever.

Section 2 Visual Identity

Corporate Logo

The True Lacrosse is comprised of 4 parts: the True Lacrosse Wordmark, the True “T”, the lacrosse head, and the lacrosse ball.

The wordmark can be used on its own, but the True “T”, lacrosse head, and lacrosse ball must always be used together. The “T”, lacrosse head, and lacrosse ball should never be used as individual assets.

Color Variations of Logo - Single color versions of the logo are acceptable in True Green, black, white, and grayscale. Single-color logos are best used when the design is simple, monochromatic, small OR on materials that are not primarily True branded (e.g. powered by True Lacrosse or sponsored by True Lacrosse).

The only acceptable multi-color versions of the logo feature the lacrosse head and ball in the True Green and the True “T” in black or white. If the wordmark is included in the multi-color logo, it must be the same color as the “T”.

A fill color within the lacrosse head is acceptable (and encouraged) when the logo is placed on a busy or colored background. The fill color must be the inverse of the “T”. If the “T” is white, the background must be black, and vice versa.

Logo Applications

Spacing

There must be space (padding) around the logo in all uses and the logo should never be touching the edge of any marketing materials. The general rule is for there to be enough space around the logo to fit the logo's lacrosse ball. The True Logo may overlap other aspects of the design, but it must be the top layer (nothing should be layered over the True Logo). The full logo must always be visible aside from the following exceptions:

Helmet decals/stickers. The logo may (and in many cases should) be cropped and cut to fit the side panels of a lacrosse helmet.

Watermarks. When used as a watermark background, the True logo may (and in many cases should) bleed off the edge of the available space.

Important Note: When converted to grayscale, True Green (#95c93d) turns gray (#aaaaaa). This is a midrange gray tone, meaning that when placed on many gray backgrounds, True Green may be difficult to see and cause eye strain amongst viewers of the material. When possible, use the black or white versions of the logo on gray background, OR use a version of the logo with a white/black background and outline.

Full Logo vs. Wordmark/Icon

In applications where “True Lacrosse” is already written on the materials, the True logo without the wordmark (just the lacrosse head, ball, and True “T”) should be used. The full logo (wordmark included) should be used for applications where “True Lacrosse” is not written elsewhere. For example, apparel and items like phone cases.

Using the Wordmark without the lacrosse head is best for subtle applications (email signatures, document footers, etc.)

Use alongside other True Logos

When using the True Logo with any Regional True Program’s logo, the main operating entity should be displayed as larger. For example, if both the True Corporate Logo and the True Colorado Logo are being included on marketing materials for a Colorado Tryout, the True CO should be displayed larger than the corporate logo. If True Colorado is participating in a National True event (i.e. hosted by True Corporate), the corporate logo should be larger. If both entities are equally involved, the logos can be displayed at the same size.

Logo Variations, Program Logos, Affiliate Logos

General Guidelines for Logos

Program Logos for all True Lacrosse affiliates must be placed within the True Green lacrosse head from the corporate logo. The subject matter can be overlapping, stepping out of, or entirely contained within the lacrosse head.

All True Lacrosse program logos must follow the same guidelines as the Corporate Logo with some additional stipulations. Program logos are given a lot of flexibility to be catered to each specific program’s needs and desired branding. That said, the following standards must be met.

Program Logo Color Palettes

All logos must use the True Lacrosse color palette with the primary colors being black, white, and True Green. To show shading and highlights, an additional 2 or 3 shades of True Green are permissible in limited applications. The same goes for the use of grays within a program logo. The use of gray is allowed, as long as the primary colors are still black, white, and True Green.

All program logos must be designed to have full-color and single-color versions. Slight simplification of design aspects is allowed when converting a logo from full to single-color. Logo designs that are too complex to be converted to a single color should be avoided.

Program Logo Requirements

All program logos must meet the following criteria to be approved. The True Lacrosse Head outline must be used for all True Lacrosse program logos. The head must be True Green unless the program has received a special exception to use a different color palette. Non-True colored logos are primarily reserved for True Indoor/Box Programs.

Each program logo should have a differentiating feature included in the design, creating a recognizable and individualized identity for their teams. Programs can use up to four objects/design aspects to create this differentiating feature; however, it is strongly advised that the design be limited to a single object/design aspect if possible. Examples of single design aspects being used include the mountains in the True Colorado logo or the sticks of dynamite in the True Dynamite logo.

The True Long Island logo is an example of using multiple objects, using the Statue of Liberty, Long Island Bridge, Montauk Lighthouse, and Map of Long Island to show the program’s reach from New York City to the northernmost points of Long Island. True Belles also uses multiple design aspects, including the Liberty Bell and a girl's lacrosse player silhouette. These features were used to match the logo from before the team merged with True Lacrosse.

The subject matter pf the logo can be overlapping, stepping out of, or entirely contained within the lacrosse head. True Philly is an example of the subject overlapping the lacrosse head. True Dynamite is an example of the subject "stepping out" and True Oregon is an example of the subject being entirely contained.

Typography: Primary Typefaces

Alternate Typefaces

ALL FONTS NOT INCLUDED IN THE SECTIONS ABOVE MUST BE APPROVED BY THE TRUE LACROSSE MARKETING TEAM.

True Color Palette

Brand Colors

True Lacrosse uses a relatively simple (yet rigid) color palette. This palette features the True Lacrosse signature True Green (#95c93d), black (#000000), and white (#ffffff).

For designs that will be viewed on screens (digital designs), it is advisable to avoid using total black or total white as this can strain the viewer’s eyes. Instead, use digital black (#0a0a0a) and digital white (#fefefe).

The full opacity True Green should always be the primary green being used in designs; however, additional shades of this green are acceptable. One way to create additional shades of True Green is to lower the opacity of the green object, and placing it over black/white. Translucent green objects are acceptable within True’s brand.

How to Use Colors

The primary colors in designs should be black/white (or full-color photos). The True Green is used to provide pops of color in the design and to highlight important information. For example, adding “Open to Boys 2024 - 2032” in True Green below a white headline for a tryout or using True Green icons to highlight the date/time/location of an event.

True Green should be used sparingly as a background color. This can be straining on the viewer’s eyes. Additionally, white text/objects on True Green can be straining on the viewer's eyes due to the combined brightness of each.

Dark vs. Light Theme

Since its inception, True Lacrosse has most commonly used a Dark Theme for its branding. This means a black/dark background with white and True Green on top. This is an easy framework to build within. Both True Green and white work well on almost all dark backgrounds. That being said, True Lacrosse also has a Light Theme. Featuring True Green and black on top of white/light background. This more difficult to work within and needs to be given more thought when looking at the use of the True Green.

IMPORTANT: True Green when converted to grayscale is a light gray (#aaaaaa), so when the True Green is placed over lighter gray (or shaded tones of white), this can be straining on the viewer's eyes and difficult for color-blind people to see. Dark drop shadows or blocks of dark colors underneath the True Green can help the design, but in the Light Theme, True Green should be used more sparingly, especially for text.

Section 3 Brand Voice

Key Phrasing/Taglines

“We Train More” - True Lacrosse stands as a beacon of dedication, surpassing all other teams in the nation, with our relentless commitment to training. Our unwavering focus on honing skills and fostering personal growth yields exceptional performance both on the field and off the field."

“Largest Recruiting Network in Club Lacrosse” - With an expansive recruiting network, recognized as the largest in club lacrosse, True Lacrosse empowers its athletes to excel at the next level. Leveraging their extensive connections, they provide unparalleled opportunities, paving the way for talented players to thrive and fulfill their dreams of playing collegiate lacrosse."

“The fastest game on two feet meets the nation’s premier youth and high school training program” - With a relentless commitment to excellence and a deep understanding of the sport, we cultivate a dynamic environment where lacrosse skills flourish, creating a generation of athletes ready to dominate on the field."

“A proven track record of ensuring success for our student-athletes on and off the field” - With a proven track record of excellence, True Lacrosse goes beyond the confines of the field, instilling values that foster success for our student-athletes both on and off the field. Through comprehensive mentorship, personalized guidance, and a holistic approach to development, we cultivate not only skilled players but also well-rounded individuals ready to conquer any challenge that comes their way."

Tone of Voice

Authoritative

True Lacrosse is THE authority for everything in the club lacrosse landscape. Always use an authoritative tone of voice when presenting ourselves. This establishes trust, showcases our extensive knowledge and experience in the sport, and confidently guides athletes toward their fullest potential. By exuding authority, True Lacrosse reinforces its position as a trusted source of expertise, capable of delivering exceptional training and helping athletes reach new heights in their lacrosse journey.

Section 4 Imagery

Photography Standards

Photo Quality

High-resolution, professional-quality photos are essential to maintaining the True Lacrosse brand.

High-resolution, professional-quality photos are indispensable for upholding the True Lacrosse brand as they effectively showcase the intricate details and dynamic action of the sport, ensuring a visually immersive experience. While there is no specific minimum resolution requirement, it is crucial that the images retain their sharpness and clarity even at their full display size.

Photo Content

All photos must encapsulate content that actively promotes and aligns with the core ideals of True Lacrosse.

Players' and coaches’ body language should reflect the determination, teamwork, and sportsmanship that are integral to True Lacrosse's core ideals. Additionally, their body positions and facial expressions should convey the passion, dedication, and joy associated with the sport, reinforcing our brand's commitment to fostering a positive and inspiring lacrosse community.

Choosing the Right Photo

Image Composition

Photos must have a well-balanced image composition that seamlessly integrates with the layout of the design.

When incorporating text or logos layered on top of the photos, it is essential to ensure that there is sufficient negative/empty space within the image, allowing the visual elements to coexist without overcrowding or obscuring the main focus of the photo. Additionally, it is advisable to avoid photos where players are excessively cropped out of frame, as this can detract from the overall composition and fail to capture the full essence and context of the game.

Image Tone

The tone of the image selected should align with the specific content it is intended to promote.

It is crucial to maintain consistency between the tone of the images and the content they are associated with. For youth event graphics, selecting cheerful and lighthearted photos can create an engaging and inviting atmosphere, reflecting the fun and energetic nature of the event. For top-level high school graphics, opting for intense and dynamic photos can more effectively convey the competitive nature and showcase the athleticism of the players.

Image Color/Hue/Shade

The color, hue, and shade of an image should be utilized to enhance designs, creating a cohesive and captivating aesthetic.

Through careful color correction, slight adjustments can be made to the color, hue, and shade of an image to ensure it fits in with the overall design, allowing for a more consistent and visually appealing composition. Furthermore, strategically leveraging the darkness or lightness of an image can balance out a light or dark design, creating contrast and visual impact that enhances the overall aesthetic and draws attention to key elements within the composition.

Player Cutouts

Photo requirements: To facilitate clean and accurate cutouts, the photo provided must be high resolution with the subject unobscured and easily distinguishable from the background, allowing for precise extraction.

High resolution is crucial for ensuring the accurate extraction of intricate details such as an athlete's hair or the mesh on their stick, enabling a precise and realistic representation. Moreover, to achieve clean and seamless cutouts, any elements or objects that overlap with the subject should be removed or edited out from the photo beforehand, minimizing any distractions or inconsistencies that may compromise the final result.

The background must be entirely cut out when possible. This includes the background showing through an athlete's hair, the mesh of the stick, or through the facemask of an athlete's helmet.

Placing cutouts in a design: The cutout images should be strategically positioned within the design layout, integrating them with the overall composition. To avoid the appearance of the athlete "floating" within the design, it is essential to ensure that they are grounded and integrated into the overall composition. This can be achieved by strategically extending the player slightly beyond the edges of the design, creating a sense of depth and presence. Additionally, incorporating design aspects both behind and in front of the athlete helps to visually anchor them within the composition, enhancing the perception that they are an integral part of the overall design rather than a detached element.

Background Images

Contrast: Background images should be a shade that provides a stark contrast between the image and text/design elements in the foreground. To achieve a stark contrast between the background image and text/design elements in the foreground, lowering the opacity of the image over a black or white background can create a visually striking effect, allowing the foreground elements to stand out prominently. Alternatively, incorporating a texture overlay on the background image can help obscure certain details, ensuring that the text/design elements remain clearly visible and distinct from the background.

Background Color: Backgrounds and background images should primarily be black/white. Colored background images are acceptable in limited applications. Black and white backgrounds offer the highest level of contrast and readability, ensuring that text and design elements are easily distinguishable. However, in certain cases where colored background images are used, it is crucial to opt for less busy compositions that incorporate negative or empty space, providing clear areas where text can be placed without compromising legibility.

Logos Over Images

When on top of an image (unless the image has very low contrast), all logos should be “filled in”, meaning that the inside of the lacrosse head features either solid white or solid black. When positioning a logo on top of an image, it is crucial to ensure optimal visibility and legibility. To achieve this, it is recommended that all logos be "filled in" when placed over an image, especially if the image boasts high contrast, saturation, or vibrance. By utilizing solid white or solid black within the lacrosse head of the logo, the risk of the underlying image showing through is minimized. This approach prevents any potential degradation of the logo's readability, ensuring that it stands out distinctly and maintains its intended impact.

Text Over Images

When placing text on top of a photo, a headline font must be used. When overlaying text on a photograph, it is crucial to select an appropriate font. Headline fonts are recommended. To ensure readability, use large and bold fonts when placing text on top of images, especially images with high levels of contrast, saturation, or vibrance. By employing such fonts, the text can effectively stand out and maintain its legibility, even against visually busy or vibrant backgrounds. Conversely, smaller or body text may pose challenges in terms of readability when placed on top of images, as it may become difficult to discern from the image's visual elements.

Section 5 Market Segmentation

Market Segmentation Stages

Stage 1: Emerging Markets

Geographic Locations: Oregon, Washington, Texas
Content Theme: Informational

Emerging Markets

These regions are developing their lacrosse presence, and our approach should be centered around education, building the community, and showcasing the foundational aspects of True Lacrosse.

Copy/Content Ideas:

"Lacrosse in Your Area" – Highlight local interest, teams, and growth opportunities for newcomers.
"Learn and Grow the Game" – Emphasize programs designed for beginners and intermediate players.
"Community Benefits" – Showcase how lacrosse can bring communities together.
"Transition from Recreational Instruction to Competitive Play" – Encourage players to take their skills to the next level.
"True’s Established Infrastructure" – Introduce True Lacrosse’s resources, facilities, and expertise in these growing areas.
"Private Training Benefits" – Promote one-on-one coaching and personalized growth.
"Commitment Spotlights" – Share stories of players progressing through True Lacrosse’s programs.

Stage 2: Established Markets

Geographic Locations: California, Utah, Idaho, Indiana, Ohio, Florida
Content Theme: Capturing Market Share

Established Markets

These markets have a more established lacrosse presence, but competition is growing. The focus should be on setting True Lacrosse apart by highlighting our superior offerings, creating buzz, and positioning ourselves as the leader in development.

Copy/Content Ideas:

"Highlight Competitive Differences Between Clubs" – Focus on what makes True Lacrosse stand out from other clubs in the area.
"Training/Technique Differences" – Showcase our unique training programs, techniques, and player development strategies.
"Driving the Sport Forward" – Promote True Lacrosse as a key driver in growing the sport within these established regions.
"Expanding and Developing Community Lacrosse Infrastructure" – Emphasize how True Lacrosse supports the growth of local leagues, tournaments, and facilities.
"Path to State/National Competitions" – Highlight the journey from local clubs to state championships and national recognition.
"Commitment Spotlights" – Share stories of players who have advanced from local to national levels with True Lacrosse’s help.

Stage 3: Mature Markets

Geographic Locations: Illinois, Minnesota, Colorado, Michigan, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, National Teams
Content Theme: Exclusivity & Retention

Mature Markets

These markets are mature and competitive. The focus should shift to exclusivity, advanced training, and retention efforts, creating a sense of belonging and recognition among top players.

Copy/Content Ideas:

"Promote Scarcity & Exclusivity" – Position True Lacrosse as a premier brand, emphasizing the limited spots in elite programs.
"Team Rankings" – Showcase the success and rankings of our teams at the state and national levels.
"Player Interviews" – Feature in-depth stories from top players within the True Lacrosse community, showcasing their journeys and experiences.
"Commitment Case Studies" – Present detailed success stories of players committing to colleges or national teams, proving the effectiveness of True Lacrosse training.
"Tournament Spotlights" – Highlight major regional and national tournaments where True Lacrosse teams excel.
"Elite Event Circuit" – Showcase exclusive, invitation-only events or elite showcases to reinforce the prestige of being part of the True Lacrosse program.

True Lacrosse

Brand Standards & Guidelines

Table of Contents

1. Who We Are

2. Visual Identity

3. Brand Voice

4. Imagery

5. Market Segmentation

6. Applications

Section 1

Who We Are

Our Story

What We Do

What That Means

Section 2

Visual Identity

Corporate Logo

Logo Applications

Spacing

Background

Drop shadows

Watermark

Full Logo vs. Wordmark/Icon

Size relative to other logos/partner logos

Use alongside other True Logos

Logo Variations, Program Logos, Affiliate Logos

General Guidelines for Logos

Program Logo Color Palettes

Program Logo Requirements

Typography: Primary Typefaces

Anton (Italic)

Montserrat (Extra Bold)

Open Sans

Alternate Typefaces

Bemio

Antonio (Bold)

Gobold (Bold)

Poppins (Extra Bold)

Arial

Roboto (Website Font)

ALL FONTS NOT INCLUDED IN THE SECTIONS ABOVE MUST BE APPROVED BY THE TRUE LACROSSE MARKETING TEAM.

True Color Palette

True Green

White (Print)

White (Digital)

Black (Print)

Black (Digital)

Brand Colors

How to Use Colors

Dark vs. Light Theme

Section 3

Brand Voice

Value Proposition