Rockford senior Kelli Wicks designs conference’s ‘Coaches vs. Cancer’ T-shirts

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

ROCKFORD — Kelli Wicks won’t suit up for Rockford’s home conference girls basketball game against Central Springs on Friday.

In fact, she won’t suit up for any remaining games as her playing days are over.

“I tore my ACL in December, and I have been out ever since,” Wicks said. “I won’t be able to come back.”

As a senior, that means her basketball career is over as well as her athletic career when in comes to playing in front of paying audiences.

“Basketball is my favorite sport … my only sport,” Wicks said, “unless you count cheerleading for football.”

Wicks may be down but not out … meaning out of the gym as she sits with the team on bench, which could be one of the best seats in the house to view the Class 2A-ranked Lady Warriors’ quest to reach the state finals.

And though she won’t be dressed to play, Wicks is due to make a fashion statement Friday during the Warriors’ home varsity DH against Panthers, which will also serve as Rockford’s “Coaches vs. Cancer” night.

“It was something (athletic director) Brian Johnson volunteered for me to do,” Wicks said of the task of designing the Top of Iowa Conference’s “Coaches vs. Cancer” short-sleeve and long-sleeve T-shirts.

“I’ve designed our class T-shirts … it’s something I like to do,” Wicks said. “It’s just a hobby of mine.”

Using a computer after perusing several templates for ideas, Wicks came up with a Navy Blue-based design utilizing the script “Tougher than cancer … Stronger together” on the front, and “Eighteen Schools … One Cause” above a solid white Iowa state shape with a gray star representing the hub of the conference on the back.

An awareness ribbon also appears on the front — it’s white to stand out from the Navy Blue, but with shaded marks it’s represented as colorless.

Cancer ribbons generally come in different colors to represent different forms of cancer.

All Top of Iowa coaches will wear these shirts during their respective “Coaches vs. Cancer” games, as well as the players during warmups.

Fans may also purchase the shirts if still available. Proceeds beyond the cost of producing the shirts will go to various Coaches vs. Cancer Relay for Life in each of the conference’s counties.

As for the T-shirt design for the Rockford’s 2017 senior class …

“‘The End is Near’,” Wicks said of the shirt’s theme. “We also have hashtag anarchy (#anarchy) on the back.”

Wicks said that she has no aspirations in becoming a fashion designer … unless she can come up with apparel to make cattle look better.

Wicks is an accomplished show cattle competitor. She was named 2015-2016 National Miniature Hereford Queen and recently had an entry at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colo.

“We didn’t do as well as we hoped,” Wicks said.