SMOKEY POINT, WA— The 2019 Western Washington Premier League Champion Snohomish County FC Steelheads are about to take possession of the Championship medals crafted for the club by Bremerton, WA wood artist Dan Schiaffo at The Woodcraft Studio. Shiaffo and Steelheads General Manager David Falk have spent the last couple of weeks exchanging ideas and looking at early samples and designs. The final result is the version you see below.
Ribbon hooks and ribbons will also be added to make the medals wearable and to complete the project. The medals will be presented along with the Coach’s Cup in the near future at a public gathering. Details on that are coming soon.
“Medals are traditionally metal,” Steelheads GM Falk says, “but the wood communicates a sense of the Northwest in a way that metal doesn’t.” The Steelheads wanted a customized look, and The Woodcraft Studio has delivered. “Dan was so willing to guide us through the process, and make these beauties financially practical, that we know we are getting worthy keepsakes to remember a very memorable season,” says Falk.
Photos from early samples and prototypes of the eventual Steelheads’ 2019 WWPL Champion medals
Along the way several ideas were tried and then dropped. The hexagon shape seemed like a custom touch, but it didn’t really connect with the club’s round crest. The medals became round and a large hexagon now frames the league logo and the “Unbeaten Season” wording on the back. There were also unpainted versions of the logo that looked pretty sweet, but in the end orange was added as the SnoCo FC signature color.
“The first one is always special,” Falk says of winning the 2019 league title. “We wanted to make sure that the club took extra effort and care to give our players and coaches a special medal. We love how they are turning out.”
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