In 2024, the Riordan Athletic Department decided to add a new item of clothing to the athletic program.
A large portion of the windbreaker jacket is purple with a yellow zipper and reads “Riordan Athletics” on the back. All Varsity student-athletes are required to wear this jacket to every home and away game. It is meant to show Riordan’s school pride and spirit wherever they play.
Students have mixed feelings about the look of the jacket.
Soccer player and track & field athlete, Josephine Espinoza-Schliecher ’25 expressed her thoughts on the jacket saying, “I wish part of it was white instead of yellow but other than that they’re really cool…whenever I wear purple I feel prideful and whenever I win, I am winning for Riordan.”
Similarly, volleyball player and track & field athlete, Analee Ronas ’24, said, “I really like them…It shows our community and when people see purple they see pride that partakes in our three P’s Pride. Purpose. Performance.”
Not only did students express their opinions toward the new piece of clothing, but so did faculty members. David Canales ’02, the counselor for the class of 2026 and a former Crusader athlete,said, “Aesthetically, I think they look great and I like how our color scheme is different from most in the city and in the Bay Area…you already know that’s Riordan when you see that purple…I think it helps create some Identity for our students.”
When Canales attended Riordan, he played sports throughout his sophomore year in high school, such as basketball and football. He has a deep connection with the athletic program to this day.
He emphasized, “Riordan athletics is super important to me. One of my favorite things of being a counselor at Riordan is the ability to work with student athletes and it’s something that I’ve always wanted to do. I don’t know if I can really put into words how much I care about being a part of this program.”
Overall, these jackets are meant to show Riordan’s school pride whenever students choose to wear them. Whether that is throughout the school day, at home or away games, and even outside of school.
The school’s athletics have continued to improve over the years and will continue to grow in the future. This jacket is another addition to the athletic program that shows everyone Crusaders are proud to be a part of the Riordan community.
