The Grand Valley State University football team will abandon traditional apparel in pursuit of joining the college football jersey revolution when the Lakers reveal their new all-blue uniforms this Saturday against Ferris State University.

GVSU’s marketing and design team collaborated with Adidas to create the best possible jersey for the athletes’ on-field performances. The Adidas TECHFIT jerseys use a new system that allows the player to have maximum flexibility with a streamlined, compression fit.

“We wanted a jersey that looked sharp,” said GVSU head coach Matt Mitchell. “Our old jersey’s were a rugged material. The TECHFIT jerseys get rid of worry about belts coming undone or jerseys becoming un-tucked.”

TECHFIT jerseys have 30-percent lighter material than the previous jerseys, and feature CLIMACOOL technology that controls the heat zone and allows less moisture to form.

Also included is an innovative padlock system eliminating the need for belts or ties, instead giving them a “spandex” feel.

Along with the all-blue jerseys that will be revealed at the game against Ferris State on Saturday, there are nine color-combinations giving the coaches plenty of variety to choose from for future games.

“Changing color combinations is a trend in college football today,” said GVSU athletic director Tim Selgo. “We wanted to switch things up a bit from last year’s rival game when we revealed the baby blue uniforms.”

The bright color “Laker blue” will be the theme this year for the rival game, in which the fans are asked to join the team in wearing “Laker blue” as well.

“We wanted to make a statement for the Ferris game with our fans wearing blue,” Selgo said. “Only made sense that the team will be in all blue too.”

GVSU will be joining Division I teams such as Notre Dame University and the University of Michigan, which also wear Adidas TECHFIT jerseys.

“The team is very fortunate to receive the jerseys from Adidas,” said junior wide receiver Charles Johnson. “We love the fit and feel of TECHFIT, and it allows us to focus on the game.”

Fans will see the all-blue jerseys in action at the volleyball and women’s soccer games on Friday as the weekend has been dubbed Laker Blue Nights. All fans are encouraged to wear their colors along with the team, but as with superstition in the minds of the players, expectation will be high to see the Lakers make a statement by pulling off a win while wearing their new threads.

“It won’t be the jerseys that make the statement,” Johnson said. “How we play will make a statement for itself.”

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