Overview

During the 2025–26 season, I served as sole Graphic Designer and Social Media Manager for the Long Beach Sharks, a Tier III junior hockey organization in the North American Three Hockey League. In this role, I led all visual communication and digital strategy across Instagram, X, and Facebook. I was responsible for designing every digital, print, and website graphic for both the junior team and the adjacent youth organization, while also executing live in-game coverage and managing the team’s full social media presence. The objective: elevate the Sharks’ digital identity, increase visibility beyond the existing fan base, and create a cohesive, professional brand presence within the league landscape.

Opportunity

Junior hockey teams operate in a competitive social ecosystem where digital presence directly impacts:

Player recruitment
Fan engagement
Community perception
League credibility

Before to this season started, I had the opportunity to create a brand identity for 2025-26. I approached the season as a full brand system build, developing visual standards, content workflows, and engagement strategies entirely from the ground up. One of the biggest creative inspirations I used is from the Long Island Railroad. Since Long Beach is one of its 11 main branches, I leaned into that local connection. I took inspiration from the ticketing design, paper textures, and structured layouts to create a cohesive seasonal theme. It gave the brand a subtle but strong identity that tied directly to the city. All branding systems, content strategy, and visual execution were designed and implemented by me.

My Role

Title: Graphic Designer & Social Media Manager

Platforms Managed: Instagram, Facebook, X

Design Tools: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator

Responsibilities

Designed all gameday, score update, and announcement graphics
Created website and digital promotional assets
Produced print materials for junior and youth organizations
Managed content calendars and publishing schedules
Executed real-time, live in-game updates on all social media platforms
Collaborated with coaches, management, and league representatives

This position required balancing creative direction, production efficiency, and real-time communication under game-day pressure.

Strategy & Execution

1. Building a Cohesive Visual Identity

I developed a repeatable design system that ensured consistency across:

Game day announcements
Score graphics
Team and player milestones
Birthdays

Key design priorities included:

Taking aspects from the Long Island Railroad and using them as design elements
Using strong typography and imagery to compel audiences on social media
Having timely and accurate social graphics and updates
Taking the Sharks’ recognizable color palette and introducing more realistic textures and elements
Using realistic shark imagery for important games and events

This transformed the account from reactive posting into a recognizable, professional sports brand.

2. Designing for Speed Without Sacrificing Quality

Live hockey coverage requires immediate response. I created modular Photoshop templates that allowed me to:

Update scores in real time
Post within minutes of key moments
Maintain brand integrity under tight deadlines

This workflow enabled both speed and visual polish, which are critical in sports media.

3. Audience Growth & Reach Strategy

Rather than designing only for existing fans, I focused on discoverability and shareability.

Over 90 days (December–March):

841,847 total views
184,55 1 accounts reached (+167% increase)
65% of views from non-followers

The 65% non-follower view rate indicates that content was extending beyond the established audience, successfully increasing visibility within the junior hockey community.

This growth was driven by: