As Greenhill School celebrates its 75th anniversary, athletics department has taken part in honoring the school’s past through a creative and visible tribute: throwback uniforms inspired by decades of Greenhill history.
This idea originated from Associate Head of School for Mission, Community and Culture Tom Perryman, who traced the concept of throwback uniforms back to professional sports leagues.
“In the mid-90s, both the NFL and Major League Baseball started having throwback uniforms,” Perryman said. “People were feeling nostalgic about the look of old uniforms, and I just thought they were really cool.”
According to Perryman, he bought a throwback Nolan Ryan jersey which he greatly was inspired by. He used this inspiration, and when Greenhill approached its 50th anniversary in 2000, Perryman attempted to bring this same concept to campus.
“I went to the Head of School at the time, Peter Briggs, and said, ‘Let’s do throwback uniforms,’” Perryman said. “I had started at Greenhill as a three-year-old in 1967, so I remembered all these old uniforms from the 60s, 70s, and 80s.”
Although the ideas were well-received, they didn’t get the traction for his idea to come to life.
A Second Chance at the 75th
As the 75th anniversary approached, Perryman decided it was time to bring up his idea again.
Perryman brought the idea to Head of School Lee Hark, Head of Athletics & Physical Education Jarrett Shine, and members of the athletics department, including Associate Head of Athletics John Rortvedt. This time the support was instant.
“Mr. Hark really liked the idea,” Perryman said. “He said, ‘Keep digging around. Keep doing your research.’”
This research consisted of looking through the old Cavalcade yearbooks for hours.
“I started going through old Cavalcades to find pictures of some of my favorite throwback uniforms,” Perryman said. “Especially ones that were kind of funky, outdated, and really different.”
Choosing the Teams and Designs
Out of all the sports the final sports selected were cross country/track, girls soccer and baseball. These sports were chosen through a collaborative process that focused on budget, historical representation and equity.
“That decision was a collective effort between Mr. Perryman, Mr. Shine, myself, and a few others,” Rortvedt said.
Cross country and track were paired for practical reasons, as their uniforms can be worn during both fall and spring sports seasons.
Girls soccer and baseball were chosen for their visual appearance, and each were drawn from different eras of Greenhill athletics as well.
“The baseball uniform is basically a replica of our first baseball uniforms from 1951,” Perryman said. “They look like something Mickey Mantle would’ve worn.”
Manufacturing Process
Once designs were chosen, Greenhill partnered with uniform vendor BSN to bring these visions to life.
“There was a lot of back-and-forth,” Rortvedt said. “They came to campus, brought a laptop, and we designed everything digitally the fabric color, piping, fonts, numbers, everything.”
Not every detail could be replicated due to many of the original uniform elements that were designed and manufactured decades ago, using materials, cuts and styles that are no longer produced today.
“Some things just aren’t made anymore,” Rortvedt said. “For example, the girls soccer jersey from the 80s was a V-neck, and the modern options aren’t. That’s one subtle difference.”
Challenges Along the Way
According to Rortvedt one of the largest challenges along the way was budget constraints.
“It’s an extra set of uniforms,” Perryman said. “That’s a real cost.”
The goal was to make sure that the uniforms were sustainable and could last for years to come.
Another priority while manufacturing the uniforms was to make them inclusive.
“We wanted to make sure it wasn’t all boys sports or all girls sports,” Perryman said. “We wanted as many people to be included as possible.”
For the teams that did not receive throwback jerseys, the athletics department ensured that 75th anniversary patches were attached onto jerseys or helmets depending on the sport. “It just wasn’t financially sustainable for every team to get a new kit,” Rortvedt said. “So, the patches were a way to include everyone.”
Why It Matters
For Perryman, the throwback uniforms were not just about the looks; they were about Greenhill’s history.
“Greenhill is a very forward-looking place,” he said. “We are always trying new things. We are not a school that’s really steeped in tradition.”
He added that students often view Greenhill as existing only during their time on campus.
“You can’t help but feel like Greenhill started the day you got here and ends the day you graduate,” Perryman said. “But Greenhill goes back in time, and it goes forward in time.”
Rortvedt added to this, especially for the athletes, “It’s neat to look back and see who paved the way,” he said. “They wore these uniforms, represented the school, and played with pride.”
A Celebration Worn on the Field
Teams have begun to wear their throwback uniforms. Cross country already debuted theirs during the fall season, girls soccer is set to wear theirs soon and baseball is waiting for the spring season to approach.
“It’s a way to show other schools that we’ve been around a while and that we’re creative in how we choose to celebrate,” Perryman said.
At 75 years old, as Greenhill continues to evolve, there is pride in wearing the past and honoring every year that has shaped it.
