Sierra Leone’s FA were quite clear what they wanted two specific things for the national team’s badge. Firstly, something that said, to anyone seeing it, Sierra Leone. Secondly, an uplifting, inspirational message. The first part of the brief was perhaps taken too literally by the designers but a clause in their contract allowing literal interpretation of client instructions in the event of staff shortages meant that they still got paid.
Several phrases were tried to fulfil the second part of the brief, including “Run Like No One’s Watching”, “Attempt To Win In The First Instance” and “Do What You Can”. These were ultimately discarded as lacking vim and, finally, “Raise Your Game” was selected as both encouraging and not overbearingly demanding. The crest subsequently won an award for the cleanliness of its lines at the World National Badge symposium of 2009. It was unplaced, however, in the category “Badge With Good Animal On”. Cameron Carter