The Austin Anthem Community Tifo Project

A Tifo for These Times. A Tifo for All Austin.

Our Pride tifo in progress last year

Tifos are probably the most visual representation of any supporters group. They’re the big banners that you see at soccer games, from the smaller ones held aloft by two poles all the way to the banners that stretch across the entire section. To make one does, however, require a lot of individuals to be in close proximity for a significant amount of time. Which, because 2020 is the worst, is not practical nor something we want to encourage.

But we still want to make a tifo, and one that represents all of the Austin Anthem family. So we’ve gone next level and are thrilled to be kickstarting the first-ever Anthem Community Tifo. You’ll need some basic supplies that you should be able to find around the house (or via a quick trip to the Amazon dot com).

You’ll be making and decorating your own 14" by 14" square that you’ll hand over to us. We’ll stitch it into a larger masterpiece and display that tifo proudly at upcoming events over the next few years.

Materials

• White or off-white material (T-shirt material)
• Decorating supplies (fabric or permanent markers — no paint please)
• Masking tape/painter’s tape
• Cardboard square(s)/newspapers/other protective materials
• Scissors
• Ruler

Instructions

1. Take the ruler and measure out a square of your chosen material (white or off white) that is 14 inches on all sides.
2. Take the ruler and place it at the top of the square and measure 1 inch down.
3. Make a dot just before the 1 inch mark (don’t worry, the dot will be covered when the squares are sewn together!)
4. Repeat step 3 on the remainder of the other 3 sides.
5. Slide a square of cardboard or stack of newspapers underneath the material to protect the surface you’re decorating on.
6. Once you’ve protected your area, take the painter’s tape or masking tape and tape each side down by placing the tape in the 2 inch spaces you’ve marked off.
7. BEGIN DECORATING!!!

Reminders

• You can create whatever you’d like to place on your square but we’d like to see Austin/Soccer/Austin FC/Grackle represented in some way, shape, or form!
• We’d like to know who the artist is! Please write your first name and last initial on your square (GIANT LETTERS ARE ALLOWED) Please do not put your full name for privacy reasons.
• This is a family and community project! Please do not put offensive images or words on your square. If you choose to do so, THE SQUARE WILL NOT BE USED.
• While you can choose any material to make your square, T-shirt material or other cotton material may give you the best success. If you choose to use a different material, please choose something that is white or off white.
• Decorating reminders: Permanent or fabric markers work best! Please DO NOT use Crayola markers or other washable markers, as those will run! Austin Anthem/Austin FC colors are green, white, black, and purple!

Pickup and Dropoff Details

Throughout the next few weeks and months, we’ll be offering to collect any DIY squares, or safely spaced locations where you can acquire materials and decorate right there.

If you’d rather mail your DIY square to us (since you live in Portland or something), we have a PO Box you can mail it to. Because it’s a PO Box, you’ll need to mail it through USPS, so hit up your neighborhood post office or log on to usps.com and schedule a pickup.

Austin Anthem
PO Box 92172
Austin, TX 78709

Final Thoughts

• Please have fun and enjoy this project with your family/friends!
• You’re part of making history, and we thank you for your help and support!

If you have questions, please feel free to email Abby Adams at abby.adams@austinanthem.org or Traci Babetski at traci.babetski@austinanthem.org.