Malcolm Hooper poses with his winning design for the new CFB Cold Lake sports logo – Supplied Photo
Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Cold Lake’s sports teams will be donning a brand-new logo, with Malcolm Hooper’s design officially named the winner of the base’s recent logo design competition. The announcement came just before the holiday season, marking a significant milestone for Hooper, who works as a Sports Coordinator with 4 Wing Personnel Support Programs (PSP).
“The inspiration for the new sports logo came from simply enhancing the previous CFB Cold Lake Wolves logo,” said Hooper. “When I decided to make the move from Ontario to Cold Lake, I told myself that I am here not to change the past but to help the future. The logo, although similar to the previous one, represents the modernization of the work that the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) does while still recognizing the history of the hard work and dedication from the men and women who have served before.”
Hooper’s design retains key elements of the previous logo, such as the iconic Northern Sentinel Wolf and the circle motif, symbolizing growth toward the future while honouring the past. The design includes a “jet trail” to represent CFB Cold Lake’s status as the largest and busiest fighter aircraft wing in the CAF.
“The splash of red on the jet trail, the wolf, the eye is our national colour, and the aggression of the wolf symbolizes our ‘battle readiness,’” Hooper explained.
While Hooper’s primary role at the base revolves around sports, his background in marketing and design proved invaluable in crafting the new logo.
“Although sports are my passion, marketing and design is what I specialized in during my time at post-secondary school. I had designed several logos and web pages for school projects and exams, but this would qualify as the first major design of my professional career.”
The logo reflects the joint teamwork of multiple military elements at CFB Cold Lake.
“I knew that the addition of fighter jets specifically within the logo may not represent this factor, so I added the jet trail to help complete the circular design,” Hooper added.
The design will now be featured on all jerseys worn by CFB Cold Lake athletes, showcasing the base’s pride and strength in military sports.
“To have my design selected to represent the base sports teams feels incredible,” said Hooper. “It shows myself and the members that I serve how seriously I take my work and the importance of military sports to stay fit, achieve goals, and build cohesion amongst members. I asked myself when designing the logo, ‘Would I be proud to wear this if I was the athlete?’ I am incredibly honoured to know that my logo will be used for years to come, and I hope that each athlete feels as proud to wear it on their chest as I am.”