Cedar Rapids RoughRiders Logo PNG
The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders logo conveys the team’s excitement and strength, combining the game’s energy with the fans’ support. The Stable’s home arena becomes the scene of exciting hockey matches, where spectators and players create a lively atmosphere.
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders: Brand overview
The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders were founded in 1999 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, joining the United States Hockey League (USHL). The team showed a strong competitive spirit from their first season at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena. Early success came when they appeared in the USHL playoffs, quickly gaining local support and league recognition. The RoughRiders soon celebrated a significant milestone by winning the Clark Cup, boosting the club’s status and attracting interest from NHL scouts. The organization steadily grew, emphasizing youth hockey development programs and consistently reaching playoffs. Many players developed by the RoughRiders advanced to successful NCAA and professional careers. Despite challenges, including significant arena damage forcing a temporary pause, the club returned with renewed strength and resilience. Facilities improved, training expanded, and ties with the community deepened. Cedar Rapids remains committed to nurturing young talent and helping aspiring hockey players reach their dreams of NCAA competition and beyond.
Meaning and History
What is Cedar Rapids RoughRiders?
This junior hockey team from Cedar Rapids is developing within one of the leading leagues in the United States. Young athletes get the opportunity to grow and improve while preparing for performances in college and professional hockey. A bright mascot, an atmosphere of friendship in the stands, and a home arena where loyal fans gather make the games a real holiday for sports fans.
1983 – 1989
When the North Iowa Huskies first appeared in the USHL hockey league, the club introduced a logo that vividly captured the atmosphere of a tough and fast-paced game. Simple, with no unnecessary details, the emblem made a statement with the aggressive look of a husky.
The visual mark was made in a strict black-and-white color scheme—a classic for hockey teams of that time. The dog’s head, enclosed in a circle, takes up the left side of the composition, with its profile facing right. Bold contrast lines create a recognizable silhouette of the breed: fluffy ears, a sharp gaze, and the characteristic aggression in its bared teeth. A thin white outline between the dog and the black circle enhances the sharpness and clarity of the image.
Next to it, the team name is displayed in large letters. “NORTH IOWA” is slightly smaller, while “HUSKIES” is emphasized through its size—larger and wider. The font reflects the style of hockey arena signs from the 1980s—heavy, sturdy, with slightly rounded corners to ensure readability, even from the stands.
The North Iowa Huskies were a young Tier I team, always striving for high-energy, fast-paced hockey, and their branding needed to match that spirit. That’s why they chose the husky—a breed known for endurance, speed, and a fierce fighting nature—qualities fitting for a hockey team where strength, aggression, and resilience are essential.
1989 – 1999
When the North Iowa Huskies decided to refresh their image in 1989, they added color and energy. The logo adopted a deep blue-green palette, bringing life to the familiar black-and-white design. The colors were chosen to align with the natural shades of Iowa—the green of its forests and the blue reminiscent of the state’s lakes.
The emblem still revolved around the husky’s head, depicted in its familiar right-facing profile, but now in a bold blue with white strokes. These strokes highlight the face, eyes, and mouth, making the husky appear more expressive and aggressive.
The words “NORTH IOWA” were now curved along the top—an entirely new move for the team. The font was thick, slightly rough, and massive, with green letters outlined in blue. Below, the word “HUSKIES” was placed straight and solidly, reinforcing the composition from the bottom and conveying the team’s stability and character. The letters remained angular, with a strong blue outline around the green interior.
The updated logo managed to merge the old concept with a more dynamic and vibrant execution, aligning with the image of a young, ambitious hockey team.
1999 – 2012
After relocating to Cedar Rapids in 1999, the former North Iowa Huskies took on a completely new identity. They became the RoughRiders—a name conceived by a local teacher from Roosevelt Middle School. He won a fan contest for the most original team name, turning the school mascot into the name of a USHL hockey club.
The emblem underwent a dramatic transformation compared to its predecessor. Its shape resembled a protective shield—a symbol of strong defense and fighting spirit. Across the top, on a green background, the team name “CEDAR RAPIDS ROUGHRIDERS” was boldly displayed. The font was elongated and sharp, with crisp white letters, giving the inscription a confident and slightly defiant look.
The central figure of the emblem became a horse—but not an ordinary one. This horse was clad in armor resembling hockey gear. It even had “hands” with five fingers, gripping a hockey stick as if ready to strike an opponent. The armor details were rendered in gray and black lines, creating a metallic feel of strength. The mane was jagged and spiky, adding dynamism and character to the horse’s image.
The primary colors were white and green. Green symbolized energy and determination, while white added contrast and freshness. Gray and black tones gave the armor a more realistic and solid appearance.
The visual mark strongly reflected a club focused on intense, hard-hitting play with a unique and distinctive style.
2013
With an updated logo in 2013, the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders aimed to add more vibrancy and a modern touch. Previously, the team had an armored hockey-playing horse with a stick, but a swift and aggressive horse replaced the symbol with a striking green mane.
The horse is depicted in a dynamic turn as if making a sudden change of direction on the ice. Its mane is green, thick, and sharply defined, appearing energetic and fresh. The face is outlined with sharp gray and white lines, emphasizing an expression of anger and a determined mindset—ready for intense play with no compromises or concessions to opponents. A green bridle with silver details completes the look, contrasting with the horse’s body’s main white and gray tones.
The team name is positioned below the image in two lines: “ROUGH” on top and “RIDERS” below. The letters are sharp, angular, white, and in green and gray outlines. Between the lines, a small inscription, “EST 1999,” serves as a reminder of the club’s founding year when the North Iowa Huskies moved to Cedar Rapids and became the RoughRiders, borrowing their name from the local Roosevelt Middle School.
The new symbol fits perfectly into the hockey team’s atmosphere, helping the RoughRiders establish themselves in the USHL and gain recognition among fans.
2014 – today
When the RoughRiders decided to update their emblem, the club retained the original concept but presented it in a different format. In the new design, they placed the horse from the previous logo inside a circle, surrounding it with the team’s name and clarifying that they are a hockey club.
The central figure of the emblem—the horse with a bright green mane—is set within a large black and gray circle. The circle visually divides the inner space, creating the impression of a three-dimensional badge or patch on a hockey uniform. The horse remains the same, with a determined character, sharp green lines in its mane, and dark accents on its eyes and mouth, making the silhouette bold and aggressive.
The team’s name frames the symbol from above and below—”ROUGH RIDERS” at the top, “HOCKEY CLUB” at the bottom. The font is clean, precise, and without excessive curves, giving it a solid and athletic look. The white letters stand out well against the black background, while a small green accent on the inscription “EST 1999” adds contrast and nods to the club’s founding date.
The team stayed true to its identity, combining the power and speed of the horse with its connection to hockey.
Cedar Rapids Hockey Logo