Hafsat Sirika started illustrating for polo by sketching jersey design ideas for her brothers on paper. But her talent quickly outgrew its beginnings, and now, her jersey designs have been a key part of major milestones for women’s polo in Nigeria, including the first women’s practice event, the first women’s exhibition during a Nigerian Polo Association tournament, and jerseys for a woman-led team for their first tournament.
Her impact goes beyond jerseys, too. She created the brand identity for Africa’s leading women’s polo publication, African Women’s Polo, and for Nigeria’s top polo photographer, YaxSportLens. These are impressive achievements, and it’s clear that Hafsat Sirika’s creative influence in the world of polo deserves recognition.
Hafsat is a seasoned polo player and member of the Rubicon Polo organization. She champions women’s polo and convened Nigeria’s first women’s polo practice weekend, which was held at the Rubicon Polo Resort, Abuja, Nigeria, in January 2024.
One thing I love about women in polo is how multifaceted we are. We’ll explore Hafsat’s design and illustration life in this series of off-field interests.
Early Life and Inspiration
Please share your earliest polo memory
One of my earliest memories of polo was when I watched my dad play in a tournament. I can’t remember which one, but it was at Guards Polo Club, Abuja, and I was about 5 years old. We took pictures during the cup presentation, and he gave me his trophy to take home with me, which, for some reason, was extremely exciting for me! I went on about how cool and brave he was playing a sport I considered dangerous on the way home. I remember feeling very proud of him, and that hasn’t changed since.
What sparked your interest in design, and how long have you been designing?
We used to have a pile of CDs on the TV stand at home, so I would take out the CDs and draw people, houses, and flowers inside the CD cases. Eventually, I began to focus more on dresses and started drawing on sheets of A4 paper as I watched cartoons all day, my dad would always complain because he never had enough paper to print his work at home. I’m not sure what sparked my interest in design, but I think art is something I was just born with because I’ve been illustrating, sketching, designing, painting, coloring, molding, and crafting for as long as I can remember. Like horses, art has always been a part of my life, and it’s something I can’t do without.
A gallery showing Hafsat’s Design range
Illustration Journey
Hafsat’s artistic talents extend beyond personal expression. She has designed jerseys for major milestones in Nigerian women’s polo, created the brand identity for African Women’s Polo magazine, and designed for YaxSportLens, a prominent polo photographer.
What came first? Design or polo? And when did you start playing polo?
Art definitely came first. I only decided I wanted to learn and play polo when I was 11, but I can’t remember my life before art.
What event or team was your first polo jersey design for?
My first polo jersey illustration was for our Rubicon ladies’ practice weekend.
Combining Passions
Do you think your passion for polo influenced your sports illustration path?
Definitely. Although jersey/sports illustration is just something I’m doing for fun for friends or myself, I may professionally take it up soon.
Can you walk us through your typical design process for a women’s polo jersey? And How do you incorporate feedback from athletes?
I create three draft templates for the client to choose from, then proceed with color and logo placements according to their preferences, or mine if they just let me wing it!
How does your knowledge of art, fashion, architecture, and design influence your design process for polo, especially for logos and jerseys?
To be honest, I just wing it with the jersey drafts, but I do get the client’s input, of course, on things like logo placement and color choices. I’ve had years of practice, so I do whatever comes to mind, and thankfully, my clients always love my ideas.
What do you love most about designing brand identity, jerseys, and illustrations for women’s polo, especially as a woman in polo?
For polo, I only illustrate the jerseys. I don’t go into the technicalities. My clients take the illustrations to jersey printing services like Abata Embroidery, AA Polo Equipment, or BBL Polo to bring them to life. But for my fashion illustrations, I’ve noticed that many people have a creative mind but lack the creative hands. I enjoy helping people in any way I can, and helping them depict their ideas through my work is one of those ways.
What do you enjoy most about designing polo jerseys and brand identities?
I love the fact that my two main passions are starting to blend into one another, and I’m able to showcase my artistic abilities on the polo field. I’ve been wanting to find a way to merge the two for a while now, and I think this is the beginning of me navigating that.
What software do you use for your designs?
The ‘Procreate’ app.
What inspires your designs?
Inspiration is present in all aspects of our daily lives if we pay close enough attention and feed our minds with the right things. Nothing particularly inspires me, but because I’m always watching fashion shows, keeping up with fashion news, looking at art, and connecting with other artists, my subconscious is a rabbit hole of ideas, and I think that’s where I get my inspiration.
You recently created the African Women’s Polo brand identity. What’s your favorite part of that design process?
To make this slightly more personal, Tope, the creator of AWP, is a good friend of mine with an equally creative mind, whom I recently met through polo. I enjoyed every step of the process and was truly honored when she asked me to design the logo! I liked exchanging ideas with her, and she gave a lot of input into the design process. There was a lot of back and forth, which is completely normal between an illustrator and a client, and I didn’t mind at all because I love helping my friends or working for them. She’s a go-getter with a big heart that empowers the people around her, and I think that is a beautiful trait to have.
Giving Back
Hafsat is passionate about promoting women’s polo in Nigeria. She believes in creating opportunities for women to compete and flourish in the sport. She is confident that through hard work and collaboration, women’s polo in Nigeria has a bright future.
Can you share some of your passion and aspirations for women’s polo?
I have many goals for women’s polo, some of which are not personal but for women’s polo in Nigeria. My main goal is to promote female inclusion and participation, and thankfully, several clubs and patrons across the country are open to the idea and fully support it! I believe that providing spaces and opportunities for us ladies to compete amongst ourselves is the only way we will truly flourish and push ourselves beyond what we think is our potential. With hard work, dedication, and the right attitudes and intentions, I’m confident that the other ladies and I can work together to achieve great things and unlock new doors for ourselves, and the girls who will come up in the sport after us.
How can people commission you for illustrations, including sports, fashion, and others…
I’m always a DM away! @hafsatsirika @hs.illustrations on Instagram. Kindly get straight to the point when DMing me so that your message doesn’t get lost in the mix, and I can prioritize it and get back to you as soon as possible.