Behind the Brand

Where It Started

Hi, I’m Phil Hood. By day I’m working toward becoming a licensed architect, where graphic design has always been part of the job — materials, presentations, the whole visual package of a complete design. But After5 Athletics started somewhere much simpler: dyeing my own discs, because I loved certain brands’ stamp designs and figured if you’re going to bag something, it might as well make a statement.

That turned into ordering a custom jersey online, which turned into designing my own T-shirts just for fun. About a year ago, I partnered with some local disc golfers and a local disc golf store on a small series of jerseys — and I loved the process enough to know I wanted to keep going, my way, at my own pace. That’s After5.

How I Design

Most designs start the same way: I spot a pattern or another jersey I love, and I start picturing what it would look like on the course. From there I build a base and work outward — what colorways it could live in, who might want to wear it. I grew up studying professional sports jerseys, baseball and basketball especially — the bold, modern uniform redesigns the big leagues have been putting out lately are the kind of thing I’d love to make something worthy of one day.

Whatever the design, I care about getting the details right — colors that hold up on the course, fits that move with you, graphics that actually mean something to the people wearing them. Every order is a chance to work directly with someone on a design that’s genuinely theirs.

Life on the Course

I’ve been an athlete my whole life — 18 years of baseball, then college club water polo, and now disc golf, which I picked up in college in 2016 and started taking seriously in 2021 when I moved to Wilmington, NC. These days you’ll usually find me at Castle Hayne, my home course, or out at local weekly doubles events through the warmer months.

I compete because I love the self-improvement side of the sport, but the social side is just as big a draw — the Cape Fear disc golf community is about as warm and welcoming as it gets, and I travel with plenty of them to tournaments across the area.

Still Local, Still Family

After5 Athletics is run out of Wilmington, NC, by me and my family. My wife — also a graphic designer — handles a lot of the day-to-day: the website, social media, marketing. She’s a runner who’s fallen for pickleball since we moved here, and we get out and play together when we can. And our baby boy is, without question, the best morale support the business has.

As the brand grows, staying this hands-on and this local is the one thing I don’t want to lose. If you’re local — or just want to talk through an idea — I’d love to hear from you.

Questions People Ask