Every designer has memorable projects that push them forward in their craft. Designing the torch for the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games is a milestone project for me.
About a year before the Games, the USA Games Local Organizing Committee (LOC) reached out and asked if Will Customized Products could produce the torch. Our answer was immediate: absolutely. After spending more than a decade designing for Special Olympics, I have built strong relationships with its athletes, law enforcement officers, and staff. Over those years I have had the opportunity to design countless pieces, but this felt different from the moment the conversation began.
The torch isn’t simply another product. It becomes one of the most recognizable symbols of the Games. It travels across the country during the Law Enforcement Torch Run® (LETR) for Special Olympics Final Leg, carried by officers and athletes who are helping spread the message of inclusion, courage, and hope. It represents decades of tradition and eventually becomes the centerpiece of one of the most emotional moments of the Opening Ceremony. Knowing something I created would become part of that was both exciting and incredibly humbling.
Before I ever opened Illustrator or started sketching ideas, I knew we needed to understand exactly what the torch represented. Our team spent time researching the history of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics and talking with officers who had carried the Flame of Hope in previous years. Their stories gave me a new appreciation for what the torch symbolizes. It is not just a flame, but a bond between a law enforcement officers and Special Olympics athletes.
Working with John Newnan (LOC Torch Run Manager) and Mary Horwath (Chief Marketing Officer) became one of the most integral parts of the project. John helped us understand the traditions and history that needed to be honored, while Mary had an incredible way of describing the emotions and imagery she envisioned without ever telling me exactly what to design. Instead of giving me answers, they gave me direction and guidance. That creative freedom made all the difference.
Then came the part that was both exhilarating and intimidating. I had to figure out how to design a torch.
Most of my career has been spent creating in the two-dimensional space. Shirts, logos, websites, branding materials...all things viewed from the front. A torch is very different. It must be experienced from every angle. There isn’t a template or tutorial called How to Design an Olympic Torch for Dummies, so I found myself learning an entirely new way of thinking.
I also leaned on Kevin Ullrich, our Special Olympics Account Manager. Having partnered with Special Olympics for more than 35 years, Will Customized Products had been gifted torches over the years, giving us a unique opportunity to study previous pieces. How did the artwork wrap around the curves? What details were visible while someone was carrying it? I wasn’t just designing something people would look at. I was designing something people would hold and run with.
That also meant learning about things I’d never considered before. Suddenly Kevin and I were thinking about weight distribution, manufacturing limitations, heat resistance, wick size, and carving texture. We worked closely with the manufacturer throughout the process, and we quickly realized this project was equal parts graphic design and industrial design. Every decision had to be both beautiful, safe, and functional down to the last ounce.
As the brainstorming sessions continued with the committee, a few themes consistently rose to the top. The torch needed to celebrate Minnesota’s landscape, be a call out to all champions to follow the flame, and honor the relationship between athletes and law enforcement. It also needed to capture movement because this torch would travel farther than any of those before it. Those ideas became the foundation for everything that followed.
The early concepts looked nothing like the final design. I explored literal illustrations of Minnesota landmarks, experimented with textures inspired by its thousands of lakes, and even looked at topographical maps and road systems for inspiration. Some concepts were too detailed, while others felt too abstract. Each sketch taught us something, but none of them felt quite right yet.
Like every creative project, there came a point where I felt stuck. How could we represent water without making it look like ocean waves? Could the shape of the torch itself communicate movement without making it awkward or unsafe to carry? The color palette was another evolution. We explored a variety of possibilities before ultimately deciding that restraint would make the design stronger. Sometimes the hardest part of designing is knowing when to stop adding and let the story speak for itself. Inspired by Minnesota’s rich iron ore, in the end, the primary finish conveyed strength.
Then one day, something clicked.
I had been searching for a way to make Minnesota’s waterways feel more dynamic when I realized that flames and water actually move in very similar ways. They twist. They flow. They rise. Once I made that connection, the entire design began to reveal itself. The movement of water naturally evolved into the movement of flame, flowing upward toward the North Star. Not only a symbol of Minnesota, but a beacon or call to champions. It was one of those rare moments where months of work suddenly made perfect sense.
That breakthrough also pushed me into another area of design I had never explored before. I began using 3D rendering software to transform my sketches into something that showed depth. Those renderings became invaluable because they allowed us to understand how the carved surfaces would catch shadows, how the textures would wrap around the torch, and how the overall composition would feel in someone’s hand. Once I had the individual elements rendered, I brought them back into Photoshop to continue refining every transition until the torch finally felt cohesive.
After months of sketches, revisions, renderings, and collaboration, the final files were sent to the manufacturer.
Then came the waiting.
I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous to see one of my own designs. Questions kept running through my head. Would the carved details have enough depth? Would the finish and look the way we imagined? Would it be comfortable to hold?
The first time I held the finished torch, I honestly teared up.
It’s difficult to describe what that moment felt like. Months of ideas, frustrations, breakthroughs, and revisions suddenly became something real. It was an object with weight and texture in my hands. More importantly, it represented an organization that has meant so much to me throughout my career. It reinvigorated my love I have for design and all its challenges.
Seeing the torch lit and carried into the USA Games felt like it went in slow motion. Standing there, watching athletes carry something that had started as a blank page on my computer was surreal. At that moment, the torch became part of a much bigger story. I was thinking about the people holding it. The athletes who inspire everyone around them and the officers who dedicate countless hours to supporting the movement. I was incredibly grateful to have played a small role in it. Every designer hopes to create work that leaves an impression, but few have the opportunity to create something that symbolizes hope, bravery, and inclusion on such a large stage.
Looking back now, I am so glad this project pushed me outside of my comfort zone and reminded me that the best creative work almost always comes through collaboration. John, Mary, Kevin, the USA Games team, the manufacturer, and everyone involved made the final design stronger than anything I could have created on my own. Thank you to the USA Games Local Organizing Committee for trusting me with this.
This project didn’t just push me as a designer, but it also opened a new chapter for Will Customized Products. Now we able to bring custom torches, medals, awards, and other recognition products to life.
Designing the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games Torch wasn’t simply another project but instead a reminder of why I became a designer in the first place.
Will Customized Products is proud to serve as an official LETR Pro-Partner and the authorized producer of Law Enforcement Torch Run® torches. Whether you’re looking to create a custom torch for your local Final Leg, anniversary celebration, or special event, or simply need to order an official LETR torch, Jessi and her team are ready to help bring your vision to life. To learn more or begin the process, visit the LETR Pro-Partner page.