the new crest

I sorta made the Academy Crest... I think it needs work but it has potential.. I would like to get the shiny look to the shield and add more depth to it but I need to learn more about this free vector software "Inkscape". If it was Illustrator I'm sure it would look better because I have used Illustrator for the past 5 years. I used Photoshop Elements and my Wacom to design the concept but I love the control I can get with vector art especialy for logos and such. Any comments? I would like some input especialy from a profetional artist.