There is an art to collecting sneakers, whether it be keeping ‘em on ice or showing off. Some might think that wearing a different pair of shoes every day is a waste of money or just insane. But for others, sneakers are more than just something that they wear they are how you tell your story. Taking pride in ones sneakers is a big deal.

There are not many true sneakerheads. Despite having a lot of sneakers, a sneakerhead knows a lot about the history of shoes and their values. The sneaker game has changed drastically over the years as being able to buy sneakers has become much easier to do. Online stores and now apps such as StockX have become very popular when buying and even selling sneakers. Selling sneakers has become very popular in recent years. But being a real sneakerhead means keeping them to add to the collection.

“I don’t purchase shoes to resale or to make a profit or to trade. I actually wear my shoes or keep ’em on ice for the right occasion,” said middle school P.E. teacher and high school basketball coach Jon Hardy. When you keep a sneaker on ice it means that you save them by not wearing them.

“The Kobe’s I wore our last JV game have been on ice since his last game in 2016,” said Hardy.

Getting into liking sneakers is different for everyone. Whether you are born a sneakerhead or your new to the sneaker life, it really just depends on the person. Celebrities and athletes can have a big impact especially when they have their own signature shoe such as LeBron, Durant, Kobe and many more.

“I got into shoes with the early Lebrons and Kobes and just by watching Youtube videos of peoples collections and the history behind the shoes,” said sophomore Jackson Shanker. One of the people who really changed what sneakers were all about was none other than Michael Jordan. Jordan was threatened to be fined $5,000 per game by the NBA when his shoes were not the right colorway of the Chicago Bulls. Jordan has been one the most influential figures in the sneaker culture. He has his own brand and has some of the most popular shoes to this day.

“Some of my favorite shoes are Jordans, such as the Jordan retro 11 and the Jordan retro 13,” said junior Deuce Harris.

One of the biggest parts of the sneaker game is the sneakers can be pretty expensive. Buying sneakers is more than just spending money. Sneakers are how you can share your personality and how you make your identity.