While every soccer player wears the same jersey, their game-day look stands out through their cleats. Ranging from bright pink to classic blues, every player’s choice of cleats has their own story.
“I like to stand out more when it comes to cleats,” Senior, Nick Kestian said, “usually picking colors that match my jersey or colors like pink, teal, white, or neon.” Kestian wears a pair of blue and orange cleats and another pair that are teal and pink. “I chose the blue because I wanted it to match with our home kit, I specifically wore those only at HSE.” Kestian said, “I wore the teal ones whenever we were away though, because I like the uniqueness in color. Helps me feel ‘fancier’.” By making Kestian pop out amongst teammates that are absorbed in a sea of matching royal blue, these vivid pink and teal cleats do just as intended.
Although Kestian chose his cleats to fulfill his need to stand out from the team’s uniform, Alfie Pratt, senior, chose a pair that complemented the jerseys with matching blue and white, while still displaying his personality. “I loved the color,” Pratt replied when asked why he chose these cleats, “and they match our school colors.” Pratt’s choice of cleats presents a “win-win” situation: he can showcase colors that personally appeal to him, while also proudly repping his school colors.
Pratt recalls a past pair of cleats that he customized to specifically represent his identity through his nationality. “When I was younger, I used to have the England flag printed on my cleats,” Pratt said, “It was a nice touch and gave my cleats more character.” This form of customization to his cleats allowed Pratt to display his English origin honorably. Kestian has yet to customize a pair of cleats to showcase his personality, “but, I think I might for my next pair.” Kestian predicted.
Due to soccer being a predominantly kicking sport, cleats are constantly utilized and therefore one of the most important aspects to a player’s uniform. “The cleats I wore this year were the cleats I bought last year thinking I was going to make the team. As I wore those to tryouts my junior year, I found out that I didn’t make the team,” Pratt remarked, “but when I made it this year it meant a lot that every time I looked down, the cleats on my feet were there for the highs and the lows.” A pair of cleats holds the story of its player. Every kick, every goal, every loss, every win; they are all bound to the cleats and tied to the laces.
