Tino Sneakerheads

Sneakerhead [snee-ker-hed]: A sneaker enthusiast

LISA ZIVANIC

sports editor

Sneakers have long been an integral aspect of basketball culture, with prevalent figures such as Michael Jordan, Lebron James and Steph Curry setting trends each time they step outside with a new pair. However, despite prevalence in pop culture, Tino has been slower to these trends, with very few seeking out the hottest, most sought after shoes and the ensuing rush that comes with the chase. In this article, two sneakerheads reminisce on their collections.

Kent Paris

Kent Paris, a chemistry teacher here at Cupertino High School, is much more than the Bill Nye type that meets the eye, having collected roughly 20 pairs of shoes. With about 65 percent of his shoe collection sneakers and the remainder dress shoes, Paris’ taste is far from that expected of the average teacher. Said Paris, “I have very eclectic shoes as well. So they’re very unique. At least I try to make it different. But I would say [my mxmtoon x Allbirds Sugar Rovers] are super out there.”

“I remember my first pair that I bought, I was in high school, and they were just a pair of dunks, high tops. And then the cool thing about it though, was that they glowed in the dark. And I remember I was in class this [was] my sophomore year or junior year, and my teacher had to turn off the lights for a presentation. And then my shoes were glowing and then all my peers next to me were like, ‘Whoa,’ they were all freaking out,” Paris said.

Despite buying a few pairs as an adolescent, Paris added that he did not get serious about collecting sneakers until the end of college when he was able to work more.

At the moment, Paris’ favorite shoes are the Jordan Paris Saint-Germain 4s, as they are a gift from his wife and include ‘Paris’ in the name. Despite the Jordan PSG 4s being his favorite, Paris mentioned, “The one pair of shoes that I want but it’d be impossible to get is the Nike Air Mags. They’re the shoes that are in Back to the Future.”

Although Paris’ pet peeve is the judging of others for how they treat their sneakers, as a seasoned sneaker collector himself, he emphasized a few pieces of advice to anyone looking to start their own collection: “Stor-

age and cleaning are usually the [most important]. And then other than that, enjoy them [...] Yeah, you can have the drippiest shoes in the world. But, if you’re not willing to walk in them or enjoy them, what’s the point?” said Paris.

Avery Garcia Manzo

Freshman Avery Garcia Manzo began collecting shoes back in December 2021.

In an interview conducted by Rishita Shah, Garcia Manzo said, “What made sneakers so interesting to collect is the people behind it and culture. What made me want to continue buying sneakers is the feeling of new shoes and the hype of it all.”

He currently owns four shoes, with his most expensive pair of shoes being the Air Jordan 4 Fire Reds which are sold for around $580. However, he added that despite being the most exclusive, they are not his favorite pair. Said Garcia Manzo, “My favorite shoe has to be the [Nike Dunk Low Michigan State]. I got them just randomly at a resale store and that’s where I started to buy more [sneakers].”

Since a total of four pairs is considered a smaller collection amongst sneakerheads, Garcia Manzo mentioned, “I’ve really just started to collect shoes. There’s really no point where you think you have a big enough collection. There’s always more sneakers to collect [...] My dream collection list would be too long, but I’m looking to have up to 20 pairs of sneakers by the end of high school.”

Despite the short amount of time he has been engaged in sneakerhead culture, he has become well-versed in the various ways collectors put their sneakers to use. Said Garcia Manzo, “[My pet peeve is] people that collect sneakers, never wear them and do nothing with them, [because it] ruins the chance of another person who wanted the sneaker and would have actually worn them. I would prefer people wear them unless they are trying to sell them, by any means don’t mess them up for the person buying them.”

When reflecting on other commmon aspects o f sneaker culture,

Garcia Manzo added, “Some resale stores [buy] them at retail and sell them at a higher price [...] but trust me, the feel ing is the best and worth the price.” As a growing sneakerhead himself, his advice to aspiring sneakerheads is short but meaningful. Said Garcia Manzo, “If you want to start to collect sneakers, save up money, find a good sneaker that interests you and go for it.”

“BUY WHAT INTERESTS YOU,

NOT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE TELL

YOU IS TRENDY. ”AVERY GARCIA MANZO