Paly Kicks

text by CAROLINE MOSTOFIZADEH and TYLER WONG design by CAMERON TOLAND

Stylish and functional footwear is a cruical part of any athlete’s season. Here are 14 Paly Athletes’ first choice of footwear.

KATH StEIN

Nike Mercurial Superfly 8 Elite FG

Senior Kath Stein plays soccer and wears the Nike Mercurial Superfly 8 Elite FG for her cleats. “I prioritize both comfort and appearance when buying cleats because I wear these shoes everyday and use them for a long time,” Stein said. “Shoe choice affects my performance; they enhance my play.”

Ikinasio Tupou

Under Armour Spotlight Lux MC LE Mid

Junior Ikinasio Tupou is a three star recruit, playing left tackle on the Paly football team. Tupou wears the Under Armour Men’s Spotlight Lux MC LE Mid cleats. “These shoes are very special to me because I got them from an exclusive camp sponsored by Under Armour,” Tupou said.

Alexa Pineda Nike Air Zoom Infinity Tour NEXT%

Alexa Pineda is a junior on the varsity girls golf team. Her favorite shoe for golfing are the Nike Air Zoom Infinity Tour NEXT%. “I chose [this shoe] because it helps me stabilize and not slip while I play,” Pineda said. “[The] Nike ones are comfortable, waterproof, and help me not slip.”

Ryan Kim

Nike Zoom Victory Waffle 5

Sophomore Ryan Kim uses Nike Zoom victory XC 5 waffle for cross country running. CIF Regulations prohibit runners from wearing spikes. This means that runner’s shoes must have adequate traction while also not weighing the runner down. “I really like the Nike Victory because they were light, but also had a bit of cushioning which felt really nice on my feet,” Kim said.

NikeCourt React Vapor NXT

Erin Li is a varsity girls tennis player and she chooses her shoes based on comfort and performance. She exclusively wears the Nike tennis shoes as they are comfortable and she likes to match with friends on the team. “When the [shoes] are new, they feel uncomfortable and I can’t run with them,” Li said. “[But] Once they are worn in, they feel amazing.”

Philip Santiago

Asics Jordan Burroughs Elite

Contrary to common belief, wrestlers use shoes as opposed to competing barefoot. Senior wrestler Philip Santiago uses Asics Jordan burrows. “The shoes are light but have good traction on the matt,” Santiago said. “Also, they are black and gold which goes with everything and looks cool.”