Colorful Jordans Take On New Meaning With Shoes4Hope

The UNC women's basketball coaches own an array of Jordans in a rainbow of colors, but it's a sure bet that they've never worn a pair like they'll have on their feet for Thursday's game against Pitt, courtesy of their own players and some very creative kids.

As part of the Shoes4Hope program, the Tar Heels spent a recent afternoon at UNC Children's Hospital taking six pairs of pure white Air Jordan 1's about as far as they could go in the other direction. "We did mountains, cats, rainbows, we talked about an elephant … it was just all over the place," freshman guard Sydney Barker said of the artistic plan she and her fellow painter took on. "The girl I was working with just went straight in so I was like, 'OK, let's do it.' It was really cool … normally you're really careful about your shoes, but it was just awesome to fully go in and have no worries about it."

All of the children who painted the shoes are oncology patients at UNC, either visiting the hospital for appointments and treatments, or currently receiving inpatient care. While several Tar Heels painted with kids in a hospital conference room, other players took shoes and headed up to rooms to paint with patients who couldn't come downstairs.

No J's like these J's 🎨😊 Catch them courtside at Carmichael on Thursday 🔗 https://t.co/8PFCllwbeW#GoHeels | #Shoes4Hope | @uncchildrens pic.twitter.com/f3jykNzlfp — Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) February 13, 2024

For the kids, and their parents, it was a welcome diversion from the reasons they're usually at the hospital. Laura Peña's 5-year-old daughter is being treated for leukemia. As the family made the hour drive from their home in Moore County to the hospital on Thursday, her daughter asked what kind of appointment was coming up that day. Peña relished being able to share with her the reason they were heading to the hospital, and tell her that her 11-year-old brother would get to paint as well. "They were racing on the way in here, having the greatest time," Peña said. "That goes to show how great they are here. When this whole journey started it was scary and unknown but now we come and we're used to the clinic, we know the people she sees."

And thanks to Shoes4Hope, some days a visit includes art with special guests.

Sophie Jurs is one of four UNC students who coordinate Carolina's Shoes4Hope effort, which also included the Tar Heel men's basketball team earlier this season and might now expand to other sports. The organization started at the University of Virginia and then spread to Virginia Tech and now UNC, with hopes of eventually including the rest of the Atlantic Coast Conference. In addition to Jurs, a senior from Gastonia, the core group includes Annie Allen Beard, a senior from Chapel Hill; Sammy Breschi, also a senior from Chapel Hill; and Ian Miller, a senior from Crownsville, Md. The group coordinates with the Children's Hospital and with the teams. In this case, the schedule worked out for kids to paint on an afternoon exactly a week prior to Thursday's Pitt game, when the shoes will be in action.

The players involved had a great time and flexed their creativity, as well as providing some basketball-shoe tips, like that painting the soles of the shoes might not be the greatest idea. Some of the young artists had mapped out the exact colorway and plan they wanted to execute ahead of time, while others went where their creative spark took them. In most cases, a different crew worked on each shoe, ensuring some riotous pairings. "Whoever has our pair, it will just be a great experience," Barker laughed.

The UNC coaches will get a peek at the shoes on Thursday afternoon at shootaround. After they're worn in the matchup with Pitt, the shoes will go up for auction, with proceeds benefiting the UNC Children's Hospital and its mission of supporting kids and their families throughout treatment.

"This was a big shock," said Peña, whose daughter was diagnosed at age 4. "But the things we've gotten to do and experience through this journey … it's not a group you want to be a part of, but it's an amazing group to be a part of, to know how strong families can be, how strong your kids can be."

The days when they don't have to be strong are special, too. While the kids were engrossed in painting, the parents got to watch their kids have fun, get a little messy and just relax. On Thursday, those who are able to attend the Pitt game will be recognized on the court and get to see their art projects on the coaches' feet, as well as catching the Tar Heels in action.

"It's really important to connect with our community and appreciate the people who are around us," junior center Maria Gakdeng said. "The kids were great – they were hilarious. It was just fun to get to know them and connect through our coaches getting to wear what they paint on the shoes."

"There's a lot of joy," Barker said as the project wrapped up. "It was just a great experience."

Players Mentioned

Sydney Barker

Maria Gakdeng

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