A Unique Passion for Custom Sneakers

It seems like a kick, doesn’t it?

Physics teachers and soccer coaches from Long Island are gaining popularity, all due to their creative hobby of designing custom sneakers. John Vers, a gym teacher at Port Washington High School, shares that his students often notice his impressive collection of over 90 pairs, changing up their sneakers daily.

“I can always tell when I make eye contact with my students; their gaze drops straight to my shoes,” commented Baath, who serves as the head coach for the Vikings Varsity Girls Flag Football team as well as Weber Middle School’s football program.

Through word of mouth, Bath has crafted over 50 personalized sneakers, cleats, and even lacrosse gloves adorned with team names and logos for young athletes and some coaches on the island.

“Initially, I made cleats for my kids,” Bath, a 47-year-old father, explained. “My son was playing baseball, and he looked down at his shoes and exclaimed, ‘Wow, those are really cool!’ That was just the beginning.”

Back during the 2020 lockdown, Bath started his side hustle, Jackicks, with little to no artistic training, having previously only sketched as a child.

However, he was driven by a lifelong love for sneakers and a desire to hone his craft.

“I will never forget the first pair of Jordans I got in eighth grade – from that point on, I’ve been obsessed with sneakers,” Bath reminisced. “During COVID, I turned to YouTube to figure out how to design.”

He first tried out a pair of Adidas sneakers, using a technique that involved dunking shoes in a colored water bath, which ultimately proved his skills were solid.

Gradually, Bath transformed his basement into a workspace filled with airbrush tools, vinyl printers, and various sneaker-making equipment, investing about $1,000 in the process. “Once my wife saw the amount of fun I was having, she understood that I was making some cash from this,” he added.

When the workload increased, Bath’s sisters, who are graphic designers, began to offer him professional advice, sharing tips on how to make vinyl logos and use the right tools. As he meticulously painted and stenciled, each project began to take between six to eight hours to complete.

Using a precise knife, he carefully transitions designs from vinyl to the shoes themselves and then adds detailed finishing touches with airbrushing and hand-drawing.

“It might seem monotonous, but it’s incredibly relaxing for me,” Bath noted, mentioning that he ships his custom creations all over the country. “I can just turn on some music and lose myself in it for hours.”

His work captured the attention of friends of former Mets shortstop Jose Reyes, leading to a project that resulted in Reyes wearing a pair of Bath’s creations during the holidays.

In 2020, when Nike launched a collaboration with Ben and Jerry, their shoes quickly skyrocketed to prices around $2,000. Bath, however, crafted a DIY version using paint that cost him less than $10 to surprise his wife.

“Now, I often rely on my family to bounce around ideas and designs,” he explained. “Their positive reactions are a good indicator that I’ve done something right.”

Currently, Bath is also working on a special pair of “Simpsons” themed shoes for himself, pouring love and creativity into this project.

It’s clear this endeavor resonates well within Port Washington’s hallways. “Students frequently ask me if I can make them a pair,” Bath remarked. “I feel flattered, but I always say, ‘You have to check with your parents first.'”