Giving Soles: More Than Just a Pair of Shoes

I'll never forget my first pair of Nike basketball shoes.

I was in fifth grade, growing up in a small town where my parents worked hard to provide for our family. We didn't have much extra money, and a cool pair of basketball shoes was something I always wanted but didn't necessarily need.

I still remember opening that shoebox, the smell of those brand-new shoes, and how it felt to lace them up for the first time. I felt like I could do anything.

Those shoes didn't make me a better basketball player, but they made me feel like one. They gave me confidence, made me feel special, and helped me believe that maybe one day I could become like the athletes I admired.

Looking back, I realize how much something so simple meant to me as a child. And that's what inspired us to start Giving Soles.

Through Competitor Performance Academy, we're launching Giving Soles with a mission to provide brand-new athletic shoes to children who might not otherwise have the opportunity to receive them.

Our first mission is partnering with Orlando Children's Church (OCC) for their annual Christmas party on December 12. Every year, approximately 200 children attend this special celebration, filled with games, food, presents, and opportunities to experience the joy of Christmas.

Our goal is to provide 300 pairs of brand-new athletic shoes so that no child goes without.

For some of these children, this could be their very first pair of brand-new athletic shoes. We want them to experience the same excitement, confidence, and hope I felt opening that shoebox all those years ago.

Through the generosity of our Competitor Performance Academy families, local businesses, friends, and supporters throughout Central Florida, we hope to make this goal a reality.

Every donation, no matter the amount, brings us closer to making this Christmas special for these kids. Along with monetary donations, we're collecting brand-new athletic shoes in sizes 5–12 through Competitor Performance Academy.

My hope is that Giving Soles continues to grow beyond this Christmas and becomes something our families, athletes, and community look forward to being part of every year, giving us more opportunities to help children in need.

But right now, we're focused on one mission: making sure these children have a brand-new pair of athletic shoes to open this Christmas.

Because sometimes a new pair of shoes is more than just a pair of shoes. It's confidence. It's hope. It's a reminder that someone cares about you and believes in you.

And maybe, just maybe, those shoes will carry a child toward dreams worth chasing.

Thank you for being part of our mission.

Coach Jeff Higuera

Founder, Giving Soles

Owner, Competitor Performance Academy