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New-Indy Catawba purchasing manager Chris Wade has found a special way to combine two of his passions: football and art. The Wilmington, N.C., native started painting at an early age but was forced to shelve his artistic activities when he enrolled in the U.S. Naval Academy, played linebacker for the Midshipmen, and served his country after graduating in 2004.
Chris restarted his painting a few years ago when he custom-painted a pair of shoes as a birthday gift for a friend. Word of Chris’s customized kicks spread and, through his football connections from his time at the Naval Academy, Chris got involved with the National Football League’s My Cause My Cleats (MCMC) initiative in 2021. MCMC is a league-wide initiative that allows NFL players, coaches, and staffs to champion causes important to them with custom-designed cleats and shoes. He collaborated with New England Patriots long snapper Joe Cardona to design a pair. In 2022, he designed six pairs of cleats for NFL players. This past season he produced 26 pairs of custom-made cleats and shoes for the Chicago Bears players and staff.
Customizing more than two dozen shoes takes time, dedication, and sacrifice for a man with a family. Each pair can take up to six hours to style. So, Chris uses his free time on nights and weekends in the fall for his hobby. Family members will even travel to help watch his kids while he works on his projects.
Chris’s talent and connections have brought him into the not only the NFL arena, but the music world as well. In 2023, he customized a pair of shoes for musician Dave Matthews. Chris and his wife, a Dave Matthews Band fan, were able to meet the singer/songwriter, hand-deliver the shoes, and watch the band perform in concert. Chris wants to expand his shoe-customization hobby with the NFL’s MCMC initiative to land projects with the Carolina Panthers, his favorite NFL team. What started as a birthday present for a friend has reignited his passion for painting and keeps him connected to the game of football.
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