‘If you look good, you play good’: Thunderbirds player to debut new custom kicks at home opener

The Thunderbirds season kicks off Friday, but one player’s shoes are stealing the spotlight.

The Halifax Thunderbirds kick off their season with a home game Friday night against the Oshawa Firewolves.

Ahead of opening night, defenceman Tyson Bell called John Connors at East Coast Kicks to help him find the perfect fashionable fit.

“I think if you look good, then you play good,” said Bell.

“I’ve been a sneakerhead pretty much my whole life. I like to express myself through my style of clothing, my shoes.”

Bell was searching for a new pair of sneakers for the season and wanted something a little bit different.

“So we just started back-and-forth, what he wanted for a base, so he came up with the Kobe all-orange pair,” said Connors.

Connors knew just the right person to call to customize the kicks – artist Austin Hepworth.

The original plan was to add 94, Bell’s jersey number, to the sneakers, but Hepworth had more ideas.

“I kinda reached out and asked, ‘What if we add some purple splatter on the mid-sole to give it some extra boost of purple’ and he loved the idea, so we did that,” said Hepworth.

When it comes to sports and style, Connors says athletes everywhere are raising the bar.

“It’s fun, it starts with the athletes even walking through the tunnel before games right, they all have their fit picks on and their nice shoes, nice attire then right on to the floor. They want a pair of shoes that are going to stand out,” he said.

Each of the Thunderbirds has their own style and personal preference.

“They’re just barefoot shoes, I’ve moved in that direction that last few years, in terms of strengthening my feet, trying to build a healthy body,” said defencemen Graeme Hossack about his game-day footwear.

“He’s [Bell] on top of being able to look good on the floor and I know that’s not my thing. So, I kinda stay in my lane, let him do his thing and he likes to let me know that too.”

So when the lights go up and the game begins, Connors and Hepworth will look for the sneakers they helped bring to life.

“I got tickets for me and my daughter to go watch the game. So, it’s going to be pretty cool to point them out and be like ‘Hey, we made those’ and watch the game from the stands and enjoy the evening,” said Connors.

“I also love lacrosse myself. I coach it, I played as well, so I’ve been involved with lacrosse for a while myself. So, being able to take my custom business and now having it seen on the National Lacrosse League floor, I think it’s going to be awesome for me on multiple levels,” said Hepworth.

The Thunderbirds home opener kicks off at 7 p.m. at the Scotiabank Centre and on TSN.

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