From NBA legends to high school athletes, Nike has left an indelible mark not only on how athletes perform but also on how they look and express their individuality. In 1984, Michael Jordan’s iconic contract with Nike forever changed the game—on and off the court. Now, that legacy continues at Bishop O’Dowd and many high schools nationwide, where Nike sponsorships shape teams’ and individual players’ identities through their game and gear.
At Bishop O’Dowd, Nike’s influence is not just about style—it’s about performance and pride. With 23 sports teams, from baseball to volleyball, the majority of athletes wear Nike uniforms, each player embodying a small piece of the sports giant’s legacy. But while their uniforms may match, their footwear often tells a personal story.
High school athletes are increasingly choosing to customize their cleats and other equipment. Players like football player Deji Ajose 25′ added personal touches while following team rules. The O’Dowd football team has color codes for home and away games: black cleats for home games and white for away games. While many team members wear Nike-branded cleats like Vapors or Jordan Ones, Ajose stands out thanks to his custom Off-White Jordans, which bring out his unique style and dedication to his sport. Ajose recently put on a spectacular display against Monte Vista High School, recording over 100 receiving yards and two touchdowns with these cleats on. “I’ve always valued the motto: Look good, feel good, play good.” My cleats are a statement of who I am as a person and player; they are more than just shoes,” said Deji Ajose.
Sliding onto the diamond, the Dragon’s baseball team does not have a dress code for their color cleats. While baseball players have to wear cleats like football players, they have metal spikes on the bottom of their shoes. A popular model of cleats in baseball is the Nike Alpha Huarache Elite 4 low cleats. One player on the team that wears these is Vander Cole 25.’ Vander plays third base and has a cannon of an arm. Vander wears this model of cleats because they are comfortable but after a while, they get narrow and compress his feet. “I love the style and they look good on my feet. I am basic when it comes to colors and I have a pair of both white and black cleats. Even though these colors are basic, they represent the school colors of our school and it helps me perform in my best form,” said Vander Cole.
Switching sets to the volleyball court, the women’s volleyball has a rich history of winning games. Similar to the baseball team, they do not have a dress code when it comes to the color of their shoes. For volleyball, footwear needs to have both grip and comfortability. One player from the volleyball team is Aaryn Johnson 25’. Since the volleyball team does not require their players to wear a specific kind of shoe, Aaryn wears the basketball shoe Way of Wade 12. Instead of wearing Nike shoes, she wears a modeled basketball shoe from another famous NBA player Dwaynew Wade. The color of her shoes is blue because it is the color of her club team and it represents her other team or pod. Aaryn explains, “These shoes have great traction and change of direction when I am playing. Not only that it gives me a boost for when I jump. I enjoy the color blue and it makes my feet stand out on the court and it represents the other team that I care about.”
Staying on the court, the O’Dowd men’s basketball team is active all year long and works hard so that they see success. That means they have great chemistry and are unified as a team. With the Nike sponsorship, they all are supplied with their game shoes and match together for game day to represent unity. The model shoes they wear are KD 16’s and the color of them is yellow to represent the gold in O’Dowd colors. Chris Jackson 25’ is a fantastic point guard and contributes significantly to the team. “I like the fact that we are supplied with the shoes we wear on our feet for game day. It represents our bond and harmony as a team. The KD 16s are comfortable on my feet and have a terrific grip on the court. The yellow goes great with our uniforms to represent O’Dowd,” said Chris Jackson.
Kicking it back to the field, the women’s soccer team for O’Dowd team has a talented roster. The team does not require a certain brand or color for their cleats. On the field, the soccer team lights up the field with the color of various cleats and models. The majority of their players freely express themselves with their cleats. Abby Forgsgren 26’ wears blue and green Nike Phantom Lunas. These cleats stand out during the night especially when it is dark and the moon is shining down on the field. “The bright colors of my cleats highlight myself out on the field when I play. I have been wearing these for quite some time and they have naturally adjusted to my foot. I feel good playing in them, especially during night games,” describes Abby Forgsgren.
Nike’s impact at Bishop O’Dowd extends well beyond the brand and has shaped the way athletes compete, express themselves, and represent teamwork, becoming a key component of the school’s athletic identity. Every player finds a way to combine their individual style with team spirit, whether it’s wearing brilliantly personalized cleats on the soccer field or the matching yellow KD 16s on the basketball court. High school players like Chris Jackson, Abby Forgsgren, Aaryn Johnson, Vander Cole, and Deji Ajose show that athletic apparel is more than just a means of mobility; it’s a platform for personal expression that connects individual narratives to the team spirit of O’Dowd’s teams.
