The sneaker industry is an amazing place to be in. Whether you’re in it for the hobby, to make money, or anything in between, you’ll find your niche. However, everyone comes together every year for a very important cause. You see, the Nike Doernbecher Freestyle program brings fun, style, and the big dreams of little people into one place. And this year marks the 19th edition of the partnership, with many awesome designs and heroes! So, let’s take a look at what the program is bringing to the table in 2023, shall we?
What’s Nike Doernbecher Freestyle?
In 2004, Nike and OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital came together to launch the Freestyle program. Every year since then, the program selects six awesome patients to design a collection each! The program then auctions the sneakers and apparel, with the profits going to the hospital. Nike Doernbecher has raised around $37 million since its inception in 2004!
Release Info
So here’s how things usually go. An auction usually takes place where the little designers reveal their designs. And this year, the auction took place on October 27, 2023, and raised $976,515 for the children’s hospital! Now, as to the release info that concerns us sneakerheads, the Doernbecher Freestyle XIX Collection will drop in December 2023. It will be available on Nike.com, Nike SNKRS, and at select Nike retailers throughout the U.S. Such retailers include Shoe Palace, DTLR, and Snipes. Finally, 100 percent of the profits will go to Doernbecher. That way, you’ll be shopping for a cause!
And if you wanna score a pair, you can always try to go manually. But why do that when you can try to skip that hassle and use a sneaker bot? An all-in-one sneaker bot like NSB can boost your chances of scoring any or all of these kicks and many more! All you have to do is get your copy today and read this guide to start your journey!
Nike Doernbecher Freestyle XIX – Meet This Year’s Heroes!
Christopher Musquiz Jr., 14 – Nike Go FlyEase
Positivity and courage can take you far in life! Chris decided to channel his love for the Japanese culture in his Go FlyEase design. The upper features a kimono-like wrap design and Mount Fuji on the tongue. But that’s not all, because on the inside of the shoe, you’ll find a panda hanging out with Chris himself on the beach! Now, the insole features the phrase “Smarter than you think”. That’s a nod to Chris’ love for math and the fact that he does 11th-grade algebra!
The collection includes: Nike Go FlyEase, Jersey, Cap
Garrett Amerson, 12 – Nike ACG Mountain Fly 2 Low
Garrett might have been born too early, but he grew up to be a very interesting young man! And you can see that from the outdoorsy design that he chose for his kicks. The upper is a nod to the Pacific Northwest, with a forest landscape, waterfalls, and Mount Hound in the background. The muddy sole is a very nice addition to the shoe so you’re not afraid of it getting dirty! Finally, the purple butterfly is a tribute to Garrett’s twin brother Kooper who didn’t survive. You see, the purple butterfly is placed on the incubator to signal that the baby was part of a multiple pregnancy.
The collection includes: Nike ACG Mountain Fly 2 Low, Windrunner, Cap
Hailey Leyva, 8 – Nike Air Max 1 ‘86
The Queen of Hearts decided to grace us with a shoe design this year. You see, Hailey might struggle with her heart condition, but she has a lot of heart going for her! And when we tell you that this little girl knows how to dress, we’re not joking. Her design is very pink, has a lot of hand-drawn hearts, and has a detachable gold chain that you can wear as a bracelet! It also comes with mix-and-match charms to keep things interesting… just like her! Finally, the sneaker’s tongue and the matching accessories feature a heart logo that is a replica of her special heart.
The collection includes: Nike Air Max 1 ‘86, Hoodie, Backpack
Hugo Covarrubias Molina, 14 – Air Jordan 3
Being different makes you special, and nobody sets a better example than Hugo! Hugo, aka “Juice”, is a Seattle Hawks fan, and brings some mean drip to the scene. His design features a dark navy upper and a wiry green drip. The translucent outsole features his message “It’s ok to be different”. And because our man likes bling, the hang tag is plated with 24-carat gold and can become a pendent!
The collection includes: Air Jordan 3, Hoodie, Pants
Macey Bodily, 15 – Nike Dunk High
Here we have one tough cookie who bakes some tasty chocolate chip cookies. While Macey’s design looks simple, it has a lot more details than meets the eye. For example, she hand-drew the flowers on the overlays, and the midsole features her favorite motivational quote. “She believed that she could, so she did”. Finally, you can find her special chocolate chip cookie recipe on the inside of the Dunk’s tongue!
The collection includes: Nike Dunk High, Hoodie, Crossbody Fanny Pack
Sydney Little, 14 – Nike Cortez
Swimming, painting, drawing, running backwards… Sydney is a jack of all trades! And her popping shoe reflects her personality to boot with her hand-drawn artwork. The hibiscus flower is a nod to the Hawaiian leis her team wears, and the sunset on the inside of the shoe is a replica of her own painting. The highlight though will be the glow-in-the-dark outsole and swoosh, along with the interchangeable heel patches!
The collection includes: Nike Cortez, T-shirt, Pants
