Two basketball coaches to lose shoes for charity

Two basketball coaches are giving up their shoes to help raise money for children’s charities around the world, it has been reported in the Los Angeles Times.

According to the paper, John Smith, a coach at Riverside College was inspired by Ron Hunter, a basketball team manager in Indianapolis who guided his team through a match bare foot to raise money for shoes for children round the world.

Taking Hunter’s lead to throw off his trainers, Mr Smith inspired his friend and fellow coach, Allen Caveness to do the same to raise money for the Samaritans’ Feet organisation.

Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, Smith said: “The story of the kid who didn’t have a pair of shoes until he was nine years old just moves me.”

The charity began after an African boy was given his first pair of shoes by a stranger.

Since then the goal has been to collect as many pairs of Mizuno, Ecco and Hi-Tec shoes as possible to reach a target of ten million pairs over the next decade.

If you fancy contributing, or just need a new pair of shoes then plenty of brands such as Caterpillar and Merrell are available here at Fitness Footwear.