Some projects are about making something look cool (which I love), but others are about telling  stories that mean something.

Every year the Detroit Tigers have Strikeout Cancer weekend. Which is “an annual awareness and fundraising event at Comerica Park in collaboration with the Karmanos Cancer Institute. The multi-day initiative honors cancer survivors, remembers loved ones, and raises funds for research through specialty merchandise, themed games, and ticket packages.”

This strikeout project is especially meaningful because it continued a relationship I’ve had with the Detroit Tigers through custom cleat work. After designing Strike Out Cancer cleats for Kerry Carpenter, Will Vest, and Zach McKinstry for this same initiative last year, I had the opportunity to create a pair for Riley Greene in 2026 that honored his grandmother, Norma, also known as Nini.

The Project

The goal was to create a one-of-one pair of custom cleats that Riley could wear on the field while honoring his grandma and the impact she has had on his family.

Because the cleats were tied to breast cancer awareness, pink naturally became the main color story. But I wanted the design to go beyond the expected. Instead of making the cleats feel like a general awareness piece, I wanted them to feel specific to Riley, his grandma, and their family.

That meant building the design around personal details.

The Story Behind the Design

Riley is from Florida, so I pulled inspiration from Oviedo and the details that connect to where he grew up. I wanted the cleats to feel like they carried a little piece of home with them.

The design included Florida-inspired elements like waves, palm trees, specific birds, and chickens inspired by Oviedo. Those details gave the cleats more personality and made them feel less like a standard custom design and more like a personal tribute.

Every element had a reason.

The pink represented breast cancer awareness.
The Florida details represented home.
The birds, chickens, and waves added movement and storytelling.
The inside of the shoe carried the most personal detail: a ribbon with the last names of all the grandkids.

That hidden detail was one of my favorite parts of the project because it made the piece feel intimate. From the outside, people could see a bold pair of custom pink cleats. But up close, there was a deeper family story built into the artwork.

The Creative Challenge

The biggest challenge with athlete cleats is balancing meaning, visibility, function, and durability.

They need to look strong from a distance, especially on the field, but they also need enough detail to reward people who look closer. Since these were being worn in an actual game setting, the artwork had to be bold enough to read on camera while still holding the personal details that made the piece special.

I approached the design almost like a mini canvas, while still keeping in mind that cleats are performance footwear. With any custom cleat, there are rubber, plastic, and high-flex areas that I try to avoid painting whenever possible to help protect the durability of the artwork. The goal is always to create something visually strong without compromising how the shoe moves, wears, or functions.

The cleats needed to feel emotional without becoming too heavy. They needed to feel bright and hopeful while still honoring the seriousness of the cause. The pink color palette helped create that balance, while the Florida-inspired imagery brought in warmth, movement, and life.

Delivering The Final Cleats

One of the most meaningful parts of the project was delivering the cleats to Riley in person.

He was so grateful when he saw them, and that made the whole project even more special. He shared that after the game, he planned to give the cleats to his grandma. That moment really put the entire project into perspective for me.

As an artist, you hope the work connects with people, but hearing that these cleats were going to become a gift for the person they were created to honor made it feel even more personal. It turned the project from a custom pair of game-day cleats into something his family could keep, remember, and hold onto.

It also carries a message onto the field, gives fans something to connect with, and turns a game-day moment into something more personal.

Why Custom Cleats Matter

Custom cleats are powerful because they live at the intersection of sports, art, and identity. For athletes, they are a way to represent the people, places, causes, and stories that shaped them. For fans, they create a deeper connection to the player beyond the stats. For families, they become a visual reminder that their story is being carried into a major moment.

Riley’s cleats were created for Strike Out Cancer Weekend, but they were truly about honoring his grandma, Nini Norma, and the family connected to her. Every detail was designed with that story in mind, from the pink breast cancer awareness color palette to the Florida-inspired elements and the ribbon inside the shoe with the last names of all the grandkids.

Projects like this are why I love creating custom footwear. At Just by Juliana, each pair of custom-painted cleats or sneakers is designed to tell a story through hand-painted artwork, meaningful details, and one-of-a-kind design. Whether it is for a cause, a career milestone, a game-day moment, or a personal gift, custom cleats can become so much more than gear. They can become a tribute, a memory, and a way to bring someone’s story to life in a completely unexpected place.