Each year, NFL players take part in the My Cause My Cleats initiative to spread awareness and create conversations about causes that are near and dear to their hearts. By participating, players have the causes of their choosing put on a pair of custom cleats (which could also be auctioned off at a later date).
For this year’s initiative, Arizona Cardinals running back Chase Edmonds decided to pay tribute to the Girl Dad movement and have his cleats designed to honour it.
Edmonds took to social media Thursday night to share his reasoning for choosing the Girl Dad movement and specifically Girls Inc., an organization that builds itself on empowering and inspiring young girls and women.
The Girl Dad movement gained popularity earlier this year after the tragic passing of NBA superstar Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Bryant. Due to the strong connection Kobe and Gianna had, especially through basketball, many around the world became inspired by their bond and began sharing their support for the Girl Dad movement.
Along the cleats, there are roses spread about while the words “#GirlDad” are painted across the toes. On the outside of one cleat reads “Girls Inc.” while the other cleat has a young girl doing a cartwheel with a crown above her. The colour scheme for the cleats is pink, purple, and gold, which could be a possible nod to Kobe’s Lakers colours.
Edmonds, who is a father himself, decided to dedicate his cleats and continue to spread awareness for the empowerment of young girls.
