Professional pickleball player Gabriel Tardio has been inundated with questions about his shoes from friends and family members.
Tardio is one of the most accomplished pickleball players in the world, ranking as high as No. 3 in the country in doubles. About five months ago, Tardio’s agent was put in contact with Eric Porter, founder of Stria Sport, a sneaker company that has had over 95 professional athletes wear its brand.
Porter and Tardio quickly connected.
“It’s been great so far,” Tardio said. “One of the reasons why I went with Eric was because he could really make anything happen.”
Anything includes a signature shoe for Tardio, called the G1CourtShoes, the first of its kind in pickleball, that released in July. Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States, and though the roots of the company are in basketball, the company wanted to expand.
Pickleball phenom Gabe Tardio gets his own signature shoe, the Stria Sport G1 pic.twitter.com/HdcUzKDcRg
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“Gabe is one of the best pickleball players in the world,” Porter said. “We felt he deserved his own shoe, so we brought it to life.
“We wanted to do a shoe that is right for that player. We felt partnering with Gabe and his team and getting Gabe’s feedback, who is one of the top players, was important in making a brand new shoe, and having him wear it is so special and so exciting.”
Porter, a Deerfield native, has always had an affinity for shoes and basketball. He played basketball at Loyola and Lake Forest College. His father would bring him back shoes that no one else had, which deepened his affection.
“I’m a total shoe nerd,” Porter said. “I read a ton of books growing up and was always was fascinated by the process of making a shoe.”
Stria also produces a basketball shoe that is light to support athletes better. He and his team test shoes for months to ensure that the quality is up to par.
“At the end of the day, we’re a smaller brand, and we only have one first impression,” Porter said.
Having already made a basketball shoe, Porter began thinking about expanding into pickleball. The company began collaborating with Tardio on his signature shoe, valuing his input at every step.
Porter noted that pickleball shares many similarities with basketball due to their similar lateral movements. Tardio’s signature shoe combines components of basketball and tennis shoes to ensure it’s sufficient for Tardio on the court. The company emphasizes ankle support for its G1 series.
Tardio and Porter hope the shoe is just the beginning.
“We’re trying to bring a basketball feeling into the pickleball market where the best pro basketball players have their own shoes,” Porter said. “Gabe cardio is one of the best pickleball players in the world, and we felt he deserved his own shoe, so we brought it to life.”