The story is about two Moms who started their own business serving a need. The main story is how they built their business.
But it is what their business is for . . .
Smelly Soccer Feet.
Here’s the full story: Skunkies: Two Boomer Moms Reinvent Themselves Over Smelly Feet.
It’s the usual odor problem from bacteria inside shoes.
Meet New Jersey soccer moms Jill Levin and Annemarie McCartney, both boomers credited with solving the problem of stinky kids’ feet. As a mom myself, I get this problem. In fact, if you want to get it too, just join me when I have carpool duty and half the boys soccer team removes its cleats and shin guards in my car after a practice. Even the dog wants out, and her favorite thing in the world is rolling around in some other dog’s poop. She at least has the option of straining her neck out the window to escape the smell. Moms? We are in the car, windows rolled down to limited avail.
Their solution are these little sachets to control/mask the odor.
Note that these sachets do not eliminate the bacteria. Next time the kids play soccer, they put their feet right back into that bacteriological soup that’s been feeding on the kids’ sweat and old dead skin cells. Mmmmmmm, good.
I have a different solution: why not just get to the root cause and play soccer in bare feet?
It’s played that way the world over (though not necessarily when “organized” by adults). You really don’t need to wear cleats—in fact it is probably safer when cleats cannot be dug (accidentally or on purpose) into another player’s leg.
I also found a couple of barefoot soccer marathons.
Here’s one in Glen Ellyn, IL:
Barefoot Soccer for Barefoot Kids, two indoor youth soccer tournaments, raised funds to send children’s athletic shoes to Africa. Local Scout Joseph Lanzillo, 17, of Glen Ellyn held the shoe collection and soccer tournaments as his Eagle Service Project, to support Coaches Across Continents in their development work in African communities, using soccer as a tool to develop relationships and teamwork.
Sigh. Another charity that seems to think that shoeing kids will help Africa.
And looking at a picture from the event, it seems they don’t even really know what “barefoot” means:
"Barefoot" Soccer in Glen Ellyn
What possible use could those footies serve. As first I thought they might have been playing a version of “Shirts & Skins”, but “Shoes & Soles”, but that’s not it either.
Contrast that with another charity, 24 Hours of Barefoot Soccer in Wellesley, MA. These folks were raising money for help prevent AIDS in Africa. Much better.
And the soccer looked much better, too:
Barefoot Soccer in Wellesley
These folks really do know what “barefoot” means.
By the way, such barefoot soccer really is safe, and also really strengthens the feet. It is perfect exercise. And for just a bit of bonus coverage, here’s a link to a short article on exactly that: Barefoot training to prevent injuries.
Nice link. The irony was that before I left it, I got a pop-up advertising one of those oxymoronic “barefoot” running shoes. Keep up the good work, we shall overcome.
You are so right Bob! Barefoot soccer would be the obvious solution to the problem, but I guess there’s no money to be made in children running around in their bare feet. As you point out, it works for charity events, but I guess that may have more to do with sponsors plugging for free ads (Read “TOMS Shoes”). Yes Bob, this is just plain disgusting in so many ways.
Even the most overprotective parents should not really be against kids playing soccer barefoot. A football pitch is soft grass or artificial turf, carefully maintained. There should be no dreaded glass shards or other real or imagined dangers to bare feet. The absence of cleats should make the game much safer too.
If only common sense could always prevail!