For about two years now, the Dragon Feet Fund has helped several of our student athletes perform to the best of their abilities by providing proper shoes for those in need.

Dragon Feet began with help from PHS alumni Matt Knoll. After coaching at the collegiate level for several years, he wanted to come back to his hometown and give back. 

Knoll then visited with Jeff Staley, PHS athletic director, to decide the best way to do so. 

“[Knoll] originally wanted to send every athlete to camp for free,” Staley said. “Then, somehow, it turned into shoes, and we went for shoes.”

PHS has several students that qualify for free and reduced lunch. In other words, those families don’t have as much money as others. Those kids, who also play sports, might not have access to new sports shoes; and this is something that Knoll and Staley wanted to change. 

“A lot of our students can’t afford to buy athletic shoes,” Staley said. “They want to participate in sports, but they rely on generous people in this community to get them shoes. They are either hand-me-downs or slightly used shoes or something like that.” 

With help from Jock’s Nitch and generous donors, the Dragon Feet Fund has supplied 75 students with new shoes for their sport this last fall alone. 

“It was very important to Mr. Knoll that they experience shopping for shoes,” Staley said. “[The students] get to go to Jock’s Nitch and go shopping, and any pair of shoes that are in there they can get free of charge.”

If a student plays more than one sport, they will have the opportunity to get shoes for each season. 

“I have been so surprised at how many of our kids are using it,” Staley said. “We did not raise enough money [the first year]. But we had a breakthrough this year and it will now last forever.”

According to Staley, he and Knoll both want to reach as many students as possible without them feeling embarrassed, but they want to get the word out to as many people as possible so that they can use the fund if they are in need. 

“The families have all been very grateful,” Staley said. “It’s been a good thing. It’s a good feeling to know that they are wearing their own, new shoes.”