<body><div>SOUTH BEND — Jerry Barca, the 18-year-old artist behind Notre Dame football’s “Cleats for a Cause” project, has interesting plans for his major.“Still on the neuroscience path for sure,” said the Notre Dame freshman and former South Bend Saint Joseph High School basketball standout. “I didn’t want to make one of my hobbies a major because then I think you tire it out. I keep the creative juices flowing with art.”Starting in early June, Barca’s free time was mostly consumed by “Cleats for a Cause,” the community service project that benefits five area nonprofits. The online auction runs through 3 p.m. Saturday and features 11 sets of custom-painted cleats and a full roster’s worth of UnderArmour SlipSpeed shoes worn on the Victory March before the Sept. 21 win over Miami (Ohio).Barca was still putting the finishing touches on his distinctive work two nights before kickoff. His final brushstrokes went to coach Marcus Freeman’s kicks, and the details were gleaned from multiple visits to the football facility for planning purposes.“His coaching philosophy is ‘The Golden Standard,’ and then he also believes heavily in ‘One Play, One Life,’ “ Barca said. “I was able to go into their meeting room, and it had a 5-second play clock font. So, I took that, put it on the shoe, and then I put ‘The Golden Standard’ on the shoe.”Barca also sewed a small remnant of a football onto the back panel of Freeman’s shoe – “and that’s what I painted on.”Said Freeman: "I thought he did a wonderful job. The hours he put into the designs for all of the players, I know that took a long time to do. We’re grateful for his hard work. I thought the product was excellent."While still earning salutatorian status in his graduating class, Barca outfitted the men’s basketball team at Notre Dame with custom sneakers for their Jan. 27 game.He met Duke transfer quarterback Riley Leonard at that time, and Barca was at track practice doing the high jump later that spring when Leonard called the incoming freshman with an idea: Would Barca be willing to do something on an even larger scale for the second version of “Cleats for a Cause”?Leonard put Barca in touch with linebacker Jack Kiser, a fellow team captain who spearheaded the inaugural fundraiser back in 2022.“You can definitely see his want to improve the local community,” Barca said of Kiser. “He’s been a great help in this whole process.”<h2>Connecting with Notre Dame football players on \'Cleats for a Cause\'</h2>Barca was acknowledged on the field last Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium along with representatives from the Logan Center, South Bend Center for the Homeless, the Boys &amp; Girls Club of the Northern Indiana Corridor, the CASIE Center and Cultivate Food Rescue.“Being able to have worked with a lot of those charities in my high school career, it just makes this more special,” Barca said. “It’s great to see how Notre Dame is a force for good and can lift up everybody in the community with it.”Adon Shuler:After teachable moment, young safety earns respect from Notre Dame football coach, teammatesFor about two weeks in June, Barca would stop by periodically to huddle with key Irish players in their lounge area and get their input on personalized cleats.“It was a normal conversation, just trying to get to know them,” Barca said. “Being able to sit down and talk to them was awesome.”Barca, who won the Mental Attitude Award after helping the Huskies reach the IHSAA Class 3A state championship game in March, wasn’t there to gawk but to brainstorm with fellow student-athletes.“I like to take really small details that may not be super significant,” he said, “but if you see it on a shoe, you’re like, ‘Oh, you remembered that.’ Or I’ve researched something, and it’s like, ‘Oh, I didn’t even tell you that but it’s a part of who I am.’ “A series of quick interviews, most of them lasting no more than two or three minutes, helped Barca create meaningful pieces of art.That’s how Leonard’s cleats came to include the official logo of his hometown of Fairhope, Ala., with the depiction of a fishing rod connected to the “I” in Fairhope.For Kiser, who grew up on a farm in Royal Center, Ind., Barca crafted a landscape of a farm. Later, at Kiser’s urging, Barca added a checkered flag for the Indy 500 fan.For Clemson grad transfer Beaux Collins, a Los Angeles native, Barca included the names of two Collins associates from back home who have benefited from similar charities. Barca added a sunset at Collins’ urging along with the LA skyline.Barca, who shares a New Jersey upbringing with All-America defensive tackle Howard Cross III, created a graffiti-like stencil for Cross’ No. 56 jersey and added a special nod at Cross’ request.Jack Kiser:From sixth year at Notre Dame football to secret marriage proposal, Jack Kiser makes it work“He said, ‘Jersey Shore, throw a wave on there,’ “ Barca said. “I did this wave texture on both cleats in different colors.”The remaining cleats up for auction include personalized details for Rylie Mills, Mitchell Evans, Jordan Botelho, Jadarian Price, Jeremiyah Love, Benjamin Morrison and Jaylen Sneed.<h2>Creativity runs in the Barca family</h2>An artistic process that often saw Barca working until 1:30 in the morning, even during his first month of college classes, could be painstakingly precise and free flowing at the same time.“I only do one version; I don’t even sketch or draft anything up,” he said. “Whatever comes to me as I’m painting is what I put on the shoe. I go with the flow. I’ll usually think of the idea the night before and develop it, but it can take anywhere from 12 to 16 hours.”Once he gets on a roll, there’s no stopping him.“I’ll sit down for one day and I’ll work the whole day until I either get it done or get it in a spot where I have to do very little work the next day,” he said. “I don’t want to be exhausted at the end and rush it. I like to sit down and get one shoe done per day. Then I can really clear my thoughts and my head for the next design.”Barca credits Jen Firestone, a fine arts teacher at Saint Joe High, with sparking his interest in a shoe project as part of her art class.“She’s a commissioned artist herself,” Barca said. “She’s definitely helped me develop art skills.”Barca hopes to take an art class at Notre Dame, maybe in woodworking.“I just want to try something new,” he said. “Keep the hobby the hobby, something I do in my free time, so I don’t wear it out.”Creativity runs in his family. His namesake father has produced a string of successful documentaries, including “Hesburgh,” “Catholics vs. Convicts,” “The Last Days of Knight” and “Plimpton!”The elder Barca, a former journalist and 1999 Notre Dame graduate, now works as executive director of regional development for Notre Dame. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him,” the younger Barca said. “I had to go from watching him on TV all the time; now he watches me on TV. I definitely am trying to separate myself. I’m Jerry Barca the Shoe Guy. He can be Jerry Barca the film producer, the Notre Dame guy, but I’ll take the Shoe Guy.”Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for the South Bend Tribune and NDInsider.com. Follow him on social media @MikeBerardino.</div></body>

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Meet Jerry Barca 'the Shoe Guy.' Notre Dame freshman artist was the MVP of 'Cleats for a Cause'

SOUTH BEND — Jerry Barca, the 18-year-old artist behind Notre Dame football’s “Cleats for a Cause” project, has interesting plans for his major. “Still on the neuroscience path for sure,” said the Notre Dame freshman and former South Bend Saint Joseph High School basketball standout. “I didn’t want to make one of my hobbies a major because then I think you tire it out. I keep the creative juices flowing with art.”