By Emma Thompson
Each year, sophomore Christian Ministry major Jaxon Smith hosts ‘Croc Madness’ on his Instagram page. This concept was created by Smith, combining eccentric footwear with a coveted basketball tradition.
“Over the years I have developed a fondness for crocs. I got my first pair in middle school and I found them comfy and easy so I just kept getting more. Soon, they were the only shoes I wore and I was building up a sort of collection. I started being known for my crocs and in 2022 and, with fourteen pairs, I started the first Croc Madness.”
This year was his third time hosting the annual tournament, and his collection has grown to 36 pairs.
“I have always loved March Madness and sports in general, so I thought why not combine that and Crocs together and let all my friends in on it. So, I started Croc Madness.”
Smith’s preparation process for Croc Madness is fairly intense, he begins by building a schedule that spans over a month.
“It outlines when everything needs to be done including seeding, scouting reports, bracket release, hype videos, and everything else. I plan out when everything will be made and posted. I try to build up anticipation to get everyone engaged and excited.”
He even creates graphics and interactive stories for his enthused followers to share. Smith’s dedication to this fun-filled event is extremely impressive, fueled by his genuine love for the brand. By placing the crocs in a tournament, Smith combines his passion for crocs with his love for people.
“Croc Madness actually sparks a lot of conversations and helps me engage with a lot of people. It brings me joy to see people getting behind their favorite “team” and supporting them and just coming together to enjoy something fun” said Smith.
Each year, the crocs are seeded and placed in a March madness style bracket, where the shoes are voted on throughout the month.
“…leading up to the actual tournament starting I do the seeding. I’ve done the seeding in different ways, but most of the time it is randomly generated to produce more upsets and remain unbiased” said Smith.
His 36 pairs of crocs range from Nerf to Lucky Charms to Winter ‘Croots’ and everything in between, creating a fun variety for the tournament.
“All 36 pairs have unique things about them. However, currently I’d say my favorite are the PAC-Man crocs that my girlfriend got me for Christmas. They made this year’s final four.”
The final four of this year was composed of all “newcomer” pairs, including: Woody, Buzz, Pac-Man, and McDonald’s. Not only that, but the championship was all Toy Story, pitting the Woody and Buzz Lightyear crocs against one another.
In the end, the Woody crocs won with a whopping 75% of votes, taking the title of 2024 champion.
“It was exciting to have an all Toy Story championship. The Woody and Buzz were my two newest pairs so it was cool to debut them practically in the tournament. Woody had a really tough route to win it all and it was fun, as always, to see people get involved and select their favorite” said Smith.
The previous Croc Madness champions are the Christmas Crocs (2022), and the Lightning McQueen crocs (2023).
Not only does Smith love crocs, but it is plain to see that he truly enjoys the fun, competitive community brought together by Croc Madness.
“Croc Madness helps me remember that life doesn’t always have to be serious and sometimes we can also just come together and have fun with something a little bit silly,” said Smith.
