This weekend (Jan. 27-29) head and assistant basketball coaches across the U.S. will swap their loafers for sneakers during the 9th annual Coaches vs. Cancer Suits & Sneakers weekend, an effort to bring awareness to the American Cancer Society's vision of a world with less cancer and more birthdays.
"We are excited that basketball coaches nationwide are joining in the fight against this deadly disease," said Cynthia M. LeBlanc Ed.D, the volunteer board chair of the American Cancer Society. "Coaches are truly influential celebrities within their communities; they can reach fans and share important information about reducing the risk of cancer by encouraging healthy lifestyle choices."
Both high school and college basketball coaches will lace up their sneakers to spotlight the fact that cancer remains a major health concern and everyone can take daily steps to reduce their risk of the disease.
Wearing sneakers is much more than a fashion statement; it's visual reminder from the coaches that prevention is key when it comes to blocking cancer before it takes center court in our lives.
"This is so much more important than just a game," says St. Joseph head coach, Phil Martelli, the 2011-2012 chair of the Coaches vs. Cancer 23-member council. "This is a matter of life and death, and by participating coaches have a chance to make a real impact."
Coaches vs. Cancer is a collaborative initiative of the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), empowering coaches, their teams and local communities to make a difference in the fight against cancer.
Since 1993 the initiative has raised more than $75 million dollars to fund groundbreaking research, provide up-to-date cancer literacy, advocate for public health policies and deliver services to improve the quality of life for patients and their families.
Fans may support this cause by texting COACH to 20222 from any wireless phone to make a $5.00 donation toward Coaches vs. Cancer and help in the search for a cure. For more information, visit the Coaches vs. Cancer Facebook page, www.facebook.com/coachesvscancer.
This year, Coaches vs. Cancer will also launch a new promotion, "National Sneakers Day", on Friday, January 27, to kick off Suits and Sneakers Weekend. Similarly to coaches wearing sneakers on the sidelines, we ask you to wear your favorite sneakers to work in support of Coaches vs. Cancer and encourage your colleagues to do the same.
About the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; by helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation's largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.5 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us anytime, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org
About the National Association of Basketball Coaches
Located in Kansas City, Missouri, the NABC was founded in 1927 by Forrest "Phog" Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as Guardians of the Game. The NABC currently has nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men's basketball coaches. All members of the NABC are expected to uphold the core values of being a Guardian of the Game by bringing attention to the positive aspects of the sport of basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and athletic lives of today's student-athletes. The four core values of being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and education. Additional information about the NABC, its programs and membership, can be found at www.nabc.org.