Thursday, February 21, 2008
Sports teams across the nation are putting in their two cents to raise awareness for cancer research and funding.
The Jayhawks are no exception.
Several teams at the University of Kansas have worked with cancer organizations to raise awareness. The most recent was the women’s basketball team’s involvement Sunday in the “Think Pink” breast cancer initiative. Teams and fans wore pink for the game. Across the country, more than 1,000 schools have participated in “Think Pink” games.
The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, or WBCA, started the “Think Pink” initiative last year after North Carolina State coach Kay Yow’s breast cancer returned. Yow had to take a leave of absence from her program, but came back later that season. The WBCA, Yow and the V Foundation, another cancer awareness and research program started by former North Caroline State men’s basketball coach Jim Valvano, worked together to start the Kay Yow WCBA Cancer Fund in December.
“Women’s basketball is becoming the medium to discuss the breast cancer cause,” said Beth Bath, CEO of the WCBA. “These young people and coaches are speaking out, and that’s been a positive effect of the whole initiative.”
Iowa State held a “Think Pink” men’s game Feb. 9 against Texas. The fans wore pink shirts and players wore pink shoelaces. Iowa State chose to have the event during a men’s basketball game because the wife of Iowa State coach Greg McDermott was diagnosed with cancer in 2005.
The Kansas men’s basketball team has also been involved in cancer awareness. Coach Bill Self and the rest of his staff wore sneakers to their Feb. 2 game at Colorado as part of Coaches vs. Cancer. In 2005, Kansas played St. Joseph’s University in the Jimmy V Classic, and played in the Coaches vs. Cancer preseason tournament in 2000.
Coaches vs. Cancer is a collaboration between the National Association of Basketball Coaches, or NABC, and the American Cancer Society. Reggie Minton, deputy executive director of the NABC, said some coaches, like Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, put their names on the line to raise money and awareness for the fight against cancer. Minton said Boeheim raised between $600,000 and $700,000 annually.
Other sports at the University have raised money for a larger organization. The volleyball and softball teams donated the funds they raised at events to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, a breast cancer awareness and research fund. The volleyball team’s “Dig for the Cure” asked fans to pledge an amount per dig. The softball team’s Jayhawk Pink Classic tournament asked fans for donations and featured pink bases on the diamond.
Susan G. Komen for the Cure works with many other high-profile groups to raise breast cancer awareness. Its most noted sporting event is Major League Baseball’s use of pink bats on Mother’s Day each year. Last year more than 200 MLB players used the bats, which were later auctioned off to raise more money for the charity.
Associate athletics director Jim Marchiony said that athletics were an important medium for spreading cancer awareness and healthy living.
“If we can educate people from a young age about lifestyle choices they can make to help reduce their risk, then we’re doing a great service,” he said.
—Edited by Madeline Hyden
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