Coaches vs Cancer Event

In an effort to raise funds for the American Cancer Society, Yuba College basketball has teamed with over fifty other California Community Colleges with a goal of raising $50,000 by the end of the season.

The organization is known as Coaches vs. Cancer, and was started in 1993 by Norm Stewart of the University of Missouri. It has since spread throughout all of college basketball, and even into some high schools.

However, this is the first year that California Community Colleges will be involved. Athletic director Rod Bielby was invited to join by Howard Davis of Ventura College, and he was eager to be a part of it.

So on Wednesday, February 9th, half the admissions proceeds will be given to the American Cancer Society. There will also be volunteers available to take donations. To show support, the players from both Solano and Yuba will be wearing lavender wristbands (lavender is the general color for cancer awareness). According to Coach Cornelius, the coaches will, “wear dress clothes, but they also get to war tennis shoes,” representing one more step in the fight against cancer. Banners will be hung around the gym, and cancer survivors will be honored during halftime of the men’s game.

Ticket prices will be raised by one dollar for the evening. “I anticipate that we’ll give back to the cancer society at least $500,” said Bielby.

Come to the game Wednesday, and do your part in the fight against cancer.

 

Updated:  February 11, 2011

The Coaches vs. Cancer fundraising event was a huge success. There was a table in the lobby taking special donations, and announcements were made before and during both games.

At half-time of the men’s game it was announced that about $600 dollars was being donated to the American Cancer Society that night. Five hundred dollars of it was from admissions, and the other one hundred was donated. It was held Wednesday February 9, 2011, during the last regular season home game.

All the players wore purple wristbands; most wore two or three. The girls even had t-shirts that they wore before their game that said “Players vs. Cancer.” The coaches wore their sneakers.

 

Representative from the Yuba Sutter American Cancer Society, Teri Reifer, was there to congratulate cancer survivors and to thank those who had donated.

Athletic Director Rod Bielby says that he would like to see this become an annual event for Yuba Basketball. He hopes that it can grow as it continues. “Next year, maybe we could add a half-court shot type of thing,” says Bielby.