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Trail coach continues ACS fundraiser

This weekend marks the second annual Coaches vs. Cancer event at games throughout the Lackawanna League

Mauri Rapp Abington Journal Correspondent

This weekend, high school basketball coaches across the area will don sneakers with their suits during games, all in an effort to raise money for a good cause.

The second annual Coaches vs. Cancer will take place on Jan. 30 and 31 at Lackawanna League games to raise cancer awareness in the area.
   
Started locally last year by Lackawanna Trail boys’ basketball coach Andrew Kettel, the event mimics the annual NCAA event “Suits and Sneakers Awareness Weekend,” which is also slated for this weekend. Lackawanna League referees will also wear white instead of black sneakers, and will use pink whistles instead of the standard-issue white whistles.

During the event, students will collect donations and sell raffle tickets to benefit the American Cancer Society through the Coaches vs. Cancer initiative.

Kettel spearheaded the event during his first year as coach at Trail to honor then-senior Casey Cathrall’s father Joe, who was battling cancer and passed away later that year. Despite having only two weeks to plan the event, Kettel was still able to rally the participation of local coaches and referees.

“I had a very good feeling about it because of my relationship with the coaches and refs in the area,” Kettel said. “As soon as I asked, it was a no-brainer for them,”

Last year’s event was able to raise $2,500. This year, Kettel has stepped up the event, garnering the support of corporate sponsors. Kettel said that schools throughout the area are planning other activities, such as dress-down school days and three-point contests, to help promote the event. Lackawanna Trail student Nick Symuleski plans to sell t-shirts to raise money as part of his senior project.

Launched as a joint effort between the ACS and the National Association of Basketball Coaches, Coaches vs. Cancer was started in 1993 by cancer survivor Norm Stewart, who was then the basketball coach at University of Missouri. The School Initiative Program is the newest addition to the Coaches vs. Cancer program.

In the Lackawanna League, 24 games featuring 48 different high school teams, including both boys and girls basketball squads, will participate in the event. Kettel said that next year, he hopes to be able to spread the effort to schools in Luzerne County.

All money stays local to help cancer patients, survivors and research in Northeast Pennsylvania.

For more information on Coaches vs. Cancer, visit the ACS website at www.cancer.org. Click on “participate in events” and then click the link to Coaches vs. Cancer.