Tag: Coaches vs. Cancer

Virginia basketball coaches sport hand-painted sneakers in support of Shoes for Hope

There were some special shoes on the sidelines in Charlottesville on Saturday.

If you saw the Virginia sidelines at the men’s basketball against Boston College on Saturday afternoon, you may have noted something unusual. The coaching staff for the No. 7 Cavaliers all sported sneakers and suits for the annual Coaches vs. Cancer partnership between the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the American Cancer Society.

This year, the sneakers for Virginia were extra special. Fourth-year pre-med student Ben Harold spearheaded Shoes for Hope, an initiative that had young cancer patients at UVA’s hospital hand paint pairs of Nike Air Force Ones. Members of Virginia’s team and coaching staff — along with the Virginia women’s basketball team — joined the event. The coaches then donned the special pairs for Saturday’s game against the Eagles.

“The honor the children, the patients who are battling cancer. They decorated all the coaches’ shoes,” Virginia head coach Tony Bennett said of the sneakers. “We sat with them [the families and patients] … and it was was really powerful to have them come together. It was good for the families and to see this take off.”

The game-worn sneakers will now be auctioned off to raise money to support cancer research.

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Coaches vs. Cancer golf auction features rounds with college legends at Pinehurst, Winged Foot and more

The Member for a Day Coaches vs. Cancer Auction presented by MGM Resorts is loaded with rounds of golf at incredible courses.

Coaches vs. Cancer has been uniting college basketball coaches and fans nationwide in the battle to cure cancer for more than 25 years.

This year, 102 college basketball coaches, personalities, and even a few celebrities are getting involved with the Member for a Day Coaches vs. Cancer Auction presented by MGM Resorts, a charity golf auction involving exclusive MGM Resort packages and rounds at some of the best golf courses the United States has to offer.

One of those involved is Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger, who has two items available: A round with Lon Kruger at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas, the No. 11-ranked course in Golfweek’s Top 200 Modern) + MGM Package, and a round with Lon Kruger at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma, ranked No. 36 in Golfweek’s Top 200 Classic.

“We see this being hugely successful in year one, but imagining where it can go in year two and year three is really exciting,” said Kruger, who was the head coach at UNLV for seven years prior to going to the Sooners. He is the founder and chairman of the Coaches vs. Cancer Las Vegas Golf Classic, which has raised more $3.5 million over the last 11 years. “People like contributing to the fight against cancer. Everyone’s been touched by cancer. It’s a good team effort.

“It’s always important to donate, but especially now with the pandemic. Whether it be the American Cancer Society, or heart association, or any of the really significant causes, they’re struggling. This auction event came about because the ACS needs more funds because cancer keeps attacking and we need to generate addition funds especially at this time.”

Here are some of the other high-profile rounds up for auction:

  • Roy Williams at Pinehurst No. 2 or Biltmore Forest
  • Bobby Hurley at Country Club at DC Ranch
  • Rick Pitino at Winged Foot
  • Ken Griffey Jr. at Michael Jordan’s Grove XXIII
  • Jim Boeheim at Onondaga Country Club
  • Bruce Pearl at Willow Point
  • Bob Stoops at Jimmie Austin Golf Club
  • Pat Perez at Shadow Creek + MGM package
  • Jim Calhoun at Point Judith Country Club
  • Bill Raftery at Baltusrol Golf Course
  • Jay Bilas at Charlotte Country Club
  • Tim Miles and Larry the Cable Guy at ArborLinks Golf Club

According to Eric Sedransk, founder of Member for a Day, a nonprofit fundraising platform focused on once in a lifetime rounds of golf, more than $80,000 was raised for cancer research in the first 24 hours. Six months ago, Sedransk launched his first charity golf auction in support of hospital frontline workers affected by COVID-19.

Find out more about Coaches vs. Cancer here and check out all the items available here. Bidding will end on Friday, Nov. 27, 2020, at 9 p.m. ET.

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