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Coaches
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Men’s basketball coach Ernie
Kent, whose father recently died
from cancer, said he thinks Val
vano’s battle with cancer and
eventual death drew more atten
tion to the disease and also
helped the program get started.
University of Kansas basketball
coach Roy Williams spearheaded
building the program after he col
lapsed on an airplane and was lat
er discovered to have cancer.
Cancer is the second leading
cause of death in the United
States, and the ACS predicts
about 552,200 Americans will die
this year — 1,500 people per day.
Since Kent was named head
coach in April 1997, his team has
participated in the program ever
season. He said the organizers do
a good job promoting the program
and recruiting sponsors.
Each year, members of the ACS
organize a “tip-off” breakfast,
which both Kent and Runge at
tend. Guests at the breakfast are
encouraged to pledge either a flat
amount or a dollar figure per
three-point basket made for the
upcoming season. The pledge
forms are available at McArthur
Court and the athletic department
and are distributed at local busi
nesses, such as U-Lane-O Credit
Union and U.S. Bank.
At the end of the season, the
ACS bills pledgers, multiplying
the number of three-point baskets
the sponsored team made and the
amount the donor pledged at the
beginning of the season. This sea
son, the women’s team scored 103
three-point baskets, and the men
scored 186.
Jeanne Havercroft, who is the
resource acquisition specialist for
the southern region of the north
west division of the ACS, said this
year’s pledges ranged from .05
cents to $2 per basket.
Though the primary function of
the program at the University is to
raise money, nationally the pro
gram’s goals go beyond fund rais
ing. Coaches also raise awareness
by attending summer camps and
visiting classrooms.
Members of the coaches coun
cil, the governing body of Coaches
vs. Cancer, serve as advocates for
anti-tobacco legislation. The or
ganization also sponsors visits
with cancer patients.
Kent said he is pleased to be
able to participate and help raise
awareness through the program.
For participating teams, the time
commitment is small, Kent said.
Other than attending the breakfast
at the beginning of the season and
keeping his players aware of the
program, all the team has to do is
score baskets.
“It doesn’t take much to con
tribute,” he said.
The money raised goes to re
search, education, patient care
and prevention. Forty-one per
cent of the money ACS raises goes
to community programs and can
cer detection, prevention and
treatment. Another 38 percent
goes to research, program devel
opment and supporting services.
The remaining money is spent on
fund raising and management
costs, according to “Point Attack
Against Cancer,” an ACS
brochure.
At the University, money
raised by the ACS is supporting
cancer research projects totaling
more than $1 million. Three Uni
versity researchers have earned
grants from the ACS to conduct
projects.
The competition for these
grants is fierce. In the 1997-98 ac
ademic year, 2,325 scientists ap
plied, and only 491 were ap
proved and funded, according to
ACS statistics.
Kent said there is also a little bit
of competition between coaches.
Each year at the NCAA tourna
ment coaches boast how much
their team is making.
This season Shaquala Williams
and A.D. Smith led the Universi
ty’s teams in three-point baskets
with 53 and 55 respectively.
Havercroft said the program has
only caught on recently in the
West.
“It’s huge back east,” she said.
She said she hopes it will gain
more prominence next year be
cause it is a good program that
anyone can participate in.
Organizers are looking ahead to
next season for ways the program
can gain more recognition in Ore
gon. Havercroft said she wants to
see more student involvement
and is working on ideas for com
petitions and other ways to let
students know about the program.
Havercroft is also looking to
add corporate sponsors to help
cover the administrative and pro
motional costs of running the pro
gram at the University.
One tentative idea is to have
“3” printed on cards and distrib
uted to fans. Each time the Ducks
score a three-point basket, the
fans would hold up the signs.
Printed on the back would be in
formation on how to get involved
with the Coaches vs. Cancer pro
gram.
“In one way or another, cancer
touches all our lives,” women’s
coach Jody Runge said in an ACS
brochure. “Coaches vs. Cancer
provides an exciting opportunity
to support the American Cancer
Society in raising much needed
money.”
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