Shoe fits well for generosity
Armani suits and white sneakers are not the sideline fashion look of choice for most college basketball coaches.
“It’s not a great look,” admitted Gonzaga coach Mark Few, “but it makes people ask, ‘Why?’ And then you can educate them about the cause.”
Few and the other members of his staff will join coaches across the country today in wearing white sneakers during their games to promote awareness of National Coaches vs. Cancer Day and the organization’s on-going efforts to raise money to help fight cancer.
The GU coaches might catch a fashion break, however, for tonight’s non-conference showdown against Stanford that tips off at 6 in the McCarthey Athletic Center.
“I think we’ve worked it out with the Stanford coaches to just wear polo shirts and slacks, instead of suits,” Few explained, “which sure looks a lot better.”
In any event, Few hopes tonight’s game will have a bigger impact on cancer awareness than those staged in recent years, simply because it will play out in front of a national television audience as the nightcap to ESPN’s popular College Game Day.
“It’s fitting that ESPN is here during Coaches vs. Cancer,” Few said, “because our community has been as good as any – along with Syracuse – in raising money for the American Cancer Society. And I think it’s a reward for the community of Spokane that Game Day is here, because that will create even more exposure and awareness.”
Few and his wife, Marcy, have become more involved in the cause that most coaching families, having organized an annual Coaches vs. Cancer BasketBall and Golf Classic in 2002. Last year’s event raised more than $528,000, boosting the four-year total to more than $1.37 million.
The Fews’ event rivals that staged back east each year by Syracuse coach Joe Boeheim and his wife, Juli.
“Certainly those two communities – Syracuse and here – have separated themselves from the rest of the country as far as fund-raising is concerned,” Few said. “The way our community has responded has been just unbelievable. It has far exceeded our expectations.”
The Fews will co-chair the Fifth Annual BasketBall and Golf Classic Aug. 25-26.
“It’s just an ongoing battle,” Few said, “and we’ve got to keep growing and growing and growing. It’s kind of like with your team: The more successful you are, the harder it is to get that next bit of growth – to squeeze out that last 5 or 10 percent of growth or effort.”
Coaches vs. Cancer is a nationwide collaboration between the ACS and National Association of Basketball Coaches that was founded in 1993.
Since its inception, the organization has raised more than $25 million to benefit cancer research and cancer victims.