Athletes, coaches score big for cancer awareness

BY CSUB SPORTS INFORMATION

Roadrunner women's swim team sport pink
suits for cancer awareness

Giving back to the community has long been an integral part of the athletics program at CSUB. Roadrunner student–athletes and coaches raise both money and awareness while lending their support to a broad range of worthy causes.

One of CSUB athletics' most enduring efforts centers around a commitment to help in the fight against cancer, a disease that has hit painfully close to home for many current and former student–athletes and coaches.

Certainly none have been more affected than men's basketball assistant coach Geoff Probst, a cancer survivor who has battled stage four non–Hodgkin lymphoma. Head Coach Keith Brown lost his father, William Brown, to lung cancer, and his uncle, Harry Brown, to liver cancer.

“Many of us have been touched by the disease in terms of those loved ones, friends and acquaintances who have been affected by it,” Brown said.

The CSUB men's basketball program helps raise awareness of and money for the American Cancer Society by participating in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Coaches Versus Cancer campaign and the annual Suits and Sneakers promotion. One night per year, the normally nattily dressed 'Runner coaching staff joins thousands of coaches across the nation by wearing sneakers with their suits on the bench during the game. The sneakers are then autographed and auctioned to raise money for the ACS.

This season's Suits and Sneakers game will take place on Jan. 31 when the 'Runners host Utah Valley University at Rabobank Arena.

The CSUB women's basketball team participates in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Pink Zone breast cancer awareness initiative to support the Kay Yow Breast Cancer Fund. This year's Pink Zone game, in which the team will wear pink jerseys and fans will be encouraged to wear pink as well, will be on Feb. 17 when the 'Runners host UT–Pan American in the Icardo Center.

The CSUB women's soccer team will be sporting pink jerseys of their own for their Oct. 8 contest against Pepperdine. The game jerseys will be auctioned or raffled off with the proceeds going to support breast cancer awareness.

“I think it's important for the young ladies on this team to be aware and learn about this issue,” said Head Coach Nicole Van Dyke. “For our team to be in a position to help create awareness and raise money to fight breast cancer is a great thing.”

CSUB's tradition of wearing pink didn't start on the field or on the court. It actually started in the pool when 'Runner women's swim team wore pink suits all season to raise awareness of the fight against breast cancer. CSUB's women's swim team has never shied away from reaching out into the community. Last September, Roadrunner swimmers volunteered to work at the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in Los Angeles. They were a part of the “gear and tent” Wellness Village Team, managing the collection and distribution of all participant gear and tents throughout the event.

“The entire event was really motivational for the whole team,” said Head Coach Pat Skehan. “There were so many inspirational moments throughout the weekend. These were not athletes walking the 30-plus miles. These were people directly affected by cancer.”

Not long after the team's return to Bakersfield, the disease hit home when the mother of assistant coach Joy Symons was diagnosed with cancer in October. The team, which had previously decided to wear pink suits for the season, also designed a pink t-shirt in support of cancer awareness to be worn throughout the year.