Coaches wear sneakers to raise cancer awareness
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

If you attend a boys or girls high school basketball game this week and notice that coaches are wearing sneakers, it's not because they want to act like late-night talk show host David Letterman in the 1980's and early 1990's.

Taking a page from the NCAA, all boys and girls basketball coaches across the state will wear sneakers through Saturday to raise awareness for Coaches vs. Cancer.

It's the first time the Basketball Coaches Association of New York State is raising awareness. A jar for donations will be placed at the ticket table of each boys and girls basketball game.

"We wanted to do something to raise awareness for the coaches versus cancer campaign and thought it was a great idea to do it across the state and emulate what the college coaches have done," said Williamsville South boys coach Al Monaco, who is also the State Coaches' Association President and Section VI representative. "We all love the game so it's a way to give back."

"It's a great cause and is something Division I coaches have done since (North Carolina State) Jim Valvano died from cancer many years ago," added Williamsville East coach Chris Durr, who is the Section VI girls representative for the State Coaches Association. "It's a good opportunity for New York State coaches to do something nice, not only to raise money, but to bring it to the forefront."

Monaco said the plan was to run the promotion to coincide with the NCAA but it fell during sectionals.

Monaco said there is no goal as to how much money is to be raised.

"We're just going to see and hope for the best," said Monaco. "We hope to get great participation from the coaches and hopefully people will donate a dollar or two."

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com