IBCA E-Newsletter

January is ‘Coaches vs. Cancer’ month

January has once been designated as “Coaches vs. Cancer” month by the IBCA for high school basketball in Indiana.

In the first 12 years of this initiative, boys’ and girls’ coaches across Indiana have raised more than $1,025,000 – including more than $75,000 last season – in the fight against cancer. We want to send a special thank you to all coaches, teams, schools and dedicated community members who plan to participate in the 13th annual IBCA initiative against cancer during the 2019-20 season – the dollars raised through this initiative are saving lives all across Indiana!

This year, we are asking all coaches to get involved in this initiative by taking these simple steps:

1. Pick a date in January for a “Coaches vs. Cancer” game to benefit the American Cancer Society. (Note: If you use the term “Coaches vs. Cancer,” which is trademarked, the net proceeds must go to the American Cancer Society; if your event benefits another organization, you need to use another term to label it.). If January doesn’t work, feel free to select a date that works for you and host a “Coaches vs. Cancer” game sometime during your season.
2. Select a CVC champion to help host the game. We know you and your players are busy during the season, which is why nominating a student, teacher, parent or community member close to the program is a great way to create the best CVC experience without overburdening you and your team.
3. Connect with your local American Cancer Society staff. Once you have selected a date and CVC Champion, connect with your local American Cancer Society staff. They are here to help support your efforts in any way possible. If you are unsure who your local contact is, feel free to reach out to Eric Pittman. Eric can be reach at eric.pittman@cancer.org or at 812-475-9486. As you work to identify your “Coaches vs. Cancer” game, please alert Eric so he may assist with logistics and connect you with the best local American Cancer Society representative to help you with fund-raising ideas and details for your game.
4. Once you have determined the date for your Cancer-benefit game, please e-mail this info to Gene Milner (gmilner@tds.net) so we can list the game dates on our IBCA calendar of games to benefit cancer charities.

The American Cancer Society will present banners to programs that meet certain levels of donations. Categories are Champion ($10,000 or more), MVP ($5,000 to $9,999) and All Star ($2,500 to $4,999). To be eligible, all funds raised during the school year must be turned into the local American Cancer Society office no later than June 1, 2020. For accounting purposes, it helps tremendously if funds can be reported and turned in by March 15, 2020.

After the game, we ask you to do the following:

1. E-mail Gene Milner to let him know how much money was collected and to what charity it was donated if other than the American Cancer Society.
2. Call Bob Lovell of Indiana SportsTalk and let him know how much you collected.
3. Send a check for the amount collected (payable to the "American Cancer Society") to Steve Witty, P.O. Box 638, Plainfield, IN 46168, who will forward it to the Coaches vs. Cancer office. If you prefer, you may work directly with Eric Pittman or local staff to deliver your check.

The “Coaches vs. Cancer” program is an amazing way to encourage team unity, build school spirit, support those in the community who have been touched by cancer and fight back against a disease that has taken so much! Please make plans now to include a "Coaches vs. Cancer" game on your schedule for the 2019-2020 season. Our goal is 100 percent participation of all high schools in Indiana!

Please contact Eric Pittman at ACS today. eric.pittman@cancer.org 812-475-9486

TESTIMONIALS

“Growing up around the game of basketball, I idolized coaches such as Coach Wooden, Coach K and coaches who did things the right way and commanded respect for how they approached life.That taught me to always seek to be a coach who leads by example and shows my players that you always play the right way.That ‘right way’ includes helping others when you can. I grew up with the belief that if you ever get in a position of public prominence, no matter if it is internationally known or the local sports coach, you use that platform to help others.I think cancer is something that affects everyone across all socio-economic backgrounds, and it is imperative we do what we can to eradicate it.”

Bryan McKinley, Basketball Coach
Summit Middle School, Fort Wayne, Indiana

“The Coaches vs. Cancer program is an opportunity for our athletes, school and community to give back. As an educational institution, it is important to me to let our athletes know that life is bigger than the scoreboard and that there are people out there who are or have fought a bigger fight than that on competition field. We are a society and community that stands together to help everyone and anyone in need.”

Ryan Harrington, CAA, Athletic Director
Highland High School, Highland, Indiana