Basketball coaches wear white sneakers for cancer awareness
Central Michigan Men's Basketball head coach Keno Davis yells during the basketball game against Miami Ohio on Jan. 23 at McGuirk Arena.
In Central Michigan men’s basketball’s 70-61 loss to Miami (Ohio), both teams raised cancer awareness by wearing white sneakers with a suite and tie.
Both teams' coaches wore white sneakers to help promote Coaches vs. Cancer, an American Cancer Society program which began 25 years ago.
“This is just the first step," Davis said. "We want to have a higher purpose as coaches to bring more than just the game of basketball and we want to use our platform to be better and for me, this hits home."
The idea behind wearing the white sneakers is to draw attention from the fans and bystanders to wonder why they are all wearing the same colored shoes, Davis said.
While it is the “fun” part of the event, Davis said he hopes people will look back on it for the real reason they are doing it.
“We have an initiative to raise more and more money because really, as coaches and people that’s how we can help,” Davis said. “We will look back and remember it as more than ‘Oh, that was the suits versus sneakers, that’s kind of neat,' no. We want people to look back and remember it as much more than that.”
The six-year head coach wants this tradition to continue every year and hopes that more new traditions will come about in the future.
“As coaches, we all feel the same way,” Davis said. “We have to set a good example for pour student-athletes and I feel like this is just another way of showing the good we can all bring to the table.”
Coaches vs. Cancer gives NCAA coaches an opportunity to do something more than coach and lead a team, Davis said.
To join the annual 3-point challenge, to donate or learn more, visit this link to make your pledge in the fight against cancer.
