Coaches vs. Cancer
Coaches vs. Cancer
716 Golf Classic rallies St. Bonaventure legends around a great cause
On Monday, some of the biggest names in college basketball are coming together in the spirit of determination, competition, and camaraderie - but not on the court. Olean’s Bartlett Country Club is hosting the American Cancer Society’s 2021 Coaches vs. Cancer 716 Golf Classic on August 30th. Beginning with a shotgun start at 11:00am, area golfers and numerous members of the basketball community will come together for a great afternoon on the greens to raise money for the American Cancer Society (ACS), the largest private, not-for-profit funder of cancer research in the United States.
An annual event, the 716 Golf Classic has been bringing golfers together for many years and has continued uninterrupted during the pandemic. According to Joe LaVare, senior development manager for the ACS’ Northeast Region, the event takes place at a different course in western New York each year and is part of a much larger national organization.
“Coaches vs. Cancer began in 1993 and is the result of a collaboration with the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the ACS,” LaVare explained. “High school and college basketball coaches all over the country participate in Coaches vs. Cancer, and to date, this organization has raised over $130 billion for cancer research.”
The Coaches vs. Cancer Council is comprised of 40 college and high school basketball coaches across the country, including all the Big Four schools. St. Bonaventure University’s Men’s Basketball Head Coach Mark Schmidt and former St. Bonaventure and current University of Buffalo Men’s Basketball Head Coach Jim Whitesell are members of the council. As members, the two are committed to rallying western New York around this great cause, and hosting the 716 Classic is an instrumental part of raising awareness and money for Coaches vs. Cancer. Schmidt serves as the 716 Classic honorary chairperson and is hosting the tournament with organizers Frank Higgins, Joe Guenther, Anita Schmidt, Dwayne Randall, Alysha Giarra, and Matt Pappano.
Although foursomes are filling up fast, LaVare said there are still a few spots left. There is also time to purchase tickets for the 5:30pm dinner and awards ceremony, which will be emceed by Buffalo Bills sideline reporter Sal Capaccio. A trophy will be awarded to the champion foursome, as well as awards for different contests such as closest to the pin, longest drive, hole-in-one, and more. LaVare anticipates appearances from legendary St. Bonaventure coaches Jim Baron, Jim Satalin, and Larry Weise, as well as coaches and former coaches from around the northeast including Whitesell from UB and Greg Paulus from Niagara University. Satalin will be presenting his Jim Satalin Inspiration Award to Baron, who has been involved with Coaches vs. Cancer for many years and supported the annual national tournaments, contributing to fundraising both personally and for the schools he represented.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Chris LaPlaca will also be in attendance, and this year’s keynote speaker is former St. Bonaventure athlete Rayna Banks, who is now a senior manager for features in ESPN’s Investigative Unit. Banks supported her father as he battled the most aggressive form of brain cancer, glioblastoma, which he fought courageously for 22 months until he passed away at the age of 67.
Speaking of the purpose of the 716 Classic and Coaches vs. Cancer, LaVare said raising awareness about cancer, specifically early detection, is more crucial than ever given the circumstances of the pandemic. “In June 2020, three out of four cancer patients reported a disruption to their care,” LaVare explained. “And 50% of men and women put off or canceled preventive screenings.” These delays can result in cancer diagnoses at later stages and ultimately lead to more negative outcomes. “In addition to Coaches vs. Cancer, the ACS also has a large campaign with the Buffalo Bills called Crucial Catch, which encourages screenings,” LaVare added. “Colonoscopies can detect 98% of cancers, and even at-home screenings, like Cologuard, can detect up to 92%.” Although not exactly comfortable or easy to discuss, LaVare said conversations about early screenings such as these are worth it because they can and do save lives.
Concern regarding the spread of the virus, as well as the shut-down of several services, prevented many individuals from receiving vital care and screenings over the past 18 months, LaVare pointed out. “Programs like the Hope Lodge in Rochester, which provides a free home away from home for cancer patients and caregivers, temporarily closed. Road to Recovery, which to me is one of our best programs, is a volunteer-run program to give people rides to their cancer treatment that was paused because of the pandemic.”
LaVare is happy to report that many of these programs will soon reopen, and in-person fundraising events, such as the 716 Classic, are making a comeback. In addition to funding cancer research, the ACS has designated funding for studies in health equity, as many social structures and practices can limit a person’s access to health care. It is the goal of the ACS to reduce such disparities in cancer risk and survival through changing or adding new evidence-based public health policies at the local, state, and federal levels.
LaVare is excited for the 716 Classic to contribute to this mission and is hopeful that the nearly sold-out tournament will gross $75,000. “Putting something like this together is always a lot of work, but once golfers are here and on the course, it’s worth every bit of work and it’s just a great time,” he said. For more information, including registration, dinner tickets, and sponsorship opportunities, visit http://bit.ly/716GolfClassic.