ChipperF1
02-08-2008, 08:58 AM
At the practice court in Lincoln, Nebraska -- Kelsey Griffin practices her post moves. Her mind is on how to score against Maria Cordero. She's thinking about what to do if Andrea Riley breaks loose and makes a drive for the basket.
She's also thinking about her dad in Alaska...
In Ames, Iowa...A fan base loves their head coach, Bill Fennelly....And a wife and children are very happy just to have their dad. A year ago..they were worried that they may not.
In North Carolina...Kay Yow is looking at her attack options against two opponents...One of the court. One inside her body. And she's not alone...8 other Division I womens basketball head coaches are preparing for two battles at the same time.
In New York...A great face of our game..who's rose to so much more is winning her battle. Go get 'em Robin Roberts!
In California...Edna Campbell is talking about home loan options with a client..A lot of pictures of her past as a WNBA guard adorn her office. Including a plaque for being "Most Inspirational"...because of battle she won that nearly derailed a lot more than her basketball career.
In Massachusetts...A mom sits in a room that is a shrine to the hoops exploits of a daughter..at the same time the daughter is courtside interviewing a coach. Knowing mom is watching...grateful that mom has an opportunity to watch. Mindful of a time when that opportunity may not happen.
In some children's hospital somewhere...There's a little one with a hoop dream. Clutching a basketball, looking to play again. But also clutching to dear life...with bald head, a little fear and a lot of courage....and just down the hall there may be someone much older...but with that same fear and that some courage.
The common link here is cancer. You would be hard pressed to find a person who isn't touched by it, a family who isn't touched by it.
Our sport has been touched by it. My team has recently by touched by it.
One of the great things about college basketball in recent years as been the way that so many in the game have rallied around this cause of beating cancer and have been effective in getting the basketball community together to raise awareness and raise funds for treatment and research.
So much has been done. So much good news. Survival rates for most forms of cancer are moving up fast. Raised awareness yielding earlier diagnosis when combined with treatment is a slam dunk for life.
But so much more needs to be done...and this is where us fans take off the sweats and get on the floor.
This weekend's play begins WBCA Think Pink Week. From February 8-17, games will be dressed in proud pink to raise awareness. Over 800 teams, including the entire Big XII Conference are a part of this initiative, and us fans also need to be a part...In fact all of us can be the MVP.
But just don't think pink...THINK GREEN! Give up that hot dog at the concession stand. Share a program with somebody. When they pass the hat, but some greenbacks in it. Awareness is key, but to win this fight it'll take research...and that takes money. When they pass the hat at the arena, ante up and kick in!
Think Pink. Beat Cancer.
http://www.wbca.org/thinkpink.asp
A special note: Sunday's Oklahoma State/Nebraska game is a part of ESPN's "February Frenzy" coverage. The Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund in partnership with the Jimmy V Foundation will be running a fundraiser during the "February Frenzy" coverage.
Please give at 1-800-4JIMMYV or http://www.jimmyv.org
She's also thinking about her dad in Alaska...
In Ames, Iowa...A fan base loves their head coach, Bill Fennelly....And a wife and children are very happy just to have their dad. A year ago..they were worried that they may not.
In North Carolina...Kay Yow is looking at her attack options against two opponents...One of the court. One inside her body. And she's not alone...8 other Division I womens basketball head coaches are preparing for two battles at the same time.
In New York...A great face of our game..who's rose to so much more is winning her battle. Go get 'em Robin Roberts!
In California...Edna Campbell is talking about home loan options with a client..A lot of pictures of her past as a WNBA guard adorn her office. Including a plaque for being "Most Inspirational"...because of battle she won that nearly derailed a lot more than her basketball career.
In Massachusetts...A mom sits in a room that is a shrine to the hoops exploits of a daughter..at the same time the daughter is courtside interviewing a coach. Knowing mom is watching...grateful that mom has an opportunity to watch. Mindful of a time when that opportunity may not happen.
In some children's hospital somewhere...There's a little one with a hoop dream. Clutching a basketball, looking to play again. But also clutching to dear life...with bald head, a little fear and a lot of courage....and just down the hall there may be someone much older...but with that same fear and that some courage.
The common link here is cancer. You would be hard pressed to find a person who isn't touched by it, a family who isn't touched by it.
Our sport has been touched by it. My team has recently by touched by it.
One of the great things about college basketball in recent years as been the way that so many in the game have rallied around this cause of beating cancer and have been effective in getting the basketball community together to raise awareness and raise funds for treatment and research.
So much has been done. So much good news. Survival rates for most forms of cancer are moving up fast. Raised awareness yielding earlier diagnosis when combined with treatment is a slam dunk for life.
But so much more needs to be done...and this is where us fans take off the sweats and get on the floor.
This weekend's play begins WBCA Think Pink Week. From February 8-17, games will be dressed in proud pink to raise awareness. Over 800 teams, including the entire Big XII Conference are a part of this initiative, and us fans also need to be a part...In fact all of us can be the MVP.
But just don't think pink...THINK GREEN! Give up that hot dog at the concession stand. Share a program with somebody. When they pass the hat, but some greenbacks in it. Awareness is key, but to win this fight it'll take research...and that takes money. When they pass the hat at the arena, ante up and kick in!
Think Pink. Beat Cancer.
http://www.wbca.org/thinkpink.asp
A special note: Sunday's Oklahoma State/Nebraska game is a part of ESPN's "February Frenzy" coverage. The Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund in partnership with the Jimmy V Foundation will be running a fundraiser during the "February Frenzy" coverage.
Please give at 1-800-4JIMMYV or http://www.jimmyv.org